The government is still dragging its feet
Civilian leadership has to move apace or be overtaken by circumstances. As things stand, the government takes too long to even be aware of the need to formulate a vital policy. On the issue of dealing with terrorism, all initiatives have come from the military. Decisions on pressing issues cannot however be postponed. If Nawaz Sharif does not take them someone else would.
Most of the decisions okayed by the Prime Minister in the presence of the military leadership on Friday were already being implemented by law enforcement agencies. The biggest anti-insurgency and anti-terrorism operation in tribal areas and inside the country’s cities had already been initiated before the meeting. The military had launched the largest airstrikes on a single day in Tirah Valley followed by ground action. There were also reports of numerous terrorists eliminated in Balochistan and Karachi followed by similar reports from Punjab. The civilian leadership has simply endorsed the actions as well as the policy of zero tolerance for terrorists.
The military can do well what it is trained to do. But the military mind does not look into social intricacies. Unless measures are taken to extricate extremism from society, any lull in terrorist activities caused by the ongoing operations would be short lived. The poison of extremism generated by the Salafist seminaries has permeated deep in Pakistani society. It is there in the sermons from the pulpit, in textbooks prescribed by the boards of education. It has affected members of the legal profession, law enforcement personnel, members of the ruling party as well as those in the opposition parties and media persons. Ziaul Haq’s spectre continues to haunt Pakistan 26 years after of his death. The success or failure of any anti-terrorism operation will depend on what the government does to purge the society of extremism. As things stand the government does not even seem to be conscious of its presence. The thinking of the recently formed Parliamentary Committee will become clear from its plan of action.
