Testing the NAP
After Friday afternoon’s Imambargah attack in Peshawar – killing 20 and injuring 60 so far – DG ISPR’s tough talk from a day ago no longer inspires much confidence. Zarb-e-Azb no doubt dealt the Taliban a hard blow – and downgraded their command and control apparatus in North Waziristan – but the military has clearly miscalculated the enemy’s ability to strike back. Jundullah’s targeting of the Shi’a community over the last week – first in Shikarpur and then in Peshawar – does not exactly give the impression of a debilitated outfit wriggling as the noose tightens around its neck.
According to news reports, this was revenge for the hanging of the militant popularly known as Dr Usman (of the GHQ attack fame). So this was text-book blowback, carried out in the city closest to the tribal belt, yet despite the chest thumping over the National Action Plan (NAP), neither security agencies nor the government were any wiser since the APS tragedy on Dec16. Sartaj Aziz has made a pretty compelling case of Indian involvement in Taliban activities just the other day. Yet he, like other government spokesmen, is unable to furnish answers to simpler questions. Since those carrying out the attacks are invariably Pakistanis – despite their patronage – isn’t it the government’s responsibility to provide protection to people, instead of knitting stories of cross-border involvement?
Clearly NAP has not taken off as expected, or required, for that matter. There continue to be problems throughout the chain. Intel-gathering no doubt still leaves a trifle to be desired, to say the least, and the rapid response force needs a few more drills before it can meet expectations. Granted, there continues to be political and military unanimity over ending the terrorist threat once and for all, but it is equally clear that steps taken so far fall short of the kind of resolve required to win this kind of war. Unless immediate steps are taken, Jundullah will not have much trouble living up to its latest boast, that Friday’s attack was the first of many revenge attacks to come.
