Encouraging advances
The military operation on the Afghan side of the border – which took out a key Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) commander and his spokesman – is a clear indication that recent goodwill between Islamabad and Kabul is bearing fruit. It also means that promises made by each side – which involve cracking down on the other’s enemy, of course – are being kept. President Ghani has brought a breath of fresh air not only in the bilateral equation, but in dealings with the Americans as well. There’s no doubting his sincerity, especially after Gen Sharif visited Kabul with proof about the school massacre planning. But he wisely said Pakistan’s actions would show a lot. Obviously he has been impressed.
Significantly, the JuA success comes at an important time. The spokesman, apparently, was hit not long after he announced the organisation’s return to the TTP umbrella. It had gambled with Da’ish when Zarb-e-Azb got the Taliban on the run and al Baghdadi’s caliphate was gaining ground across the Levant. But with time it seems to have realised the practicality of staying with the TTP to ensure its own survival. Being closer, Fazlullah’s group is better placed to help with funding and arms. That, of course, raises the temperature at the GHQ. JuA will obviously add to TTP’s reprisal outreach, and must be dealt with accordingly.
That is why cooperation with the Afghans is so important. As long as they are on board, the enemy will be deprived of a secure sanctuary. And the more it is disorganised, the more it is likely to be caught in the military’s net, especially considering the difficult logistics of the theatre of war. Every effort must now be made to nurture this partnership. Pakistan is also lending a crucial hand in the China-led regional effort to accommodate the more agreeable elements of the Afghan Taliban. All sides naturally want to end the fighting as soon as possible. And how the Islamabad-Kabul partnership plays out will, perhaps, be the deciding factor.
