Taking on the Taliban
The satantic Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has spread her tentacles across the province. Even peace deals with the ANP and tribal elders aimed at bringing about some peace and calm have had only a cosmetic impact with business as usual including targeted killings and kidnappings of innocent Christians and the like.
One only has to watch a couple of episodes from last week’s Live with Talat on Aaj TV to see the precarious situation the nation finds itself in Sarhad. Having seen each of the episodes, I saw the urgent need for action yet as a peace-loving Pakistani, I still find it difficult to support violent actions against our own people, no matter how deserving they may be of it. Irrespective of wherever we stand on the issue of radicalisation and the rise of the Taliban, Pakistan is the real loser today.
That said the Taliban must be taken on 110%, a two pronged strategy is necessary involving the Parliament and other stakeholders which I will cover in another more detailed post. In the interim I do believe that the violent Taliban must be taken on head on wherever they are, while the moderates amongst them must be sought out and brought to our side by persuasion, by using tribal customs and generally by proving to them that Pakistan is their country and they all have a stake in its surival and success.
This issue will not disappear and even after the so-called ‘operation’ it will remain a live and burning issue for the nation, we must stand united and tall against all those who disregard the writ of the state, for we cannot be half-pregnant on this issue.
- WRITTEN UNDER MARTIAL LAW