The recent Taleban attack on the Karachi international airport has proved to be the proverbial last straw on the camel’s back. Finally, Pakistan has launched an offensive against these anti-state elements in North Waziristan.
It’s better late than never. The operation to eliminate local and foreign terrorists should have begun long ago. The question is: Will this operation code named “Zarb-e-Azb” succeed?
I think it’s a bit too late. Due to the so-called peace talks, the militants have earned enough time to regroup and organize themselves in North Waziristan. It is not that I am not at all optimistic about this military action. I believe it is not a long-term solution to the problem of militancy. Militants are no longer confined to the tribal areas of the country. They have spread all across the country.
We should reject the notion of “good” or “bad” Taleban. The government needs to devise a comprehensive policy to fight this ideology. To better fight Taleban, action should also be taken against their financiers, sympathizers and their agents. It is primarily because of the help from such elements, these militants easily target the country’s urban centers.
All religious parties should be taken onboard and should be convinced to withdraw all types of support so as to effectively fight this evil. Without doing so, the operation will not succeed in the true sense of the word.
Masood Khan
Jubail
Fighting militancy
