As absurd as it may sound, Hakimullah Mehsud, the slain Pakistani Taleban leader, is now somewhat of a hero in Pakistan. The notorious militant, also accused by the US of involvement in a deadly attack on CIA base in Afghanistan, was recently killed in a US drone strike in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
Mehsud featured on the most wanted list of even Pakistani security agencies and was credited with carrying out violent attacks across the country that claimed thousands of civilian lives. Yet, his elimination has only caused further outrage and damaged the mercurial relationship between the US and Pakistan. Members of prominent religious parties, that enjoy massive public support, have openly slammed the US for his assassination and termed him a “martyr.” At the same time, the government of Pakistan has denounced the US action for sabotaging chances of peace talks with the militants. It has also called for an immediate review of ties between the two countries in the wake of this incident.
The strike on Mehsud’s hideout is significant in the backdrop of PM Sharif’s recent visit to the US. During the trip, Pakistan presented its case for suspending drone strikes on the grounds that these attacks violated its sovereignty and turned public opinion against the US. While the Obama administration did not commit to halting such surgical strikes, the government of Pakistan has expressed its anger on the US going back on its words. With the selection of fiery Mullah Fazullah as local Taleban’s new chief, Pakistani authorities believe that chances of peace talks are all but dead. They fear vengeful attacks on civilian and military targets in the coming days. Further, a resolution tabled in the country’s National Assembly has called for a blocking of NATO supply routes through Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan. It seems that political forces in Pakistan have forgotten the deadly war raged by the Pakistani Taleban to overthrow the democratic setup and enforce their interpretation of Islam in the country.
Other media and political commentators have urged the government of Pakistan to shoot down drones on covert missions. Such demands by prominent media and political personalities may surprise the outside world. To the Western media, Pakistan should have expressed gratitude to the US for conducting raids that resulted in the elimination of top security threats like Mehsud and Osama Bin Laden. On numerous occasions, Pakistan has termed itself the worst victim of the war on terror.
The country has lost thousands of its soldiers and civilians in the battle against insurgents in the volatile northwestern region. Further, its economy has been battered as investors have chosen to remain on the sidelines and preferred other Asian economies. Pakistan suspects the US of backstabbing it and taking counterproductive measures to hurt their bilateral relationship.
The Taleban accuse Pakistani government of conniving with the US to target its top commanders, while at the same time extending an olive branch. As these actions erode confidence between the two sides, the peace process remains stalled and faces an uncertain future. Oddly enough, the dead man, Mehsud, may be commanding even greater influence now on Pakistan’s future. His death has positioned the country in a tricky spot, as it has to make a tough choice of whether to pursue peace talks with no guaranteed result, or to take the radical step of hurting the operational capability of its allies in Afghanistan.
