Mullah Fazlullah vows new war

Fazlullah says Taliban will do 'whatever it takes' to implement Sharia law in Pakistan.

PESHAWAR: Pakistani leaders approach us when their relations sour with the US and later forget their promises, a close adviser to Afghanistan-based Taliban leader Maulvi Fazlullah has said.

“Pakistani rulers always approach us through some people whenever their relations with the US become unfriendly and make appeals to us to help them in restoration of peace in the country,” Sirajuddin Ahmad said in written answers to questions submitted by Reuters.

“But they forget their promises and become more harsh and cruel when their relations are restored. We know these tricks of the Pakistani rulers and do not trust their promises,” he said.

Fazlullah, a leading figure in the Pakistani Taliban insurgency, has vowed to return to Pakistan to wage war as the country came under renewed American pressure to tackle militancy.

“We sacrificed our lives, left our homes and villages for the sake of Sharia  and will do whatever we can to get Sharia implemented in the Malakand region and the rest of Pakistan,” Ahmad said, describing Fazlullah’s position.

Fazlullah was the Pakistani Taliban leader in Swat Valley, before a 2009 army offensive forced him to flee. Also known as FM Mullah for his fiery radio broadcasts, he regrouped in Afghanistan and established strongholds, and poses a threat to Pakistan once again, said army spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas.

Pakistan recently complained that Afghan and US-led forces had failed to hunt down Fazlullah who was responsible for a spate of cross-border raids. On the other hand, Afghanistan and the United States have accused elements in the Pakistan government of supporting members of the Afghan Taliban.

The attacks in which militants loyal to Fazlullah took part killed about 100 members of Pakistan’s security forces. Fazlullah is based in Kunar and Nuristan provinces in Afghanistan, said Abbas.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2011.