Though the death of Mullah Nazir will be hailed as a success by the US, it may not go down quite so well in Pakistan. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
The fact that Mullah Nazir had banned polio vaccination in his area in July last year, citing the 2011 Dr Shakil Afridi incident, did not apparently bring about any change in the category he was placed in. The lives of Pakistani children are apparently of little consequence to authorities who strike such deals. Nazir, a member of the Wazir tribe fiercely opposed to Mehsud-led Taliban factions, was also a hardliner opposed to technology, including mobile phones with cameras on the basis that they could be used to photograph women. He also disliked Uzbek militants and had begun driving Mehsud tribesmen out of the Ahmedzai Wazir area of South Waziristan after a November 2012 suicide attack on him. The jirga for his faction has named Bahawal Khan, known as Ayubi, as his successor.
The life — and death — of Mullah Nazir raises many questions about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ militants. It seems obvious that this distinction is flawed; to win back control of our country from these men of violence, we need to accept that all of them play a retrogressive, evil role. Violence should never be accepted. Right now, it will be interesting to see how Islamabad reacts to this latest drone attack and the removal of a man seen with different eyes by the US and Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2013.
COMMENTS (23)
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@Ahmed: So you do not consider North Waziristan a "safe haven" where the government of Pakistan fears to tread! Notice the change in tone of editorials and politicians as the wind direction changes against the fortunes of the militants! There is no viable "good versus bad Taliban" distinction anymore after the deaths of some 40,000 Pakistanis over the last decade or so! By the way please tell us JUST WHO has killed and injured all those Pakistanis, or don't you know!
@numbersnumbers: what safe havens? all those who understand the dynamics of FATA know that there are numerous Pashtoon tribes who live in border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan so when a part of tribe is being targeted and invaded by foreign forces i.e. in Afghanistan, it is a normal reaction of that tribe in particular and other Pashtoons in general to raise arms against invading forces,It was done against the British and USSR in the past too. Mullah Nazir was living peacefully before the invasion so who made him a so called terrorist ??? i am afraid its your innocent NATO and USA.
@zeeshan sheikh: why dont non liberals consider violence against common innocent Pakistani civilians to be violence?
Then we will worry about what is happening in other countries.
@zeeshan sheikh: Since when did Islam start teaching that Muslims are brothers irrespective of their actions?
Why should anyone in the USA care about the Pak Generals and their opinions ? This is the same Pakistan that hid OBL and recreated the Taliban. Pakistan is an enemy of the USA. 2014 will free the USA from Pak supply lines. Then we shall see how many friends the Pakistan actually has.
There can be no peace in Pakistan as long as it continues to support or use militant organisations for achieving its objectives. Those who deal with violence cannot be friends of anybody and Pakistan who have used them as a tool is now on the brink of a disaster but still continuing is nothing but a death wish.
Mullah Nazir was an Afghan born in Barmal, Paktika. Afghans rejoice the death of another traitor and sell out.
Pak sincererity in war against terrorism has been always doubtful that is why withdrawl is being done and the work is now being done by drones .
@Ahmed: Lets see, Pakistan has previously decided that there are "good Taliban" (who hide inside Pakistani "safe havens" and attack NATO/Afghan forces inside Afghanistan) and "bad Taliban" (such as the TTP that attack Pakistani targets and forces inside Pakistan)! So when the Americans use drones to target the "good Taliban" that kill American and NATO/Afghan troops and civilians, that is somehow viewed by you as supporting the TTP!!! The SINCERITY of Pakistan in this fight against terrorists will only be proved when it extends the SOVEREIGNTY of the country to the Waziristans to eliminate those SAFE HAVENS!
One thing I don't understand why these liberals don't consider US attack on Afghanistan an act of violence. why they don't consider drone attacks an act of violence. Because they are slave and their master is USA. Our master is Allah and we muslims are brothers. and I fully support taliban resistance in Afghanistan.
@Lala Gee: Please tell us all about the "foreign support" that you claim that the TTP enjoys! You should be able to tell us who these "foreign sponsors" are and give us credible references to backup your comment ! Most of us are tired of hearing the pathetic FOREIGN HAND excuse for all the ills that Pakistan suffers!
"Violence should never be accepted"
Perhaps the Editor didn't learn a thing from the East Pakistan tragedy. Didn't Mukti Bahini, with the Indian backing, started the violence and Pakistan Army responded in kind which escalated in to endless hostilities from both sides, and then India played her final card. And now, everybody, including the Editor, blame Pakistan Army for excesses without a mention of Mukti Bahinni. This is a very similar situation, and anybody having even a cursory knowledge of the requirements of funds, arms, training, and logistics of the likes of TTP knows that its sustained working is impossible without foreign support. The only outcome of the army action would be much more blood shed on both sides, but on a much larger scale, which will defeat the whole purpose of the army action in the first place, and fully serve the purpose of their foreign manipulators. Until their foreign backing is withdrawn, army action would be more or less fruitless keeping in view the past, and recent, history of these tribes. Pak Army needs to find ways to make their foreign sponsors withdraw their support, or wait for good times to get rid of these terrorists with a targeted low intensity offensive.
Good taliban?
What next? Good rapist? Good murderer?
A person who is a non-state actor who resorts to violence, carries a gun and conducts militant activities in another country is 'good taliban'??
The sincerity of USA with Pakistan will only be proved when they will start killing Talibans like Hakim Ullah Mehsud, Mullah Fazal Ullah, Wali Ur Rehman and Party, but i think the priority is to kill all those who are not targeting Pakistani forces. Mullah Nazir was against Mehsuds and Uzbeks but he was eliminated which raises suspicion and strengthen the theory that USA itself is supporting the TTP and all those who will resist TTP will be eliminated like Mullah Nazir.
E.T. stop writing of the military and the so called military establishment as something that is disconnected from the Pakistani public. No Pakistani should rejoice the killing of it's own citizen, especially one that was helping in maintaining peace in the region. . . Not just the military but every Pakistani should be unhappy at the extra-judicial killing of a tribal leader.
@Basit: So I guess belonging to a group, as a prominent member, that uses terrorist tactics isn't enough to be called a terrorist for you. The silver lining when it comes to the existence of people like you is that you're in the group foolish enough to end up as one of the dead due to your denial based complacency which means there's a chance of you unintentionally shielding an innocent that evolution smiled much more favorably upon than you.
@Basit, 'On what account was Mullah Nazir a terrorist? For resisting a foreign invasion of Pukhtun lands?'
Not really. He drove away the mehsud Pashtuns from pashtun lands of wana, and offered the Punjabi Taliban to take over. Sorry that your pashtun card didn't work. Try something else.
@Basit: You ask "On what account was Mullah Nazir a terrorist? For resisting a foreign invasion of Pukhtun lands?" The freedom fighters do not sit far away from the invading forces and wreak havoc on another Muslim country. All the fugitives from war must be rounded up and sent to their homeland. These armed groups have no business in Pakistan. They have taken Pakistan and its population hostage on one pretext or the other. Go fight the invaders not Pakistani civilians. After 40,000 deaths how many more Pakistanis do you want killed?
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@Ricky: On what account was Mullah Nazir a terrorist? For resisting a foreign invasion of Pukhtun lands?
Surely no effect shall take place in country, whereas the concern of being good or bad; where had this kind Taliban been before they die? And about country's interest in getting control back, surely it shouldn't be sitting only on relying a few good "taliban".
exactly what 'calm' did he help maintain?