LAHORE: This is with reference to the article “A very silent war” by Kunwar Khalid Yunus published in The Express Tribune on May 27. The writer has rightly mentioned that Pakistan needs to take a decision on its internal policies regarding the Taliban, but he has failed to give any recommendations regarding this decision. The first thing that needs to be done is to do away with the mantra of the good and bad Taliban. Any militant who indulges in violence, whether in Pakistan or elsewhere in the world, is bad and needs to be dealt with an iron hand.
To prevent the level of militancy in Pakistan from increasing after the American withdrawal in 2014, it is pertinent that the writ of the state is established in all the agencies of Fata and other disturbed areas. It is no secret that terrorists are operating with impunity all across the country and some are even collaborating with the Taliban from across our western border. To prevent this cooperation and cross-border terrorism, Pakistan needs to conduct a full-fledged military operation in North Waziristan, along with a concerted operation in Karachi and southern Punjab. Once these areas are cleared of militants, then not only will Pakistan be able to maintain peace within its territory but also prevent its use as a launching pad for attacks elsewhere in the world.
Omer Butt
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2013.
