Operation in N Waziristan

KARACHI: This is with reference to Khalid Munir’s article of May 27 titled ‘Dynamics of a N Waziristan operation’. The writer is spot on in his assessment on the operation. The irony is that our so-called elite are so easily convinced when it reads something in the western press. After all, the western media has been saying that Pakistan needs to launch the operation sooner than later and unfortunately large sections of the Pakistani media are echoing this of late. The fact of the matter is that we have thousands of soldiers fighting on many fronts in Fata and that without first clearing Orakzai, Kurram and Mohmand, it would be pointless to go into North Waziristan. Yes, we should launch an operation there as well but only at a time of our own choosing.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 28th, 2010.