Terror fissures

The terror specter from across the western frontier continues unabated. This past weekend, the terrorists belonging to TTP tried to infiltrate into North Waziristan, but the intrusion attempt was repulsed by security forces. As many as 37 of the dreaded elements were condemned to hell. It is the violent activities like this one – reflecting Kabul's appeasement of terrorists – that compelled Pakistan to launch operation Ghazab Lil Haq in February.

The hot pursuit, thus, was inevitable as rather than take action against the terrorists, the Taliban rulers have continued to indulge in unprovoked attacks from across the border, forcing Pakistan to close the check-posts at Torkham and Chaman. In a lawful retaliation in self-defence, Pakistani forces targeted 81 hideouts, killing more than 800 terrorists, destroying 286 Afghan posts, in addition to razing 249 tanks and armoured vehicles. The ceasefire attained on the eve of Eid-ul Fitr was in good faith, but this Waziristan shootout has proved, yet again, the complicity of Taliban 2.0 in the terrorist onslaughts.

Needless to mention that Afghanistan needs to take stock of its policies, and the best way forward is to mend fences with Pakistan. The least that is desired is to act against the terror elements, and eradicate them in the interest of regional peace and prosperity. The Urumqi dialogue has rightly bred a three-point demand – to declare TTP a terrorist organisation; dismantle its infrastructure; and provide verifiable proof of action taken. This is not a Pakistan-specific demand, as the same has been reiterated by the UN and other regional countries too.

The spike in terror incidents in Pakistan has a direct relevance with domestic unrest in Afghanistan. The Bannu police station suicide attack last week that came a day after Urumqi talks is a proof of open interference. Similarly, the fire-spitting declarations from the Taliban leaders and putting irresistible issues – such as refugees' rehabilitation and transit trade – on the backburner confirm their narrow-mindedness. Kabul must come out of this callous syndrome to undo bilateral fissures in all sincerity.