Aamer Ahmed Khan's article is typical of those who have spent most of their time watching CNN/BBC or living abroad.
LAHORE: The article by Aamer Ahmed Khan titled ‘Flirting with the Taliban’ (October 10) is typical of those who have spent most of their time watching CNN/BBC or living abroad. They are out of touch with the ground realities. Iraq is not Afghanistan and Afghanistan is not Fata. The BBC covered Iraq keeping the ethnic divide in view. Al Qaeda is anti-Shia and the survival of the local population depended on getting rid of al Qaeda. This is not the case in Fata.
In Afghanistan, it is not possible to have one central ruler or authority and the conflict between various groups, which has afflicted that country ever since the Soviets left in 1989, only confirms this view. Therefore, there is a dire need to keep the local tribes engaged in dialogue and negotiations. That is why the military, to use the writer’s own words’ has to “flirt” with one party or the other. The success lies in how effective this flirtation is from Pakistan's point of view in maintaining peace in the region. Also, for any such ‘flirtation’ to be successful, it has to be kept hidden from the public eye.
Muhammad Shahbaz Thuthaal
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2010.
