IN the face of a pathetic response of the Taliban Government to repeated concerns about security threats emanating from the Afghan soil, Pakistan was forced to carry out Monday morning an intelligence-based anti-terrorist operation in the border region inside Afghanistan. The strikes were prompted by the March 16 terrorist attack in Mir Ali, North Waziristan in which seven Pakistani soldiers including two officers were martyred. A statement issued by the foreign office said the target of the operation was the terrorists belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which along with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, resulting in deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials.
No doubt, as feared by some analysts, this is a dangerous escalation in bilateral relations but a decisive action had become inevitable in view of cold-shouldered response of the Taliban regime to scores of formal and informal requests made by Islamabad to take action against TTP elements who are carrying out terrorist attacks inside Pakistan while enjoying safe havens in the neighbouring country. As also pointed out in the FO statement, over the past two years, Pakistan repeatedly conveyed its serious concerns to the Interim Afghan Government over the presence of terror outfits including TTP inside Afghanistan. These terrorists pose a grave threat to Pakistan’s security and have consistently used Afghan territory to launch terror attacks inside Pakistani territory. That Pakistan respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan was evident from the extreme restraint that the country exercised despite numerous provocative attacks and non-cooperation of the Kabul administration in neutralizing the threat. The latest action inside Afghanistan is also not directed against Afghanistan or its people but against the TTP elements, who are responsible for dastardly terrorist attacks inside Pakistan. Islamabad always prioritized dialogue and cooperation to confront the terrorist threat. It repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete and effective action to ensure that the Afghan soil is not used as a staging ground for terrorism against Pakistan. Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership also called on Afghan authorities to deny safe havens to TTP and to hand over its leadership to Pakistan but they paid scant attention to legitimate concerns and demands of the country. The statement of the Pakistan Foreign Office also referred to another serious issue. It pointed out that Pakistan has great respect for the people of Afghanistan but certain elements among those in power in Afghanistan were actively patronizing TTP and using them as a proxy against Pakistan. The response that Afghanistan gave to Pakistan strikes inside Afghan territory also highlighted this posture of the Taliban regime. Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, warned that the interim government of Afghanistan, which has a “long experience of freedom struggle against the superpowers of the world”, does not allow anyone to “invade its territory”. Mujhahid warned of potentially dire consequences stemming from such incidents, cautioning that the repercussions could spiral beyond Pakistan’s control. While Pakistani forces targeted TTP elements, the Taliban defence ministry said its security forces had targeted Pakistani troops at the border in response to the air strikes. The Afghan reaction as well as the overall policy of the Taliban towards Pakistan is an indication that they are not remorseful and might escalate their support to TTP elements to harm Pakistan further. This is despite the fact that terrorist groups like TTP are a collective threat to regional peace and security. Pakistan fully realizes the challenge faced by Afghan authorities in combating the threat posed by TTP and therefore wants the two countries to work towards finding joint solutions in countering terrorism and to prevent any terrorist organization from sabotaging bilateral relations. The strikes against terrorist hideouts inside Afghanistan and Pakistan’s preference for resolution of the issue through discussions and dialogue have sent a strong message that there would be zero tolerance for those who pose threats to people of Pakistan and the security of the country. This was a limited and symbolic action and in case the Taliban do not review their policy of shielding terrorists shedding blood of Pakistani people then there could be more such attacks to decimate the threat. The choice rests with the Afghan authorities and hopefully they would go for a wiser option.
