Talks and
ceasefire
It is not just talking to the enemy that makes these
negotiations controversial. It is about to talking to those who consider
themselves more powerful than the state
and its security apparatus built to secure the nation against such aggressors. We
have been talking but we have been killed right, left and centre. It is as if nothing
is working. It is just the Taliban holding sway over the country. The government
of Pakistan on the other hand, deferential as usual following every attack,
announces a temporary suspension of talks unless the Taliban stop their
attack. But hardly a day passes by
without registering an attack. With the latest terrorist episode wherein 23 FC
soldiers were heinously beheaded and allowed to rot on the roadside talks have
been silenced, and not just for a while but until the Taliban give up killing. The
Mullah community sitting on the fence is certainly hopeful about the resumption
of talks and have asked the government to develop a keener understanding of the
mensal state of the Taliban. The Taliban claim the soldiers have been killing
in retaliation. The Taliban blames the security forces for killing their people
in custody. Prior to this the killing of police officers in Karachi was also
claimed by the Taliban to have been carried out to avenge the killing of women,
children and others from the Taliban by the security forces in the war – torn areas,
especially Peshawar and FATA . every attack if owned by the Taliban is now
attributed to a reaction to an action of the government that had rubbed the Taliban
the wrong way. So far the pattern of attacks has been consistent however the
pattern of taking responsibility for the attacks has not. Operating in the country
now every time a new Taliban group is claimed to be messing with the state. It is
another story if the government in its attempt to get false relief thinks that
those talking to it are not directly involved. This is the old mythology once
again of bad Taliban. Following the gruesome killing of the FC soldiers the
government of Pakistan apparently
wearing a stern face has said to the Taliban to either follow the ceasefire
option or forget about the talks. The Taliban have made innumerable promises to stop the war,
especially when the talks are in progress. every promise has been broken
unabashedly. The Taliban’s tactics are obvious and speak for themselves. If only
the government were to open its eyes and see the glaringly obvious truth. They have
used the talks as camouflage before as well to regroup and regain strength. The
time buying formula had been used ever since with the Afghanistan cauldron
coming to a new pass, and their brethren set to get an imminent position of
strength there.
At last the government of Pakistan has failed to
read the pulse of the times accurately. No one suggests that talks should be
forsaken completely. Negotiations have always been used simultaneously with
fighting to eventually seal peace deals. The prerequisite for such an outcome
through is the intelligent use of force, wherever and whenever required.
One hopes the meeting between the PM and the army
chief of Pakistan has taken full measure of the situation especially when the
other side is so determined not to hold back.
