Pakistan: Mysteriously mum National Assembly

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has delivered another bold decision on Tuesday in which it stayed withdrawal of army from Malakand, calling upon the government to consult military leadership to this effect. After killing high profile army officer in Upper Dir, the TTP has said that they are still at war with the government troops and would continue their atrocious attacks on army personnel and civilians. In their preconditions for talks, Taliban are demanding army pull-out and in turn Pakistan military says that it will not let the rebels to dictate terms. Amidst the TPP’s continued brutal acts, the government’s resolve to initiate peace talks with the Taliban, having all their combat capabilities intact, is hardly understandable. Even astonishing is the posture adopted by the Members of the National Assembly. The House offered fateha for the departed soul of the general and his colleagues but thereafter, the law-makers kept mysterious mum over the sad incident that has created a fair amount of the skepticism about much trumpeted consensus amongst civil and military leadership on the peace talks. Though the army chief has not opposed the negotiations either yet the two seem not to be on the page. The law-makers should have strongly condemned the latest act of terrorism. The subdued response from the law-makers as if the government has made up its mind to announce unilateral ceasefire to join all powerful rebels on the negotiating table. Will it be acceptable for military offering sacrifices in the war on terror and will the military leadership join the table with enemy they have been fighting for a long time? Only time will tell the future course of action the military. The tune and the choice of the words that the TPP has used in the latest public statement it looks as if the TPP is in no mood to give any let-up to the government. Reading the situation carefully, the government must take stock of the situation judiciously so that it could put up the best defense of the country rather than madly following the Americans pursuit of the peace process in Afghanistan. Make no mistake, the international forces operative in the region are offering continued backing to the TPP to sustain its strength in a region where the writ of the government is just minimum. Any concession to rebels at this point in time may offer an advantage to the international forces working to create a buffer zone between Pakistan and Afghanistan because it may provide them chance to clamp complete control over the region. Strangely enough, the PTI chief, who always opposed the drone attacks that are supposed to be directed at those who had killed thousands of civilians and military personnel, left the House without saying a word on the sad incident. He may have some respect for the TPP but he must not forget that without Amy efforts it will be difficult to keep the frontiers of the country intact. Thus no width should be offered to the TTP and other anti-state forces working in the region. Every peace effort must aim at upholding the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan. Undermining the utility of the Pakistan army in the tribal areas under the rule of rebels’ guns can be a fatal mistake.