The very day the TTP spokesman announced ceasefire, 12 tribal policemen and a school boy were killed in two bomb explosions targeting a polio vaccination team in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency. This was the deadliest attack so far against the security forces in Jamrud. The attack took place despite TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid’s assurance that all groups had been told to honour the ceasefire. The incident indicates that either the TTP is practising duplicity or it has no control over other terrorist groups operating from inside FATA. The network needs to explain why the attack on Levies team providing cover to the polio vaccinators was conducted after a declaration of ceasefire by the network. Enough lame excuses have been extended in the past to explain away horrible acts of terrorism. The ghastly killing of foreign trekkers at the base of Nangaparbat was said to be an act of revenge for the death of Taliban leader Waliur Rehman. The killings of policemen in Karachi and the execution of 23 FC personnel were also told to be acts of revenge. If the declaration is honest, the TTP would not resort to excuses of the type.
It would be naïve on the part of the politicians to take the TTP seriously after all that has happened in the past. A policy marked by flip flops can only encourage the terrorists. What is needed before giving a positive response to the announcement for ceasefire is to test the TTP’s sincerity. To inspire confidence in its promises the network needs to undertake confidence building measures, beginning with the release of kidnapped civilians like Shahbaz Taseer and Ali Haider Gilani. There is a widespread perception that the announcement of ceasefire for one month is aimed at setting the TTP’s house in order, activating its sleeper cells, re-deploying its operatives on ground and meanwhile getting the pressure on the network in various agencies particularly North Waziristan released.
What is needed is for the army to continue to respond immediately and effectively to any attack on civilians or the personnel of the law enforcement agencies anywhere in the country. The retaliatory action by gunship helicopters against the Khyber Agency headquarters of Mullah Tamanche, the man allegedly behind the attacks on polio teams, was therefore an appropriate step. The army should meanwhile make good its commitment to mop up the terrorists which according to the ISPR chief are presently ‘cornered’ in North Waziristan. While this is being done there should be no let up in the ongoing action against the terrorist groups in the four provinces and in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Pakistan: TTP plays possum.... The government must not give them any slack
The very day the TTP spokesman announced ceasefire, 12 tribal policemen and a school boy were killed in two bomb explosions targeting a polio vaccination team in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency. This was the deadliest attack so far against the security forces in Jamrud. The attack took place despite TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid’s assurance that all groups had been told to honour the ceasefire. The incident indicates that either the TTP is practising duplicity or it has no control over other terrorist groups operating from inside FATA. The network needs to explain why the attack on Levies team providing cover to the polio vaccinators was conducted after a declaration of ceasefire by the network. Enough lame excuses have been extended in the past to explain away horrible acts of terrorism. The ghastly killing of foreign trekkers at the base of Nangaparbat was said to be an act of revenge for the death of Taliban leader Waliur Rehman. The killings of policemen in Karachi and the execution of 23 FC personnel were also told to be acts of revenge. If the declaration is honest, the TTP would not resort to excuses of the type.
It would be naïve on the part of the politicians to take the TTP seriously after all that has happened in the past. A policy marked by flip flops can only encourage the terrorists. What is needed before giving a positive response to the announcement for ceasefire is to test the TTP’s sincerity. To inspire confidence in its promises the network needs to undertake confidence building measures, beginning with the release of kidnapped civilians like Shahbaz Taseer and Ali Haider Gilani. There is a widespread perception that the announcement of ceasefire for one month is aimed at setting the TTP’s house in order, activating its sleeper cells, re-deploying its operatives on ground and meanwhile getting the pressure on the network in various agencies particularly North Waziristan released.
What is needed is for the army to continue to respond immediately and effectively to any attack on civilians or the personnel of the law enforcement agencies anywhere in the country. The retaliatory action by gunship helicopters against the Khyber Agency headquarters of Mullah Tamanche, the man allegedly behind the attacks on polio teams, was therefore an appropriate step. The army should meanwhile make good its commitment to mop up the terrorists which according to the ISPR chief are presently ‘cornered’ in North Waziristan. While this is being done there should be no let up in the ongoing action against the terrorist groups in the four provinces and in Gilgit-Baltistan.
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