The Americans have finally done Pakistan’s bidding in Afghanistan. After many years of urging action against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief, who had long sought refuge across the western border, the US did the needful.
And while it may be too early to predict the ramifications for this country in terms of possible anti-state backlash — this is a welcome development. Not least because it vindicates Islamabad over its long-held claims of militant safe-havens on the other side of the Durand Line. Moreover, it is hoped that this signals an upward turn in Islamabad’s bilateral relations with both Washington and Kabul.
That being said, Pakistan would do well to proceed with caution. Particularly when it comes to having high expectations from the Americans; at least for now. After all, Mullah Fazlullah was no sudden thorn in Islamabad’s side. For while he formally took over TTP reins in 2013, his association with the group stretches as far back as 2007; around the same time rumours first began circulating that he had fled over into Afghanistan. This was something that Fazlullah himself confirmed some two years later. By 2011, Pakistan formally asked both Kabul and Washington to go after him. To no avail. In the intervening period, Fazlullah was at liberty to order the shooting of a 15-year-old schoolgirl and to mastermind a plot to wipe out an entire school. Of course, had Islamabad done more to enforce bans on extremist groups, the people of Swat might have been spared living largely under Mullah FM’s ‘jurisdiction’ for so long.
The time has therefore come for Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US to look towards the future. Especially considering that the strike against the TTP chief represents an important confidence-builing measure. It indicates that Kabul can no longer dismiss Islamabad’s security concerns; while underscoring Washington’s recognition that it needs to view this country not simply through the prism of getting the Afghan Taliban to talk peace.
All sides are undoubtedly giving themselves a collective pat on the back for having done away with one of the known baddies. Yet this must not be allowed to overshadow the fact that targeted assassinations are never any substitute for due process and justice; however much blood an individual or group may have on their hands. Pointing this out is not doing a disservice to the victims of terrorism. Rather it is to simply remind everyone involved in the GWOT that to skirt this issue is to avoid important questions of international humanitarian law and proportionate response. And failure to address this effectively blurs battleground demarcations; subsequently giving way to increased radicalisation.
So, while we celebrate the fact that Mullah Fazlullah can no longer unleash his worst on innocent civilians — we must be careful not to revel in his death. For to do so makes us no different than those who adhere to his violent ideology.
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