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| India-Pakistan |
| Recognition Of Taliban 'Administration' On The Cards |
| 2006-05-25 |
| Alternate Title: "We Surrender!" Karachi, 25 May (AKI) - (Syed Saleem Shahzad) - Sources in northern Pakistan have told Adnkronos International (AKI) that Islamabad is rapidly reviewing its policies on Waziristan and will eventually withdraw its troops and recognise the Pakistani Taliban militants who in practice run the tribal region. A clear sign of this shift in policy is the recent appointment of retired Lt. General Ali Muhammad Jan Orakzai - widely considered a foe of Washington - as governor of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP). which borders the tribal area. For the past four years, Pakistani security forces have been battling Taliban militants in the tribal areas of North and South Waziristan under the banner of the US-led war on terror. Tens of thousands of Pakistani troops have been deployed in the lawless tribal belt of Waziristan, which lies on Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, in order to hunt down Islamic militants. Both Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters are believed to have fled into the area after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. However sources say that a defeat of the security forces in North and South Waziristan is inevitable. Reports say that Pakistani forces are unable to move on the ground. Even within the regional capitals of Miran Shah in North Waziristan or Wana in South Waziristan where they are based, the Pakistani troops are at the mercy of the local Taliban commanders. The pro -Taliban militants have provided a more efficient and rapid system of justice readily available to the tribal people of Waziristan and it is also free of cost. Reports of long queues of people outside the Taliban offices in South Waziristan seeking solutions to their grievances and also help through the Taliban's policing system, show the popularity of the Islamist militia in Waziristan. Sources said that there are orders from Washington for a Tora Bora-style bombardment of Waziristan, referring to the US bombing of the Tora Bora mountains of Afghanistan in 2001 in their search for al-Qaeda leaders. However Islamabad is reluctant to carry out such an operation as the number of troops killed in the region will likely increase in any attempt to suppress the Taliban. It is believed that the pragmatic approach demands a Pakistani military retreat, and sources say that Pakistan has already decided to do so, as signalled by Orakzai's appointment as governor of the North West Frontier Province. Orakzai who retired as an officer of the Pakistan Army in 2004, has, according to a report published on the website Asia Times Online in 2004, "been in Washington's bad books since last year [2003], when he visited the US and openly condemned the behavior of US authorities towards Pakistanis." The report goes on to say that "Orakzai was an official guest, but was forced to go through a plethora of screenings and checks at the immigration counter on his arrival. As well as complaining about this particular incident, Orakzai spoke against what he felt was discriminatory behavior against Pakistanis at functions hosted by the Pakistani embassy in the US". As such, the appointment of Orakzai, who is also a native of the tribal region, is a clear signal that Pakistan has reviewed its policy and is aiming towards a reconciliation with the local Taliban in Waziristan. A grand jirga (council of tribal elders) is already being formed. Pakistan's six party religious alliance, MMA as well as some top religious figures from all over the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) are the main drivers of this formation. The jirga shall be comprised of top religious scholars from all the seven tribal agencies, members of the national assemblies and senate of the tribal belt, the chief minister of the NWFP as well as other dignitaries respected among the Taliban. The grand jirga will negotiate with the Taliban in North Waziristan where the security situation is volatile. Pakistan's federal government is in no position at the moment to withdraw its forces and yet if they continue in North Waziristan, they are very likely to lose more lives or have their troops deal with injuries and physical disabilities on a daily basis. At the same time the Taliban has suffered few losses as their bases are difficult to access. "The grand jirga will only give Pakistani security forces an honourable face-saving way to withdraw and although formally it will not be mentioned, practically the administration will be handed over to the Taliban," sources told AKI. Still sources say that while Pakistan may be ready to give up its powers in the tribal region to the Pakistani Taliban, it remains to be seen if such a move will appease the militants and pave the way for a ceasefire. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #17 Has Pakistan released its Waziristan territory to become an independent state? No? WTF, so then you're saying that Pakistan (and the greater area) would snore through American aggressive action inside Pakistan's borders? Will these words come to haunt: "the popularity of the Islamist militia in Waziristan"? |
| Posted by: Jules 2006-05-25 21:48 |
| #16 Binnie has paid Perv a huge one for this. Who paid? What's aligning global jihad-wise. Is Perv cutting loose from the Iran hit that's coming? or digging in for his share? Stange things are happening. |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 2006-05-25 20:23 |
| #15 Agit Prop indeedy. But this from the same site is purdy good... A road safety manual containing religious passages warning motorists that their safety depends less on the quality of their driving than on divine will, has riled many in Turkey who see it as an affront to the country's secular principles and carte-blanche for reckless behaviour on the road. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-05-25 19:23 |
| #14 Najam Sethi's Editorial in the Friday Times Now we hear that Commander Khaleelur Rehman has been given his marching orders barely a year from when he was appointed Governor of the NWFP. This is ominous. It suggests a turnabout of 180 degrees in General Musharraf’s perspective on FATA, the JUI and Talibanism. The irony is that Mr Rehman took a hard line against the insurgents in FATA and against their JUI supporters in the NWFP government on the precise orders of General Musharraf. Now he has been sacked for carrying them out. Indeed, Commander Rehman’s head has been offered as a sop to the very elements who, as General Musharraf recently admitted, had “double-crossed” the army in Waziristan – taken its jirga-recommended money and used it to fuel Talibanism in the region! Unfortunately, this new “flip-flop” on Waziristan policy suggests dangerous trends. One, it seems to be staking Pakistan’s national-security interests at the altar of General Musharraf’s personal political interests. It is aimed at strengthening the JUI and encouraging it to defy the pressures of its Jamaat i Islami ally to heave General Musharraf out by a series of “million-man” marches. Hence the recent statement by Maulana Fazalur Rehman that the JUI would participate in elections and saw no reason to abandon General Musharraf. Two, it is bound to make the US nervous because it will lead to a resurgence of Talibanism in Afghanistan. Indeed, it is almost as if General Musharraf is deliberately thumbing his nose at Hamid Karzai and the international community. Equally, since the move is simultaneously designed to bring the JUI back in power in the next elections, it should be disquieting for those at home and abroad who see the country’s future in terms of a pluralistic, moderate and democratic dispensation based on free and fair elections. Combined with General Musharraf’s “soft tactical spot” for the jihadis, the ambiguities and contradictions in his policies are coming to the surface in the run up to the elections next year. |
| Posted by: john 2006-05-25 18:57 |
| #13 TW nails it. This is a nice piece of propaganda. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2006-05-25 17:06 |
| #12 Sources in northern Pakistan have told Adnkronos International (AKI) I'll start thinking about this when it's a reputable news agency with active voice quotes from named people whose titles indicate they actually know what's been done. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-05-25 17:02 |
| #11 Colombia tried the same thing in regions of that country,essentially giving safe haven to FARC...predictably the results were nt good and a new president had to come in and clean up the mess...if true this is nt good for Afghanistan or the Paks unless the Paks are simply going to say we don't own it you(US) take care of it...creating a Cambodian bombing campaign and all the hell that would create with world opinion...it may be our only option...I'm taking the report with a grain of salt for now |
| Posted by: jkh 2006-05-25 16:37 |
| #10 This is a GOOD thing. If the Pakis pull back, then we can go after it. Our base of operations can be very close, just across the border in Khost and other locations. |
| Posted by: Brett 2006-05-25 16:23 |
| #9 This looks a lot like it will give the U.S. permission to go bonkers in Wazoo. Question for everyone. Can the U.S. get a base of operations set up close to the border? |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2006-05-25 16:13 |
| #8 Reports of long queues of people outside the Taliban offices in South Waziristan seeking solutions to their grievances and also help through the Taliban's policing system, show the popularity of the Islamist militia in Waziristan. I bet the Waziri trains run on time, too. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2006-05-25 16:07 |
| #7 Sounds like Perv is granting independence so he can keep hands off when we go in to clean the place out, which he cannot do. Works for me. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-05-25 16:05 |
| #6 For a second I thought they meant the Phoenix Cardinals. That would explain several things. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-05-25 15:55 |
| #5 Just to exercize my tinfoil hat....does this mean that the Pak military will not protect these folks form cross boarder incursions? Are they admitting that they can't handle it so they're opening the door for us? |
| Posted by: AlanC 2006-05-25 15:29 |
| #4 This is the natural evolution (i.e. devolution) for these "people". This should alter the ROE and give the green light to actions deemed necessary by the commanders on the scene (e.g. hot pursuit, etc.). |
| Posted by: Ebberemp Phinens2648 2006-05-25 15:08 |
| #3 I agree with Jules. Al Queada = Taliban = Jihadist = Enemy of Western Civilization. There is no distinction to be made. |
| Posted by: Mark Z 2006-05-25 15:07 |
| #2 Our government needs a refresher course on why we are against the Taliban and what the definition of "ally" is. If we let Musharaf 'reconcile' with the Taliban, then this war has been meaningless, and we will rival the Europeans we ridicule for world-class appeasement. The Taliban will be back in power and we will be back to pre-9/11. |
| Posted by: Jules 2006-05-25 15:02 |
| #1 The formation of a target rich environment. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-05-25 14:54 |