North Waziristan offensive: Pakistan to “wait and see”

ISLAMABAD - There seems no chance of any launch of a military operation by Islamabad against Taliban groups-those supporting the war against the United States and its allied forces in Afghanistan.

The long demand of America to launch an army offensive to crush the Haqqani network, a major group of the Taliban helping the militant forces giving tough time to America and NATO forces in almost a decade old war against Al-Qaeda and allies, is falling on deaf ears in Pakistan.

The political and military junta in Pakistan foresees no such action by the armed forces in the near future. Even most of the experts personally do not seem in favour of this operation.

The Afghanistan talks were the top agenda behind the scenes in the recently ended US-Pak “strategic dialogue” held in Washington.

There is a general view among Pakistani circles that the US wants to show success in its war by pressing Pakistan to launch this offensive. Since, there has been a historic defeat to Democrats and Obama administration in the mid term polls, so why bow before the weakening administration.

Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi, prominent political analyst, sees no chance of launch of any offensive against the Taliban by Pakistani forces in near future.

“There will be no operation in Waziristan for two major reasons,” he said, adding, “Islamabad knows that America is also trying to engage the Taliban in negotiations and political talks for an alternative solution to this war and it can put influence on some factions of the Taliban so why it should open front against each and every group like the Haqqani network.”

Secondly, he said, the activities in other tribal and related areas are not over yet.

“Though Pakistan may face some difficult time to decide about it, especially after the Republicans have come back in the recent mid term polls in the US, but it would prefer to wait till the new US policy on Afghanistan which is scheduled at the end of this December,” h e added.

Islamabad would wait that in what direction America moves and is it going to speed up talks and start withdrawal or is it going to stay in Kabul.

After the October talks between the two countries, Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has repeatedly hinted that Pakistan would do action in Waziristan according to its own priorities.

The press should stop raising fingers at Pakistan because onus disagreement is possible between two friendly countries. It is not written anywhere that Pakistan will do as is demanded by America. Both countries have deep understanding and they are most important allies and they are moving way forward.

“We are having talks on North Waziristan. We have already done many activities, which are yet to be positively consolidated so for any designed mechanism in North Waziristan we have to keep our resources, priorities in our mind. Pakistan has deployed 34,000 forces in these war zone areas and had sacrificed its precious soldiers in a big number which is even more than all the American and NATO deaths in this war.”

The military experts have a thought that why act against such Pakistani “assets” like the Haqqani network when they are not harming us.

Pakistani military and political authorities have not given any signal about any such operation. A recent meeting was also held between the president, prime minister, foreign minister and the chief of army staff in Islamabad to discuss the out come of the US-Pak talks and the way forward.

It is believed that the top military commander of the country have told the political rulers regarding the reasons of lesser priorities to the Waziristan operation and possible political response to such questions.

“Pakistan needs to have holistic approach for its geo political situation before launching any such offensive,” Brigadier (r) Nadir Mir said, adding, “Pakistan has its own national security issues which do not allow it to do some action. We are already in different crises so why to add to these problems.” By Ali Waqar (ANI)