Pakistan´s New Government- Lacking Strategic Clarity
Madhavi Bhasin
May 20, 2008
The Parliamentary elections in Pakistan held in February 2008, were welcomed across globe as a vital step for the revival of democracy in Pakistan. The global campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq have demonstrated the value the international community attaches to democracy for defeating terrorism and checking proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The record of Pakistan on all three issues of terrorism, proliferation of WMDs and democracy had been a cause of concern for the international community. Hence it was hoped that with the revival of the democratic process, the government of Pakistan would address the challenges of proliferation and terrorism more responsibly. But as in the past, Pakistan continues to spring surprises for the international community and has come to challenge the basic premise of the U.S. war on terrorism – autocratic regimes foster terrorism and democratic replacements would help in resisting terrorist onslaughts.
The lack of strategic vision among the political leaders of Pakistan is not only complicating the achievement of the U.S. objectives in the region but is also allowing space and resources for terrorism to flourish further. The new government of Pakistan was faced with three essential tasks – countering terrorism within Pakistan, building credibility among the people and re-defining partnership with the U.S. The political leadership of Pakistan has not been able to address any of the three challenges to serve the national interests of Pakistan. In the first major strategic policy decision the government of Pakistan has alienated its own people without enhancing national security or pacifying the U.S.
In January 2008 the Pakistani government had launched Operation ´Zalzala´. The Operation was an offensive on the strongholds of the Al-Qaeda and Taliban embedded in the region. The Operation was carried out in three phases and areas of Spinkai, Kotkai and beyond Kotkai and within three days the area was cleared of militants. Operation ´Zalzala´ was in fact carried out under the orders of President Musharraf pressured by the U.S. plans to conduct more aggressive covert operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
The democratic government of Pakistan has suspended the offensive operations and initiated a peace dialogue with Baitullah Mehsud, leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban. Interestingly, Operation ´Zalzala´ was targeted at Baitullah Mehsud and his men, suspected to be involved in the assassination of former President of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto. There appears no strategic rationale of negotiating a peace deal with Tehrik-e-Taliban. Baitullah Mehsud had temporarily suspended dialogue with the government in April, which demonstrates that the terrorist out-fit is attempting to pressurize the government. The situation on the ground has not changed much since the dialogue was initiated. On May 19th 2008, the Tehrik-e-Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in the northwestern city of Mardan killing 13 people. Preceding Operation ´Zalzala´ the civilians had vacated the villages where the offensive was planned. The 200,000 displaced people are still not allowed to return to their villages, where most of the archaic infrastructure has been razed to the ground by the army. The U.S. has consistently criticized the move of the Pakistani government to initiate a peace deal with a terrorist out-fit that was running ´nurseries´ for training suicide bombers in the regions where Operation ´Zalzala´ was launched.
On May 16th 2008 Tariq Azizuddin, Pakistan´s Ambassador to Afghanistan, was released after being held captive for three months. Few would believe the claims of the Pakistani government that the release of the Ambassador was the result of the law enforcement measures adopted by the government. According to some reports the release of Pakistan's envoy to Afghanistan was part of a deal between the government and local Taliban under which they will swap about 330 prisoners after signing a formal peace agreement in the restive northwest tribal areas. Maulvi Omar, the spokesman for Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud has referred to the deal. Democratic Pakistan appears to be heading on a dangerous path.
Democracy in Pakistan, much like the attempts to establish democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, has come to challenge the U.S. strategy in the war against terrorism. The trials and tribulations of the Pakistan´s transition to democracy are proving costly for the people of Pakistan and the global war on terror.
The lack of strategic vision among the political leaders of Pakistan is not only complicating the achievement of the U.S. objectives in the region but is also allowing space and resources for terrorism to flourish further. The new government of Pakistan was faced with three essential tasks – countering terrorism within Pakistan, building credibility among the people and re-defining partnership with the U.S. The political leadership of Pakistan has not been able to address any of the three challenges to serve the national interests of Pakistan. In the first major strategic policy decision the government of Pakistan has alienated its own people without enhancing national security or pacifying the U.S.
In January 2008 the Pakistani government had launched Operation ´Zalzala´. The Operation was an offensive on the strongholds of the Al-Qaeda and Taliban embedded in the region. The Operation was carried out in three phases and areas of Spinkai, Kotkai and beyond Kotkai and within three days the area was cleared of militants. Operation ´Zalzala´ was in fact carried out under the orders of President Musharraf pressured by the U.S. plans to conduct more aggressive covert operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
The democratic government of Pakistan has suspended the offensive operations and initiated a peace dialogue with Baitullah Mehsud, leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban. Interestingly, Operation ´Zalzala´ was targeted at Baitullah Mehsud and his men, suspected to be involved in the assassination of former President of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto. There appears no strategic rationale of negotiating a peace deal with Tehrik-e-Taliban. Baitullah Mehsud had temporarily suspended dialogue with the government in April, which demonstrates that the terrorist out-fit is attempting to pressurize the government. The situation on the ground has not changed much since the dialogue was initiated. On May 19th 2008, the Tehrik-e-Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in the northwestern city of Mardan killing 13 people. Preceding Operation ´Zalzala´ the civilians had vacated the villages where the offensive was planned. The 200,000 displaced people are still not allowed to return to their villages, where most of the archaic infrastructure has been razed to the ground by the army. The U.S. has consistently criticized the move of the Pakistani government to initiate a peace deal with a terrorist out-fit that was running ´nurseries´ for training suicide bombers in the regions where Operation ´Zalzala´ was launched.
On May 16th 2008 Tariq Azizuddin, Pakistan´s Ambassador to Afghanistan, was released after being held captive for three months. Few would believe the claims of the Pakistani government that the release of the Ambassador was the result of the law enforcement measures adopted by the government. According to some reports the release of Pakistan's envoy to Afghanistan was part of a deal between the government and local Taliban under which they will swap about 330 prisoners after signing a formal peace agreement in the restive northwest tribal areas. Maulvi Omar, the spokesman for Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud has referred to the deal. Democratic Pakistan appears to be heading on a dangerous path.
Democracy in Pakistan, much like the attempts to establish democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, has come to challenge the U.S. strategy in the war against terrorism. The trials and tribulations of the Pakistan´s transition to democracy are proving costly for the people of Pakistan and the global war on terror.