A fine balance
Dawn Editorial
Friday, 12 Feb, 2010
In what turned out to be one of the worst days in the war on militancy this year, Pakistan lost at least 22 lives — seven civilians and 15 security personnel, a brigadier among them — without the terrorists themselves suffering any reported casualties. The violence took place in Khyber Agency, which has been relatively quiet since the operation against the Mangal Bagh militia last September.
Wednesday’s casualties resulted from a suicide attack targeting Khasadars in the Jamrud area, a helicopter crash which cost the pilot and his gunner their lives, and finally an ambush on the army’s rescue party proceeding to the crash site. Security in Khyber Agency is important for several strategic reasons. While it borders Afghanistan, the agency is also within a stone’s throw of Peshawar, the provincial capital. The main highway taken by convoys carrying passengers and cargo passes through this agency, and as a supply route this road is of vital importance for US-Isaf’s operations against the Afghan Taliban.
Wednesday’s incidents also bring Pakistan’s finely balanced anti-terrorism effort into sharp focus. With a substantial strength of its armed forces committed to the fight against the local Taliban, Pakistan has suffered a large number of casualties. Then it has had to deploy a large number of formations elsewhere in the country and on its eastern border, stretching from the marshes of the Rann of Kutch to the Siachen glacier. Pakistan’s military leaders are perhaps right in pointing out that the country’s defence capabilities are overstretched.
It is against this backdrop that international demands for Islamabad to do more ought to be seen. True, the Taliban can cross the porous border almost at will. However, the dangers inherent for Pakistan in stretching itself thin are also obvious. While there should be no long-term respite for those who preach and practise hatred, murder and mayhem, Islamabad ought to be the best judge of when to start taking action against, say, Taliban strongholds in North Waziristan. This is imperative to consolidate the authorities’ hold in the areas cleared of militants. Any other approach runs the risk of massive failure.