As far the tribal areas problem in Pakistan is concerned, the arrival of a democratic government at Islamabad seems to have made no difference. The fact is the politicians are so busy arguing over the removal of Musharraf and the re-instatement of Justice Chaudhury and company that they have not paid proper attention to the issue. Officials from the Awami National Party have said they can get the militants to the negotiating table and even hammer out a deal, but the main federal parties have not consulted them on the matter. The interior minister himself seems to be in the dark about how things stand in the tribal areas.
This inactivity on the part of the Pakistani politicians is making the situation worse in the area. Infiltration into Afghanistan by Taliban/ Al Qaeda fighters is increasing. Karzai is exasperated by this and has threatened to cross over the border in hot pursuit. The US is similarly frustrated.
But the civilian Pakistani government is not entirely to blame. Today the military and particularly the ISI is calling the shots as far the tribal areas are concerned. And it is a well known fact that no civilian government has been able to control the army and the ISI.
The ISI has its own agenda on Afghanistan. It is not going to give up its trump card, the Taliban, just because it is asked to do so. Pakistani army boss, Kiyani, too has kept a low profile. He does not want that it appear that army is making all the decisions on the tribal areas and so has largely kept quiet. But he has given the ISI a free hand to do as it pleases.
So Musharraf’s decline and the rise of democratic politics has made no impact on the militants’ menace in the frontier provinces. Things will not change till the ISI is tamed. But that seems quite an impossible proposition. No Pakistani politician has the guts (or the inclination) to bell the cat. After all it would be tantamount to committing suicide.
Via: IHT
