It’s been a while since I last wrote on current affairs or perhaps a damn long time, the last time I wrote as an analyst was, well I don’t remember. Word on the street these days; ‘US sabotaged peace process underway in Pakistan. Soon Pakistan was all set to enter an era of peace but our very own close western ally turned out not to be in favor of it.’ That is what I have been hearing for past couple of weeks and I was very much anticipated to write on it and have my say on it, after all I am a law abiding citizen of this country, not mentioning bunking my classes (wink), and according to constitution I have the right to speak. But due to exams I was unable to have my say over it. Any ways, I am back on the grid now.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Boundaries shift, new players step in but power always finds a way to rest its head. Yesterday’s recruits are today’s enemies, true story my friends. We are a strategic, long term, and a non-NATO ally of Uncle Sam. Since the 80’s this relation has been climbing climax and still it is, not mentioning small bumps. After 9/11 we got closer than ever, this has never been before, Uncle Sam came to our doorstep and laid its camp in our neighborhood to play a little game of hide and seek. Both of us enjoyed this narrowing of distance, and the game, and by us I specifically mean our govts. And now after spending almost 12 years in our neighborhood its time we say good bye. It’s time to settle everything down and conclude the game, that’s what we decided. But Uncle Sam had other plans.
Just when a new era of peace was about to begin in our home, everything seemed to be going in right direction and there was a positive feedback from most of the Pakistani faction of Talibans (Students-turned-militants), just then strikes something out of nowhere and sends everything back to where it was, no peace for Pakistan, no safety for its citizens, no stability for Pakistani economy. And nobody cares, not even our rulers, as long as Uncle Sam doesn’t care, no one will. Now apart from blaming Uncle Sam fully for sabotaging the peace talks with TTP, what I see is another player in the picture; Maulana Fazl Ullah. Yes, you now know him successor to late Hakim Ullah Mehsud, but previously as second in command of Tanzeem-e-Nifaaz-e-Shariyat-e-Muhammadi, Organization for Implementation of the Law of Muhammad (PBUH), (TNSM). Now before you draw a conclusion against me and accuse me ‘Ameriki agent’ or ‘kafir’, folks! I am highly against the ‘going-ons’ (wink).
Maulana Fazl Ullah is the first Afghan based/trained leader of TTP; he is ‘blessed’ with the backing of Mullah Muhammad Umar, the supreme commander of Taliban. The events of 2007 in Swat, led to his exile in Afghanistan that got him some firsthand Afghan experience. On 29 November 2007, Pakistani security forces captured Fazlullah's headquarters and arrested his brother. Fazlullah himself had already fled to another village. Security Forces have now retaken most of the Swat region. In 2007, Fazullah was allegedly hiding in the Konar province in Afghanistan. On 26 January 2008, it was reported that Maulvi Abdul Raziq, a close aide of Fazlullah, was arrested in the Kot area of Charbagh. In November 2009, Fazlullah told the BBC's Urdu Service that he had escaped from Pakistan to Afghanistan and warned that he would continue to attack Pakistani forces in Swat. Fazl Ullah clearly perceived Pakistan government and Pakistani army as his enemy number 1.
History of peace talks between Pakistani government and TTP dates back to 2006, if I am not wrong. Efforts were made in past to bring everything on the table and resolve matters through talks, listen to them, after all they too are ‘Pakistani’ … are they?? Well, that’s a debate on its own. But unfortunately every time efforts were fruitless, perhaps then nobody really meant ‘talks’ just personal and territorial gains. But now it seemed both the sides really meant business, even in many circles of civil society it was thought that now there will be drawn a clear line between the Taliban, who claimed to be nothing more than soldiers fighting for the cause of Islam, and those hiding to use the name and bring bad name to country and Islam. But not everyone was happy with it, and we all know who. Diplomatically, Uncle Sam backed those talks, but had they really meant this backing, they’d never have struck right at the time when a ‘Shura’ was underway to discuss the talks. On the other hand, Maulana Fazl Ullah was the only one in Taliban circle to oppose talks with Pakistani government, and that was why he claimed responsibility for high profile army assassination, in an attempt to sabotage the peace talks, which apparently he failed to do so and in fact received a warning from Hakim Ullah Mehsud to watch his acts in his area.
Seriously if I were Fazl Ullah I’d rather wish to overthrow Hakim Ullah for this, and this is exactly what he did. Next thing we see is our respected Prime Minister is being called to United States to discuss some important issues on the region, honestly I smelled rat. Something was bound to happen, if Hakim Ullah was to be killed in this hour it will arise mistrust and relations with Uncle Sam will strike another low and this time perhaps they may take years to patch up. They simply can’t afford to lose us, and someone had to be taken into confidence someone like the PM on this ‘Black Op’. And to get the inside info, who’d be a more better person than Fazl Ullah, both he and Uncle Sam shared common interest i.e. to sabotage the peace process. Nobody likes a peaceful Pakistan.
After the drone attack on November 1st, 2013, news surfaced about serious leadership crisis in TTP circles. I knew well that was lie, news like these surfaced before when Bait Ullah was hit in a drone strike but nothing happened, Hakim Ullah was chosen unanimously. But this time it mattered as to whom the command will be given, Hakim Ullah definitely had a soft corner perhaps that is why he took talks seriously and held Fazl Ullah back from sabotaging it. Fazl Ullah knew he won’t be able to do it on his own, help should come from outside that fulfill both of his goals; 1. Dethrone Hakim Ullah, 2. Sabotage peace process. And then there breaks the news, Fazl Ullah appointed TTP chief, ‘Oh ALLAH’ I grasped, ‘what have they done.’ I was like, ‘AB TOU ALLAH HE HAFIZ HY IS MULK KA.’ Fazl Ullah got what he wanted; Hakim Ullah’s efforts were in vain and he was no more there to stop him, hence marking a brand new era in our romance with Uncle Sam.
It shows that there are certain elements within TTP that are self centered, and have some other gains. The appointment of Fazl Ullah as TTP chief shows that they are now in a strong position and are in a driving seat to control the organization.
