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Pakistanâs flames of war spread
Amid reports of an escalation of resistance and even foreign complicity, fighting continues between the army and suspected al-Qaeda militants in Pakistanâs tribal region of South Waziristan on the border with Afghanistan. Tribal elders had earlier tried to talk foreign militants and their local supporters into surrendering during a break in the fighting that began in earnest last week. But the army apparently was not prepared to wait any longer, and nor were their targets, as overnight reports filtered in of attacks on military bases in other parts of the troubled region, and even a rocket attack on Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province. More disturbingly, there have been confirmed reports of dissent among the ranks of the Pakistani para-military troops and the army sent into the semi-autonomous region to flush out al-Qaeda and Afghan resistance suspects. More than 5,000 forces have been deployed in the region. Pashtuns make up the second largest nationality the Army recruits from, after the Punjabis. Many of them are probably from the Waziri tribe too. At the same time, talking to Asia Times Online, a high-level army officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that Indiaâs Research and Analysis Wing as well as the Northern Alliance - which makes up most of the government in Afghanistan - were attempting to exploit the volatile situation in the tribal areas to foment further unrest. "Yes, there are reports of infiltration from across the [Afghan] border and there is a fear that the Afghan Northern Alliance and Indian intelligence will take advantage of the situation and try their level best to further deteriorate the situation," he said. Somehow I donât think America would be ok with such âinfiltrationsâ According to a local resident in the area, fresh fighting began late Tuesday evening when Pakistan army troops occupied the homes of people in Kalooshah, situated in South Waziristan near the Afghanistan border. At the same time, Pakistani authorities forcibly removed all foreign and local journalists from the area. Several local media persons who worked as stringers for foreign publications, including one for Asia Times Online, were taken into custody and then released after having their cameras and tape recorders confiscated. The level of resistance to the Pakistan army in the tribal areas - by both foreign militants and local tribespeople - has been far greater than anticipated, according to security people who spoke to Asia Times Online. They claim that the reaction has now reached dangerous levels as it appears to be spreading beyond South and North Waziristan to the other five tribal regions. Attacks have been reported in Khuram agency (Parachanar) on army troops. There have also been protest rallies in Khyber agency, with tribal leaders warning that if the army does not withdraw from South Waziristan, they will join hands with Wazir tribes there. The countryâs top brass are obviously deeply concerned at the situation, but are compelled to push on with the operation as the United States is applying heavy pressure on Islamabad to remain committed. As a result, cracks are already appearing within the army as some ranks are unwilling to take on their countrymen. In one publicized case, a major refused to fly a helicopter gunship. According to another officer, who served in North Waziristan as a junior officer, the Data Khail tribe is traditionally the most disliked among all Wazir tribesmen. These tribesmen are generally very primitive and have a long record of being associated with heroin trafficking, car theft and child abductions, where the children are sold into slave labor. Many a criminal from across Pakistan has taken refuge with them - for a fee. However, after the emergence of the Taliban in Pakistan in the 1990s, the Data Khail were widely reformed. Poppy cultivation is now prohibited in their areas, mosques and Islamic seminaries have been built and many of the young lads were educated in the famous Haqqania seminary of Akora Khattack in Pakistan, from where they returned to their homeland to improve the lot of their people. Now, in this time of crisis, despite their notorious past, other Wazir tribes have joined with the Data Khail in the name of jihad and mujahideens. Posted by: Paul Moloney 2004-03-25 |
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