Daily Times

After a lot of delay, finally the Pakistan army has launched presumably decisive action against the terrorists by the name of Operation Zarb-e-Azb. The mission title is an Arabic word, named after the Prophet’s (PBUH) sword — some reporters have even been translating it as “sharp and cutting”. The initial strikes have resulted in casualties on both sides and, at least based on the information that has surfaced so far, it is meant to cleanse the North Waziristan area from unwanted militants. The terrorists have issued a warning to foreign workers to leave Pakistan and a separate one to the major cities of the country. The idea is to instil the fear of blowback and hamper the economic activities of the country.
With utter respect to the analysts who have been giving us lengthy sermons on how our dear army was holding back because it was trying to bring all political parties on to the same page, this fluke of a scribe did mention a few times in the past that our dear army did not need any such nod. Come to think of it, when this operation was launched, the political stakeholders were informed after the fact. My point here is: when it comes to an existential threat, the forces do not need any politicos to render their two cents worth. There is a tacit understanding that people who are here to save us from the wrath of such beasts know when, where and how to act.
On the very first day or so the excitement of folks was well expected. The political parties chimed in as well. Heck, the mostly absent chief executive, our own prime minister, was seen addressing both the houses and giving his blessings. He was trying to pitch to the mostly sold lawmakers, along with a few sceptics. The flag bearer of the religious right, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and a few other like-minded ideological partners of the JI were in that minority, all of whom were against such an operation. The closet Jamaati party, called the PTI, gave a very reluctant and lukewarm nod. At this juncture, such folk have basically only two choices: either to go and join the other side and embrace their version of martyrdom or, in respect of the greater national interest, support such an action in concert with the entire country.
I am a bit confused about this martyrdom business. The other side claims that their people are blowing themselves up to reach paradise by becoming martyrs. Our soldiers are fighting this menace by laying down their lives, hence becoming martyrs as well. Remember the Lal Masjid saga where militants were holed up inside, killed in the mosque and called martyrs, and that the soldiers who lost their lives in that operation were martyrs too? Well, one side has to clarify because both cannot claim to be on the right side and simultaneously claim to be martyrs. Agreed, it all depends on perspective, but the general public gets mixed messages from both our religious and political leaders as well.
Speaking of some of our political leaders, who were seen playing to the Taliban gallery at one time and calling them their brothers, they had to do a 180-degree flip after this development. The nightly ringmasters who play a pivotal role in confusing the general masses were joining their ranks too. The million dollar question that no one has any clue about is the urban threat. The enemy is deeply penetrated in the urban areas with their sleeper cells, which may retaliate in their usual manner. Vigilance and attention needs to be on turbo charge for these anticipated actions.
Most people think that this operation will either eliminate or rout the Taliban to Afghanistan and that our problems with this menace will evaporate. This is a very simple assumption. Chances are that Afghanistan will not appreciate the unwanted guests and the hostility between the two neighbours will continue to grow. Other neighbours like India and Iran may face a very limited movement of such non-state actors into their territories as well. There is a distinct possibility that these Taliban will mix with the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and exacerbate the urban threat. The proper handling of this very critical challenge is immensely important because these people will then regroup with the existing sleeper cells and re-launch their deadly offensives.
The government has three major and very crucial tasks to accomplish in a very limited period of time. First, it has to accelerate its diplomatic efforts towards our neighbour and, overall, the international community. A very experienced foreign minister should be working the phones and accumulating some serious air miles around the globe to sell Pakistan’s narrative. Without the external participation, this will be a solo venture with its extremely challenging aftermath. Secondly, on the domestic level, the ruling party needs to engage the elected members on an ongoing basis with updates on strategic objectives and achievements. This serves as a unifying factor and the elected representatives can reach out to their constituents to bring them on board. The prime minister and chief of army staff have to appraise the nation on a regular basis as well with relevant and ongoing developments. Lastly, the counterterrorism strategy has to be unveiled and put into action. Needless to say, only the measures that are suitable to be shared with the nation must be brought to the fore. This battle is going to last much longer than expected. The nation must remain patient, committed and resolute. It is a humongous undertaking for the right of future generations to exist in a peaceful and law-abiding country.

The writer is a Pakistani-American mortgage banker. He blogs at http://dasghar.blogspot.com and can be reached at dasghar@aol.com. He tweets at http://twitter.com/dasghar