Daily Times

According to a Daily Times exclusive report, the Pakistan Army is looking to defeat militants in North Waziristan (NW) with the help of tribal lashkars, which they hope will rise up like they did in 2007 in South Waziristan (SW). Back then, in SW, the Ahmedzai Wazirs joined hands with Taliban Commander Mullah Nazir — a perceived ‘good’ Taliban because he did not have a particularly anti-government, anti-army agenda — to beat back Uzbek terrorists who were helping the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in its scores of attacks against the state. This was termed a ‘successful’ uprising by the army as towns like Wana, Azam and Warsak were cleared of foreign militants. However, one must wonder at the apparent success of arming and supporting tribal lashkars and whether or not they really were that victorious over a murderous enemy.

If the Ahmedzai Wazirs were so successful, why did the army feel the need to enter SW in 2009 to conduct its Rah-e-Nijat Operation to recapture territory that had been claimed by the militants? Despite the stated triumph of removing Uzbek terrorists, SW was still not safe. It took an entire army offensive to push back the increasing terror tide. However, the main target then, as it is now, was the Hakeemullah Mehsud-led TTP — the ‘bad’ Taliban — which then fled to NW.

The problem with this strategy in NW is the acknowledged fact that the two tribes the army is trying to band together — the Utmanzai Wazirs and the Dawars — are disjointed and disunited. If in SW, the Wazirs joined Mullah Nazir, there is no guarantee these two NW tribes will join each other to rise against the militants.

No doubt, pressure is being heaped on the Pakistan Army to get into NW by the US. However, the SW strategy may not be replicable as the Haqqani network is rumoured to have already moved out of NW and ensconced itself in Kurram Agency along with the a wide array of TTP fighters. While the lashkars may show some promise of pushing TTP militants out of NW, it is doubtful they will be able to combat the Haqqani group. No matter how much the army may be ‘looking forward’ to armed lashkars getting the job done for them, pressure will be mounted by the US for a full-scale army offensive in NW like there was in SW. Anything less will never see the Haqqani network — the US’s principal target — brought down. *