Lessons From Another Lahore Tragedy

{The remedy does not lie in bowing to the dictates of the United States.}

Neither does it lie under the gun barrel of the extremists.

Pakistani officials continue to display a dangerous level of incompetence and nonchalance, making contradictory and off-the-cuff remarks about what transpired at the Academy, giving rise to all kinds of conspiracy theories.

Clueless conduct of the officials seems familiar after each terrorist hit, making a mockery of Pak officials and emboldening the attackers.

With many different terror outfits operating under the “Taliban� label, it is possible some have been infiltrated by those who support a “covert war� in Pakistan to destabilize the state. Instead of automatically blaming and indiscriminately targeting all such groups, it is important for Pakistani investigators to carefully follow all the leads and single out the source of each terrorist incidents. A careful approach will help separate those who are reconcilable from those who must be defeated.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

[....The remedy does not lie in bowing to the dictates of the United States....]

So what are you going to do?... tell US to go the hell?... LOL... Don't you remember "bombing back to stone age" phone call?

Pakilnad has no choice... besides, you are being paid "handsomely" for all the GUBOing you do for US... without that money - you will go bankrupt in a week...

Anyhoo - this article is another waste of bandwidth - with no reflection on possible solutions to horrible conditions in pakiland...

Another piece of RR that seems to all pakis can do these days...

Worse is no-one has got the guts to take responsibility and resign. On the contrary, the authorities are shamelessly celebrating over the fact that they were able to seize control in nine hours.What do you expect from this mindset and attitude?

Re: # 5
this is not a typical law and order problem... or a train accident... even if your entire police department resigns - so what?...

Ather:
You are right... the Punjab IG and Interior Minister must resign for the two attacks in Lahore. However, I disagree with your comments about tribal society being brothers. Unlike Afghan Taliban, the Pakistani Taliban are neither a religious nor patriotic movement. They take their orders from Al-Qaeda members who fled from Afghanistan in 2002. Under the garb of Shariah, they want to take over the Pakistani state and export global terrorism.

However, since December 2007 the Pakistani Taliban (and their Al-Qaeda masterminds) have suffered enormous losses. They are being attacked by US drones from the west... and by Pakistan Army and local tribes from the east. The Mumbai attacks provided Al-Qaeda with an opportunity to turn this into an India-Pakistan conflict... but Pakistan did not move troops from western border. The Al-Qaeda strategy failed.

The recent deal between Sufi Mohammad and NWFP govt in Swat has also irritated Al-Qaeda because it would prefer to deal with a militant like Fazlullah... than a scholar like Sufi Mohammad whom they cannot control.

Having failed to win militarily in Swat, Bajaur, Mohmand and Waziristan... the Pakistani Taliban are now trying to look for soft targets like Police trainees and cricketers. Any change in strategy at this point will hurt Pakistan and strengthen the Taliban.

The first step towards weaning ourselves off America is to disband the officers corps of the Pakistan Army, second is to make peace with India with or without Kashmir being settled, unconditionally, the third is to form economic/defense alliances with Iran, China, Russia, India for regional security and peace, and the fourth is to grant regional autonomy under a weak federal backbone to the various provinces and have affirmative action programs on those that have been neglected. The fifth is to crackdown on the CIA in Pakistan and that involves financial scrutiny, closing down some newspapers and tv channels that are financed by them and so on and so forth....It is very easy to recognize where are problems are coming from (USA) and how they are translated for oppression of the nation (through the Pakistan Army), in order to neutralize this influence and enhance democracy we need to remove the feeding tubes that make these parasites grow fat on the blood of the people of Pakistan.....

TNITC masadi

Re: # 8

US is indeed part of the problem that keeps on propping army (and hence Jehadi-kuttas) in Pakistan.

But now that these Jehadi-Kuttas are soon going to do something "magnificient" on US soil , US is going to get the pay back of their life time!!

Good for these rascal Pentagon Generals and other arms-Elites who are getting kickbacks and percentage cut out of "aids" pilfered out of common US taxpayers.

Re: # 8; masadi

that's not bad sir ... I am impressed

and yes, the mullah needs to be put back in his place

see ... this is your second post I have agreed with unconditionally ... you never know, we may well think alike without actually knowing it!

Re: # 8 Masadi:

Impressive...

Pakistan finds itself in a mess as it looks at everything through the India prism. The govt, army and general population are more interested in playing a zero sum game with India.

Making peace deal with India in earnest sense and actually following it, would automatically solve many of the problems for Pakistan as well as give them enough opportunity to handle the real internal issues effectively.

Re: # 2 Riaz: "A careful approach will help separate those who are reconcilable from those who must be defeated."

I guess you meant that talibans causing attacks in Pakistan need to be defeated. Ok...Good for Pakistan.

How about the reconcilable Talibans - I assume they also would be convinced / prevented from attacking any non-Paksitani targets such as in India and Afghanistan. That was the main purpose of creation of Talians/LeT, and Pakistan would stop meddling in the affairs of its neighbours.

Re: # 12
SPY: "How about the reconcilable Talibans.."

Taliban are a local phenomenon in Afghanistan and Pakistan and they have local roots in the tribal areas along the border. So anyone who wants to end terror has to deal with them in a way to end terror.

As has been repeatedly and rightly said by many sane Americans like former President Clinton and journalist Fareed Zakaria, you can not kill or jail every terrorist. You have to try and reform some of them while killing those who can not be reformed.

Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

Re: # 13 Riaz:

Your response is fine, but you remain silent on the statement "they also would be convinced / prevented from attacking any non-Paksitani targets such as in India and Afghanistan."

Your neighbours are more interested in getting to know in black and white, the full intentions and its implications. Otherwise you are playing the same old double game, of saving the "strategic assets/interests" and resort to "bleeding the neighbour" after dousing the in-house fire.

Re: # 14

SPY: "they also would be convinced / prevented from attacking any non-Paksitani targets such as in India and Afghanistan."

Yes. Reform means reform...they must get out of terrorism as a way of life and helped to find a positive way to contribute to Afghan and Pakistani society.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

Mr Haq,

What about Lashkar-e-taiba or jamut-ul- dawa or some this-e-that who are fighting a guerrilla war in India?! Are they reconcilable? if they promise not to kill Americans & Pakistanis, should they be killed.

Pakistan will not be allowed to hostage the Kashmir issue.That's a non starter. It has already been made very clear to the US , by India & they have recognized that.

Either you get rid of them or live in reality---this war to bleed India is a failed war. At least that is being recognized in many in the Pakistani English press.