Pakistan's support for the Taliban is now putting the country's democracy and security at risk, Sergio Restelli writes in The Times of Israel.
Pakistan's key terrorist proxy, the Taliban and its allies like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are now hunting its own master, who has been training, arming and aiding the group for over three decades.
According to the author, Bilawal's recent statements against India showed the typical narrative that Pakistan usually uses to hide its long-term association with terrorism and terrorist groups like the Afghan Taliban.
Pakistan had preached about 'good Taliban, bad Taliban' to NATO and its allies but now it has proven to be a white lie. The recent cases of the killing of a policeman, laying a siege on a Counter-Terrorism Department and its officials in Bannu, besides the intermittent border firing are all examples of the invention turning against the inventor.
Pakistan's democracy is under threat and Bilawal Bhutto and other civilian leaders must find a solution to protect Pakistan and South Asia before it's too late, according to the author.
After the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan finally felt it had reached its objective of strategic depth and control of the country. It aided the Taliban in its final push to set up a government in Kabul.
The jubilation in Pakistan was overwhelming, having bested the most powerful nation in the world. But as events turned out, the jubilation was short-lived. The Taliban once in power, started playing hardball with Pakistan-keeping it hanging on promises of reigning in an emboldened TTP which began to launch attacks in the border areas of Pakistan to retrieve its lost ground and the dream of a united homeland for Pashtuns.
The army, instead of taking on a terrorist group headlong as it did in previous years, decided to sue for a truce. It was General Qamar Javed Bajwa's colossal failure to have trusted the Taliban and not cultivated leverage, The Times of Israel reported.
The TTP recovered much faster than the Pakistani army had expected while the Taliban used Pakistan's strategy against Islamabad- patronage, denial and deceit.
A former Senator and Pashtun leader, Afrasiab Khattak put it more bluntly:" Project Taliban will keep eating into the vitals of peace, security and economy of the country...The addiction to remain a "front-line-state" is an existential threat."
Pakistan's democracy is under threat and Bilawal Bhutto and other civilian leaders must find a solution to protect Pakistan and South Asia before it's too late, the author believes.
( With inputs from ANI )
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