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EDITORIAL

April 22, 2005

Original Article (English)

In Rawalpindi last Monday, Peshawar Corps. Commander Lieutenant General Safdar Hussain denied that a military operation is being launched in North Waziristan. He took issue with information disclosed by the Commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Lieutenant General David Barno, after the 10th meeting of the Tripartite Commission. The commission is comprised of senior military and diplomatic representatives from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.S.

Reacting to General Bravo's statement, General Hussain made two things clear: no infiltration is taking place from here [Pakistan], and Pakistan is a sovereign country that always takes decisions on its own.

The boldness he exhibited in snubbing his American counterpart, who was trying to infringe on Hussain's jurisdiction, deserves praise. General Hussain was correct in reminding General Barno to put his own house in order and take notice of infiltration from Afghanistan into Pakistan, [before concerning himself with what goes on in Pakistan].  There are also explosives, ammunition and weapons being smuggled here [into Pakistan], primarily due to the Kabul government's weak control running in Afghanistan.

When General Hussain says no infiltration from Pakistan is occurring, there is a reason. Pakistan has set up 669 military posts along the 600 km border with Afghanistan, and has deployed over 70,000 troops -- that is compared to 69 posts established on the Afghan side. These measures have also made it difficult for the terrorists to infiltrate into Pakistan from across our Western borders.

This was confirmed by the Corps Commander when he said Pakistan had not protested to the U.S. "strongly enough" because there had been so little evidence of infiltration from Afghanistan. 

Perhaps this is the first time that any Pakistani official has taken such a strong position against the United States, which is constantly nudging us to "do more" to fight terrorism, and telling us that it's "your turn."

And he rightly pointed out to the U.S. Commander that Pakistan was not his jurisdiction and that his assertion that the country is planning a military operation is an infringement of our sovereignty.

If the Pakistan Army is annoyed with Washington, it might be because of the U.S. failure to keep its promise to provide technical assistance to help Pakistan's forces stop cross-border movement.

However, what General Barno said might not be untrue, as evidenced by General Hussain's statement: "We do not take dictation from anyone and an operation will be launched only if necessary."

One can easily imagine that after the Army, without firing a bullet, managed to flush out the majority of terrorists from some areas dominated by Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan, that Hussain would want to follow his own strategy when launching a new operation with another commander.

[Editor's Note: Baitullah Methud is the Taliban's top commander in Pakistan].

Since Pakistan can't seem to convince the Bush Administration of its sincerity in combating terrorism, perhaps it is time for our government to review its blind cooperation with the so-called war on terror.