Fazlullah's elimination

It has finally been confirmed that the man killed in a US drone strike in Afghanistan's Kunar province along with four of his senior commanders, was indeed Pakistan's most wanted terrorist, TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah, who had the blood on his hands of countless Pakistanis, including children of the Peshawar Army Public School. A US official had said the drone attack had targeted "a senior leader of a designated terrorist organisation" in the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan, but it took a while to verify his identity as the bodies were incinerated beyond recognition. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa recently to confirm the news.
It may be recalled that Fazlullah, also known as 'Mullah Radio' - for spreading his hate-filled propaganda through an FM radio - first emerged in his native Swat as a ruthless killer. Driven out in the 2009 military operation in Swat, he had taken refuge along with other militants in the neighbouring Afghan provinces, from where he organised raids into Pakistan. His demise comes as a major setback for the TTP. He became the terrorist organisation's head in 2013, following the elimination, also in a drone strike, of Hakimullah Mehsud. His ascension to that position involved much internal wrangling and disarray. Soon afterwards, the organisation split into four groups. His removal from the scene may cause similar squabbling within the TTP, but it is not a death blow to it yet. Although four of his senior commanders died with him, a day later, ie, on Friday, three soldiers were martyred in cross-border attacks on military posts in North Waziristan. The US forces and the Kabul government need to do a lot more to destroy Pakistani Taliban's sanctuaries on Afghan soil. There are encouraging signs of that happening. Supported by the US, relations between Pakistan and the Kabul government are improving. Under a recently-concluded agreement, Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity the two sides' top security and diplomatic officials have held seven meetings. It is not without significance that the drone attack on Fazlullah took place immediately after General Bajwa returned from a daylong visit to Kabul.
During the recent months, there has been a notable change in the US stance towards Pakistan. Senior officials in Washington have talked about the Trump administration wanting "a new relationship" with Pakistan, also acknowledging the need to take into consideration this country's genuine security concerns. Things have already started to move on a positive track. Pakistan is believed to have played a constructive role in bringing about a temporary ceasefire in Afghanistan that may well lead to the opening up of a dialogue process between the two warring sides even as the Taliban remain insistent on holding direct talks with the US. Washington, in fact, has indicated its officials could participate in the intra-Afghan talks. Hopefully, the ongoing efforts will pave the way for a negotiated settlement of the ceaseless conflict in Afghanistan; also bringing relief to this country from the TTP terrorists using sanctuaries in that country to launch cross border attacks against civilians and soldiers alike.