Those who never tire of accusing Pakistan of hosting Afghan militants should know that just the opposite of it has happened, as Pakistani Taliban, based in Afghanistan, now carry out incursions into Pakistan territory almost with regular frequency, exacting huge loss of life.
Of the places in Afghanistan now being used as safe havens by the Pakistani Taliban, the most prominent are the provinces of Kunar and Nuristan where reports say the local administrations play generous host to these terrorists. Despite Pakistan government's best intelligence on their nefarious activities being provided to the Kabul government and the Nato, these safe havens enjoy welcome stay - and moral support in that their forays into Pakistan are defended by the Karzai government. During the last four months or so, they have conducted four major forays into the Pakistani territory storming the border check-posts. Of course, they were finally driven out and the beleaguered posts were recovered, but only after intense fighting causing extensive loss of life.
The latest attack came last Saturday morning when some three hundred terrorists equipped with sophisticated weapons attacked seven security posts in Arandu, District Chitral. The lightly equipped Pakistani side suffered 36 fatalities - but the Taliban spokesman claimed the death toll at 80 - while the invaders left behind some 20 bodies. As reinforcements arrived the next day, the area was secured and the Drosh-Arandu Road that had come under fire and was closed, was opened for general traffic. The earlier incursions in Lower Dir, Upper Dir and Mohmand in Bajaur Agency were equally large and had caused huge losses of life and property.
That the Pakistani Taliban enjoy Afghan hospitality should be no doubt. Soon after the Arandu attack, the spokesman of the Malakand-Swat Taliban chapter, Sirajuddin, claimed responsibility for the attack denying reports that the Afghan Taliban also participated. "The Taliban from the Malakand region are based here in Nuristan and only our fighters carried out the co-ordinated attacks in Chitral," he said clearing doubt if any about anti-Pakistan elements enjoying Afghan hospitality. These Taliban are said to be the foot soldiers of Maulana Fazlullah and Maulvi Faqir who fled the country as the Pakistani military moved against them. If they were fighting for Islam, as then was the impression, today it would not have been the Jamaat-i-Islami, Chitral, asking for matching arms to fight these marauders. Most of the men killed in the latest attack were from the Chitral Scouts, a wing of the Frontier Corps, who were poorly and inadequately equipped against the invaders who had the latest weapons. Given that the areas from where these attacks originate were vacated by the Nato forces and the Kabul administration has only a tenuous presence there, it's the warlords whose writ runs there. The Pakistani Taliban has the patronage of these warlords and they do their bidding that in turn is the game plan of Pakistan's regional adversaries.
Mind you these are not just hit-and-run incidents, but invasions as big as the restrictive mountainous terrain permits, and should not be treated lightly. Pakistan has got to equip the security personnel manning the border posts with the latest weaponry. Accepted Pakistan never nurtured offensive designs against Afghanistan, but defence of its territory is its whole-time responsibility, and has to be intelligently thought out and fully planned and secured. If required, our forces must go after the invaders in hot pursuit, which is our internationally recognised legal right.
Chitral is as sacred as Lahore or another part of Pakistan and must be defended to the hilt whatever it costs. As regional security seems to be evolving our western border is going to remain as hot as now for quite some time. It has to be looked after as seriously as the eastern border; we are in for a two-front threat and must meticulously prepare to confront this challenge. At the same time, our government must take up the issue of frequent incursions with the Afghan government at a much higher level than merely protesting at the embassy level. Also, we need to apprise the international public opinion of the threat that tends to emerge in the north-eastern border areas that were hastily vacated by the Nato forces and are now in control of anti-Pakistan Afghan warlords and their 'guests' from Malakand.