On May 16, 2015, Pakistani troops began a massive offensive to try to push the Taliban from their last major stronghold in the mountainous northwestern region of North Waziristan. The latest operation comes weeks after America confirmed it was to sell $1 billion in arms to the Pakistani military. The export of sophisticated US attack helicopters and missiles has again highlighted just how committed the Pakistani army is in fighting America’s global war on Islam.
No matter how hard the Pakistan military may deny it is not a stooge for Washington’s policy makers, in the eyes of many Pakistanis there is no other explanation. The view that the Pakistani army is working in cohorts with America has found new impetus in recent days with revelations from the Pulitzer prize-winning author Seymour Hersh who stated that the Abbottabad raid joint operation between the US and Pakistani military intelligence.
This is not the first time that Pakistani officials have been exposed for collaborating with America in their efforts to fight the Taliban and other militant groups such as al Qaeda. In 2013, secret US documents revealed that senior Pakistani government officials had for years known of and endorsed CIA drone strikes. The Washington Post said it had obtained CIA documents and Pakistani diplomatic memos, which indicated officials were routinely given classified briefings. Although they are marked “top secret” they were cleared for release to Pakistan, the paper reported. The Washington Post also says the documents provided a detailed timeline of the CIA drone programme “tracing its evolution from a campaign aimed at a relatively short list of senior al-Qaeda operatives into a broader aerial assault against militant groups with no connection to the 11 September 2001 attacks”. In 2010, Wikileaks released numerous documents, which showed the Pakistani military and other arms of the government had “quietly acquiesced” with drone strikes even though they had publicly condemned them. In August 2008 then Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is reported to have said, “I don’t care if they do it as long as they get the right people. We’ll protest in the National Assembly and then ignore it.” Again for drone strikes to be effective against the Taliban and other militants, there has to be in place a network of spies on the ground with sophisticated equipment to track Taliban targets and confirm the kill. It appears that Pakistan has been providing such logistical support for several years.
Military operations against the Taliban and other militants follow a familiar pattern— a visit by American officials is swiftly accompanied by a high profile attack against the Pakistani military and then the Pakistani government announces a new operation against the Taliban. Pakistanis have gone weary of such attacks and find it almost unbelievable that the vast majority of the attacks occur right under the noses of the Pakistani military.
However, what really leaves an indelible impression amongst the Pakistani public about the Pakistan’s military colluding with America is Raymond Davis affairs and the abduction and hand over of Afia Saddiqui to the Americans. Raymond Davis was caught red handed with sensitive military equipment as well as killing Pakistani citizens in broad daylight—he was later released. The story of Afia Saddiqui needs no introduction—only perhaps that she was handed over to the Americans by General Musharraf’s regime.
Yet despite all of the above, there are times when the Pakistani military has resisted American pressure to strike the Taliban. For instance in November 2011 Pakistan cut off NATO’s supply route to Afghanistan. But all of this maneuvering had been to strike a better deal with Washington.
Since 2001, Pakistan has lost not just $100 billion dollars but also its civil and military leadership, which openly covets American interference in Pakistan. Unless the Muslims of Pakistan and the tribal areas take it upon themselves to re-establish the rightly guided Khilafah, they will never be able to rid themselves of America’s domination over Pakistani affairs. Only Khilafah can unite the Taliban with their brothers in the Pakistani army to become sword for Islam alone, striking the hand of any colonial power that seeks exploit Muslims anywhere in the world.
Allah Almighty says:
وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاء فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers.”
(Al-i-Imran: 3)
By: Abdul Majeed Bhati
Written for Ar-Rayah Newspaper – Issue 26