Mehsud's killing and peace process in Pakistan

Alia Tabassum

janjua.raja@yahoo.com

November 3, 2013

Leader of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan was killed in a drone attack on Friday. Hakeem ullah Mehsud 33, a key leader of Tahreek-e-Taliban was the successor of Baitullah Mehsud.

Killing of a terrorist leader could help to demoralize the terrorists, but the wrong timing of this drone attack, can increase the terrorist activities in Pakistan.

White House knew that Islamabad and Taliban were initiating dialogue in order to bring peace in the region and to end the terror war that accelerated after 9/11. Some serious stances were taken and the government of the country was about to send it's delegation to Waziristan, just before dialogues would start a drone killed Taliban's leader and here we are, Talibans has announced that they are going to stop peace dialogue with Pakistani government in a protest of killing of their leader . In other words a series of terror attacks in the streets of country targeting common people.

Taliban organisation is quite complex, the use of suicide attacks had made this organisation even more complex and difficult to cope with. A suicide attack is the most difficult thing to stop and its aftermaths only leave blood, bodies and remains to mourn for. Obviously use of arms is important to retain law and order but such complex challenges demand different techniques and alternative options as well.

Government of Pakistan and US are fully aware that killing of the leader of TTP can't be fruitful as they have people ready in pipeline to lead the organisation. This attack would not only destroy the peace process but it can cause dreadful consequences victimising common people of Pakistan. If killing Hakeem ullah Mahsud would do any good to damage the terrorism or their destructive cause, then killing of Baitullah Mehsud would be an end of Tehreek-e-Taliban.

Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif visited US and he also raised the issue of drone attacks. PM in a meeting with Obama, took a clear stance on drone attacks and hoped for no drone attacks until the result of dialogues.  

US and Nato forces are fighting in Kabul and parts of Pakistan against Taliban for twelve years. US is leaving Afghanistan in 2014 with an unfinished war, more terrorists, more innocent causalities and tough time ahead for the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Innocent people were killed in 9/11, which was a really tragic incident but hundreds of innocent people were killed in drones and thousand in outcome of suicide attacks.

In a statement Interior Minister of Pakistan Chaudry Nisar Khan said, Pakistan would review all aspects of its relation with USA.  Mr. Nisar also asked TTP leadership to ignore this negative aspect of the episode and let the peace dialogue continue but after killing of their leader it seems less likely to happen.

Mr. Nisar is right to say about this drone attack's timing, that "this is not killing of Mehsud but US has actually murdered the dialogue process".

US and allies fighting for terrorism for 12 years but failed to uproot the terrorism. Tax payers paid with their every breath to eradicate the misery but money had spent on making such organisation then breaking them.  People never paid for drones, killing 924 civilians. They didn't pay to invade any territory or to destroy their allies plans if they try to initiate peace dialogue.

This isn't the issue that Hakeem ullah Mehsud was fighting for bad or good, the issue is why he is targeted when all was set to initiate the peace talk.

After Hakeem ullah Mehsud's death, terror activities are most likely to start in the streets and roads of Pakistan making White House's seriousness on peace more doubtful.