Beginning of the Countdown to Sectarian End-Game in Pakistan?
April 27, 2012
Kayani’s
comments on Siachen and other recent Pakistani overtures being made to
India on trade and other issues need to be seen in their correct
perspective: against the backdrop of the ever worsening sectarian divide
in Pakistan, the ever widening chasm in relations between the Pakistani
establishment and the Taliban and other Deobandi Islamic zealots on
both sides of the Durand Line, the ever increasing economic crunch
facing Pakistan, particularly the Army, due to stoppage of US and other
international assistance, and the continuing failure of the economy to
sustain the ever mounting military expenditure. It is a moot point
whether if the Afghan Taliban and their associates come to power in
Kabul by overthrowing the Karzai regime, they would remain loyal to the
Pakistani establishment or gravitate towards supporting the struggle of
their coreligionist TTP and its Punjabi associates against the Barelvi
dominated Pakistani state. The Pakistani leadership has apparently come
to the point where it realises that for the survival of the country and
its structures created by Jinnah, it must buy peace for the present with
its arch-enemy India. In their minds a tactical move to mend fences
with India would allow them to divert military resources from the
eastern to the western borders where the uncertain Afghan situation
might be becoming critical. India should not bale Pakistan out without
the latter making an effort to extricate itself from its present
predicament by making tough choices and taking hard action.
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