Back the boys!

According to the Army around 200 Taliban have been killed during the last 24 hours. This is certainly good news. We need to eliminate as many of them as possible. ISI can be used to sow chaos in the ranks of these Jihadis and criminals while the SSG can be used at it was used in the lower Dir operation to take out the leadership of the Taliban.

But for the ultimate success of this operation, the support of the major political parties is needed. I remember writing hopeful stuff about Nawaz Sharrif earlier on during the movement for the restoration of the judiciary. But i have been proven wrong. He remains a dour leader with right wing leanings. Journalists often remark that prior to giving out any kind of interview, Mian sahib puts in the condition that no questions be asked about the Taliban. Why is his party not supporting the army operating whole heartedly? Maybe because he is a closet Fundo - an apologist for the Taliban. Or maybe he still has the beef with the Army going back to the October coup of 1999? For him and his like this operation is out of necessity. They do not recognize people like Sufi Muhammad as extremists. At the most these are just misguided souls.

The liberal minority of Pakistan will have to get themselves organized. The only party which has been the most vocal about the rise of the Taliban has been MQM. MQM needs to shed its ethnic baggage and it may find that it has some support in the heart of Punjab.

For now we have to back our men in Khakki who are putting their lives at risk against an enemy not only of this state but also of it's official religion.