Afghan Journal

Pakistanis demand answer, want to take down militant networks

Sanjeev Miglani

May 13, 2010 15:52 UTC

It’s still not firmly established whether any Pakistan-based militant groups were involved in the failed car bombing in New York  this month and there have been renewed suggestions that the suspect Faisal Shahzad, a Pakistani-American,  may have been a lone wolf.

But this hasn’t stopped the soul-searching that Pakistanis have engaged in since the  failed attack on May 1. Indeed, it’s not just the United States or other countries in the west urging Pakistan to act against militants; the Pakistanis are as forthright, if not more demanding that the whole ‘terrorist infrastructure” be taken down.

Here’s an excerpt from an editorial from The Dawn:  “Sadly, our security establishment only acts when Pakistani or Pakistan-based militants attack or threaten to attack others and we, in turn, are threatened with “severe consequences”. These groups pose a danger to Pakistan more than to anyone else. When cornered they have no qualms about turning their guns on the state and its citizens. Created in the Zia era and nurtured by elements in the intelligence agencies, the jihadi infrastructure has spiralled out of control, and action is necessary before matters become even worse.”

The Daily Times said it was time Pakistan took on the Afghan Haqqani network operating out of North Waziristan, which has long been seen to be close to the Pakistani security establishment.  “The Haqqani network, considered an ‘asset’ for Pakistan in its ‘strategic depth’ policy in a post-US Afghanistan, has been given a free hand for far too long now. Haqqani has not only given a safe haven to the al Qaeda leadership in North Waziristan but is also involved in providing assistance to the Punjabi terrorists.”