Taliban- The Frankenstein monster 

of the US or Pakistan?

The Mujahideen was trained by Pakistan in the 1980s to wage 'jihad' (holy war) against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan funded by the United States.

After 9/11, when the United States invaded Afghanistan, general Musharraf, gave bases to the United States and the Emirate of Afghanistan dissolved, the ruling class there disintegrated, most of whom took refuge in the tribal areas.

After some time, the general announced an operation against these mujaheddin who were already trained by Pakistan army in South Waziristan and the first operation commenced. 

1- Operation Al-Mizan (2002-2006)

The collapse of Taliban regime’s compelled the Al-Qaeda’s local and international militants to leave Afghanistan and seek sanctuary in the northern areas as FATA and PATA. Pakistan army stroke back launching small and large range security operations known as ‘Operation Al-Mizan’ in South Waziristan in particular and FATA in general was a series of strategic military campaigns conducted by the Pakistan army and 10,000 United States special operations forces from 2002 to 2006.

In it, Pakistan Army used helicopters, gunships, and substantial artillery to dismantle militant’ hubs. In this operation, the army raided people’s homes without their permission. Families of Pashtuns are settled on both sides of the Durand line, so their relatives and family members used to visit here often. The army entered the houses of Pashtuns and shot their relatives, some were even set on fire. Those left were forcibly picked up and put in jails.

Later, it was put across before the world that the army successfully killed around 1400 militants in this operation and about 1000 Pakistani soldiers were martyred but it was never told how inhumanely innocent Pashtuns were killed in this operation, how numerous people become homeless and how several children became orphans.

2- Operation Kalosha March 2004 (Wana):

In January 2004, when army operations were at their peak, some militants began to target army camps in Bajaur, South Waziristan. As a result of rocket fires an army check post in Shulama faced a considerable loss.

Pakistan army in its “search-and-destroy” drive known as ‘Operation Kalosha’ (Tankel, 2015) aimed to clear the area from the foreign militants (Mujahids who were prepared by the Pakistan Army to fight the Soviet in Afghanistan)

Lack of planning and mindful execution was noticed in the Wana operation. As per the military and strategic analysts, untrained Frontier Commanders with poor intelligence were sent to the hubs of militants. Militants were having comparatively enough territorial information of the valley and war tactics as well as geographical information. Adamantly, militants having the advantage of familiarity with geographical area enjoyed the commanding position in the mountainous region. It is argued that major reasons for the failure in this operation were communication and coordination among the army, frontier corps and its intelligence agencies (Rasheed, 2008).

Heavy casualties in the Kalosha Operation compelled Pakistani army to make a peace agreement with militants termed as the ‘Shakai Agreement’. This agreement, signed in April 2004 was an unwritten reconciliation or verbal understanding between the Pakistani government and Nek Mohammad of the Pakistani Taliban. As part of the peace deal, the Pakistani government agreed to release Taliban prisoners, pay compensation to tribesmen for property damage as a result of its military operations, and provide money to the militants so that they could repay their debt to Al-Qa`ida. For his part, Nek Muhammad agreed to register foreign militants and stop cross-border attacks into Afghanistan. But even this peace deal could not be successful, nor did the Pakistan Army give compensation to the local people who had destroyed their homes. 

3- Operation Rah-e-Haq (2007-09)

Pakistan Military by realizing the worst situation and achieving no substantial advancement in a two-year battle (2004-2006) opened a negotiation with Taliban for a ceasefire. They were made to promise to hunt down Al-Qaeda, ending Talibanization. Shortly, the militants violating the ceasefire continued to re-organize and rebuild themselves in the region and within a few months they took over Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in the capital of Pakistan. This incidence questioned the capabilities and competence of both government and army across the globe. After the failure of negotiation with the Imam (clergy), in July 2007, Musharraf regime decided to forcefully evacuate the Lal Masjid from militants. Soon after the successful completion of Lal Masjid operation, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan(TTP), a newly formed umbrella group of militants undertook to revenge and propelled a wave of suicide bombings and attacks in major cities particularly in northern areas of Pakistan. Expanding their operation bases they moved towards the Valley of Swat. Pakistan armed forces conducted this operation in three phases against the (TNSM) militant group –formed by Sufi Muhammad in 1989 (Ali & Khan, 2009) and banned in 2002—which demanded for enforcement of Sharia Law in Malakand division. By the mid of 2007, the TNSM has succeeded in establishing its control over much of the area of the Swat. In order to relinquish Swat Valley from the militants, this operation was launched in collaboration with local police in November 2007. In July 2008, the second phase took place in the northern parts of Swat Valley and later spread to the Southern areas. The third phase of Operation Rah-e-Haq was carried out in January 2009, along with the imposition of ‘shoot-onsight’ curfews in major cities of Swat. People were banned from leaving their homes, school and offices were closed. Check posts were increased in all the surrounding areas. The general public was started being harassed at these check posts.

Homes and schools were made army bases. Anyone without committing any crime were thrown out of the house and put in jails. The residents were forced to migrate and bomb blasts, target killings, shelling, bombing of jets, suicide attacks, kidnappings, etc. became a regular chore.

The militias who were created by the Pakistan army themselves backfired and proved to be a major threat to the Pakistan army. The Army's Operation Rah-e-Haq led to the displacement of over a million people, as well as widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure. Many human rights groups accused the Army of carrying out summary executions, torture, and rape.

Thus, the killings between Extremists and Pashtuns started and gradually the situation in the tribal areas changed from peace to unrest.

In 2009, probably during Zardari's tenure, the operation named "Rah-e-Nijat" started again in Mehsud area of South Waziristan, after sealing the traffic routes from all sides, the government further issued an announcement to evacuate the entire area and that no one should be found in the area or else he would be killed as a terrorist. At the same time, cannon shelling and bombing started in the area and people were forced to migrate in fear.

Since the roads were closed on all four sides, people started migrating on foot, carrying only some basic necessities, leaving everything else, property, wealth, vehicles and cattle, and roaming in the wilderness of the mountains.

In short, they spent nearly seven years migrating, sacrificing their wealth and their homes, all for peace. Seven to eight years later, when the government announced the comeback of the locals, people went back to their area, only to find their houses scattered with no sign of markets, the gardens dry. Desolation resided everywhere, there was a check post kilometer after kilometer.

But what does it seem that after some time the same unrest started, sometimes with bomb blasts on the security forces and in return the violence on innocent civilians, sometimes the victims of the explosion of the land mine planted by the partisans became innocent children, girls, women and ordinary citizens. More than this, the targeted killing of innocent people has also reached its peak.

All this is a question mark on the promises and claims made by the government and security forces.

Answered by Rafiullah