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WEEKLY
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| Another murder |
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Baitullah Mehsud has struck once more. Qari Zainuddin Mehsud, who had dared rise against him and try and set up a rival Mehsud faction while declaring war on the Taliban leader, has been killed. The message is clear. The Kalashnikov bullets that rang out at a gathering Qari Zainuddin had called of allies in Dera Ismail Khan were intended to echo well beyond the meeting of Baitullah rivals. The death of Qari Zainuddin will deter others from following his path.
The murder is obviously a setback for the government; some would say a severe one. The Zainuddin rebellion had been intended both to create a sense within Waziristan that Baitullah's days could be numbered and to assist in the difficult task of penetrating into Waziristan. The issue of military success in the inhospitable terrain of Waziristan has been a major one with troops in the past struggling to overcome the militants. This had been a factor in the peace deals reached in the past. It had been hoped assistance from a Mehsud faction could assist in the conflict and play a part in equalizing the advantage available to the fighters who know each dip and rise of their home terrain. We have yet to see what impact Zainuddin's death will have on the effort to erode the power of Baitullah. In the increasingly vicious power struggle on in Waziristan, the latest murder will go to strengthen Baitullah and to prove he remains the main force in Waziristan. This of course is dangerous. It has become clear that Waziristan is the epicentre of militancy. It also acts as the main link between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Till we re-gain control of that territory we cannot claim to have won the war on terrorism.
This is a dilemma that now faces us. The military had obviously seen benefits in wooing over those who it believed could be used against Baitullah. Strategically this makes plenty of sense. There is no doubt that dissent within the ranks can damage any group. Qari Zainuddin had undoubtedly understood the risks of rising against Baitullah. He has paid a terrible price for his act of rebellion. His death in that sense is tragic. But at another level, our authorities must also keep in mind the risks of raising one faction of the Taliban against the other. In many ways what we are seeing in the northern areas is a quest for power, for control over people and land. In such a situation there should be some question over whether it is sensible to align with one faction of militants against the other even though they hold similar ideological beliefs. There is a need to consider what this means for the future and what impact it will have. But perhaps all this is for the future. For the present Baitullah has demonstrated his ruthlessness and proved why he remains a main target for the military. Until he is defeated there can be no peace in Waziristan or in Pakistan.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
