Key Points

Intelligence Bureau officials say that under the garb of fighting the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the real intention is to target the people of the region and indulge in genocide. The Pakistan Army is facing stiff resistance in these regions and hence wants to target even the innocents under the garb of fighting terror outfits.

Today’s incident during which thirty people were killed in air strikes in KP is an example of this. Pakistan used China made J-17 fighter jets to drop eight Chinese L-6 bombs, laser-guided precision munitions on a village in the Tirah Valley. The local community is already on the edge owing to the aggression by the Pakistan Army. Whether it is in Balochistan or KP, the people have complained that under the garb of fighting terror, the Pakistan Army is trying to wipe out the local population.

Intelligence reports say, while Pakistan has always been an aggressor in these regions against the local people, such action is likely to get worse in the days to come.

The deals that Pakistan signed with the US and China may look good on paper. But both countries have shifted the onus largely on Pakistan to deliver and ensure security of their projects. While China has said that it wants the TTP out of the picture as the terror group is hitting their projects, the US has made it clear that it wants terror groups in Balochistan out of the way so that the minerals deal can be executed peacefully.

Pakistan is currently in a dilemma due to these demands. First and foremost it is not able to fight terror groups in both regions. The Pakistan Army has faced embarrassing losses in recent times. Further, Pakistan has no support of Afghanistan on these issues. However the thing that is hurting Pakistan the most is that it does not have the support of the locals.

The locals have for decades complained that the resources available in their regions are being looted by the Pakistan Army. None of the benefits get passed on to them. The locals have accrued the Pakistan government of robbing their resources and investing them in mainland Pakistan, while they continue to face hardships.

In such a situation, the Pakistan Army has decided to go on the offensive and is targeting the innocent locals.

Pakistan's actions have been called by the international community in the past as well. Amnesty International’s South Asia office had slammed the utter disregard that the army has shown for civilian life. This statement had come in the aftermath of a drone strike in which a child had been killed.

There was a huge criticism following a March 10 strike in which 10 civilians were killed in the Katlang area of the KP province. However, after every such hit, Pakistan has said that the intention was to flush out terrorists, but in reality the intention was of killing the locals.

Following Monday’s military strike, even the opposition in Pakistan criticised the action. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said that no words can encompass this sorrow and grief. Drone attacks and bombings have sown so may seeds of hatred. Nothing will be left the party said.

- IANS