New Delhi: As Pakistan stepped up its offensive against the Taliban fighters, albeit under pressure from the US and the UK, the Taliban has given a call for Jihad or Holy war in Pakistan’s Swat valley.
It follows the killing of 20 Taliban fighters in Lower Dir, 170 kms from Islamabad and adjoining Swat where Pakistan's security forces have launched a fresh offensive to flush out the Taliban militants.
Helicopter gun-ships were used to attack Taliban positions as heavy artillery pounded a number of places bordering Swat.
The government claims that the Taliban had broken the terms of the February accord by sending fighters to neighbouring areas. Signaling that the gloves were off, Interior Minister* Rehman Malik warned, “Enough is enough. We have decided to flush them out. The peace accord was linked to peace. When there is no peace, there is no use for that accord. I appeal to the Taliban to lay down their arms. There is no other option for them.”
The Taliban responded by suspending the peace talks. They said it would resume only after operations ended.
Officials in Peshawar hinted the operation might be extended to Buner south of Swat where the Taliban still remain despite a withdrawal carried out last weekend.
The mystery is about what role the army will play here. There is speculation if the army would prefer to stay out as it has done so far.
President Zardari avoided commenting on that issue. “Applying more force, increasing our armed forces in the area is not the only solution. The solution is increasing civilian forces,” said the Pakistani President, throwing little or no light on what role the army will play against the Taliban.
* According to PTI, Rehman Malik, Pakistan's Interior ministry chief and a close aide of President Asif Ali Zardari has been elevated as Interior Minister of Pakistan. Malik has on April 27, 2009 been sworn in as federal minister, along with two others.
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