For the first time even Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has admitted that about 30,000-40,000 "armed people", who have been trained and fought in some part of Afghanistan or Kashmir, were in Pakistan and accused the previous governments of not telling the truth to the US about the militant groups operating in the country. India and Afghanistan accuse Pakistan of providing safe haven to the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani network, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other militant groups, which carry out attacks in the two countries.
Khan, who is on a three-day official visit to the US, also admitted to American lawmakers that successive governments in Pakistan did not tell the truth to the United States, in particular in the last 15 years, that there were 40 different militant groups operating in his country. Is it under the US pressure to secure release of suspended security aid Khan has told the truth and accused the former Governments in Islamabad of hiding facts when it should have initiated action against those militants. And the delay in action against militants has forced the US to suspend security aid to Pakistan.
"Until we came into power, the governments did not have the political will, because when you talk about militant groups, we still have about 30,000-40,000 armed people who have been trained and fought in some part of Afghanistan or Kashmir. Why this truth has been dished out by Pakistan Prime Minister? The only reason is to secure reversal of the US decision to suspend security aid and that is why Imran has spoken the truth. And it depends on the Army in Pakistan whether they would cooperate with the Prime Minister in Islamabad to initiate action against militants. Possibility seem to be remote because Pakistan Army too depends on the support of militants who might have been deployed in Kashmir or Afghanistan to fight against the Governments. But Imran Khan should suggest to the Army in Pakistan to initiate a military crackdown on militants. And the Army would have taken Imran Khan's disclosure in the US a challenge for top Army functionaries who would dare to oppose Pak Prime Minister's disclosure. But the Army should cooperate with the Chief of the state because in the absence of suspension of the security aid it may be difficult for the country (Pakistan) to survive. |
