Govt's three-pronged strategy

The old debate whether Pakistan is a Muslim country by virtue of the vast majority belonging to this faith or is it, in the true sense, an Islamic state, has gained further impetus recently, in the wake up the Taliban reassertion in Afghanistan and the emergence of Threek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan in Waziristan. According to the extreme religious view calling themselves puritans and supportive of the Islamic interpretation by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda school of thought, it is incumbent upon them to enforce their concept of Islam at global level. Having achieved a degree of success in Afghanistan, they feel encouraged to extend their so-called divine mission to neighbouring Pakistan.

A number of factors including the American military adventure in Afghanistan after 9/11 supported by UK and other European countries has assumed a much wider global dimension under the title of international war against terrorism. Pakistan was sucked into this conflict at the very outset. It became the vanguard of this war, as a reward of which it was awarded the "honour" of the first non-NATO ally of USA.

Pakistan had to pay a very heavy price for it. This sacrifice by Pakistan was far greater than the loss of human lives suffered by all the other 37 countries claiming to be Washington's allies in this international war. Strangely enough, Pakistan was told by the US, British and EU that it "was not doing enough." As if ensuring success of US and NATO operation inside Afghanistan is Pakistan's sole responsibility, Islamabad was urged "to do more."