Pakistan post-9/11 stands extolled generously by the United States as a steadfast ally in America’s global war on terrorism. But Pakistan’s record in terms of implementation of the campaign against al Qaeda and the Taliban indicates that it is double-timing the United States. Pakistan in terms of its military assistance and operations is making a significant distinction between targeting the al Qaeda and the Taliban.

It needs to be noted that today, for Pakistan, the al Qaeda is dispensable, but not the Taliban. Hence, the Pakistan Army’s ongoing military operations in Waziristan are strictly against the al Qaeda havens in the region. It may be recalled that in the post-Afghanistan war phase of the US military operations, the Pakistan Army spirited away Osama-bin Laden and the al Qaeda hierarchy to safe havens in Pakistan and outside the reach of American military forces. Here, one is again forced to come to the conclusion that within the al Qaeda, Pakistan is making a distinction between the Arab hierarchy of al Qaeda i.e. Osama-bin Laden and his Arab lieutenants and the rest of al Qaeda operatives from Chechnya, Uzbekistan and so on. The targets in Waziristan are the latter and not the former. Osama and his hierarchy stands safely cocooned in Pakistan Army’s safe havens.

The Pakistan Army has not touched the Taliban at all. It has not given up its strategic goals in Afghanistan. It once again wishes to re-colonise Afghanistan by using the instrument  of the Taliban. The Pakistan Army and the ISI are once again busy in assisting the Taliban to stage a come-back in Afghanistan.

Evidence of the above is emerging as follows:

• The Taliban has re-established its presence in most of the Kandahar province and in many areas around Kabul.

• With the US forces busy on the Pak-Afghan border against the al Qaeda, Pakistan is exploiting the vacuum in other areas to re-establish the Taliban in Afghanistan.

• Pakistan is busy destabilizing the Karzai administration through a variety of terrorist attacks aimed at creating insecurity and fear.

• Pakistan cannot afford to let Afghanistan emerge as a moderate Islamic state with liberal institutions and development. Hence, it is disrupting reconstruction and development works in Afghanistan through the Taliban. Attacks and abductions of relief agency workers and those of NGOs are generating panic and fear.

• US army officers campaigning on the Pak-Afghan border stoutly air their frustrations to the media that they see Pakistan Army posts on the border waving in the Taliban into Afghanistan.

• Karzai and the governors of Afghanistan’s border provinces claim that Pakistan is not doing enough to restrain Taliban activities in Afghanistan and wonder why US is quiet about it.

The major deductions that arise from the foregoing are as follows:

• Pakistan’s military operations against the non-Arab al Qaeda elements is only to keep up the pretenses and convince the US that it is doing something.

• Pakistan may not hand over Osama-bin Laden to the US. Gen Musharraf may be prevented from doing so by the strong Islamic Jehadi or al Qaeda elements within the Pakistan Army. If he does, Gen Musharraf stands a good chance of being liquidated.

• Pakistan would do its utmost, behind the back of the US to prevent Afghanistan from emerging as a modern, moderate Islamic State, as it would have repercussions within Pakistan and its army’s hold on Pakistan.

• Pakistan’s two-timing the US is in consonance with its long established strategy in this regard. Pakistan as a staunch military ally of the US never made any troop contributions to America’s wars in Korea or Vietnam. At about the same time, it was also working with China – then a strong foe of USA. During Gulf War I, the Pakistan Army Chief was openly hostile and critical of America’s military operations against Iraq. During Gulf War II, after being reclaimed once again as a staunch ally of USA post-9/11, it was just standing by as an observer and so far has been reluctant to send troops to Iraq even as a major non-NATO ally of USA.

• More seriously, critically jeopardizing, US security interests, Pakistan deceived it by WMD proliferation to America’s enemies – Libya, Iran and North Korea.

• Further, now when the United States is embroiled in a serious military conflict situation in Iraq and is unable to militarily focus on Afghanistan, Pakistan is two-timing the US by actively working to entrench the Taliban once again in Afghanistan at cross purposes with American strategic interests.