Since middle of 2007 two prominent leaders of Pakistan Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud and Maulana Fazlullah have been wreaking havoc in South Waziristan and Swat. Their motives reflect a shift in the ideology of Pakistan Taliban. Mehsud had openly announced that he owes allegiance to Maulana Omar, the Chief of Afghanistan Taliban. Yet, recently a spokesman announced on behalf of Maulana Omar that Mehsud has nothing to do with them since their priority is waging jihad against the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan and not against the Pakistan military.

The hierarchy of jihadi causes shaping the conflict emanating from Pakistan-Afghan border cannot be said to follow a very rigid pattern. During the heydays of Afghan jihad the enemy Soviet Union was priority one. After Soviet Union retreated and the Taliban emerged from Pakistani madrassas, jihad was to be carried out against whoever was in power in Kabul till a Pakistan friendly dispensation could be imposed. Anti-West, anti-US rhetoric and preference for jihad to free Muslim lands of Palestine, Chechnya and Kashmir acquired stridency during Taliban rule at Kabul from 1996 to 2001. Since September 2001, removing the infidels from Afghanistan has become priority one for jihadi groups operating from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Due to ambivalent policies of the Pakistan military in dealing with Taliban, a new and younger generation of Pakistan Taliban has emerged in FATA and adjacent areas who are not willing to follow the script of Pakistani military. While the older generation of Afghan Taliban was as a result of Soviet invasion the new Taliban is a result of American intervention.

According to a Pakistani analyst their jihad is aimed not just at 'infidels occupying Afghanistan', but also the 'infidels' who are ruling and running Pakistan and maintaining the secular values of Pakistani society. They aim at nothing less than to cleanse Pakistan and turn it into a pure Islamic state. Since the incident of Jamia Hafisa near Lal Masjid the focus of their jihad has turned towards Pakistani establishment. Jihad against the Pakistan government has become priority one for Pakistan Taliban.

However, for Lakshar-e-Taiba and Jaishe-Mohammed, jihad against India remains as priority one. They have increased their violent activities in India's hinterland. In these endeavours, ISI has encouraged Islamist groups from Bangladesh to extend support to Let and JeM. The website of MDI (mother institution of LeT) continues to highlight the injustice done to Muslims of Gujarat in India and avers that Indian Muslims have no alternative but to wage jihad.

Most of the jihadi groups are members of al-Qaeda's International Islamic Front which is called by some American intelligence agencies as al-Qaeda and Allied Movements (AQAM). Ostensibly, priority of al-Qaeda is global jihad with the West and America as the main enemy. However, since the beginning of 2006 a new orientation to al-Qaeda's priorities appears to have taken place. A group consisting of second-in-command of al-Qaeda, Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Uzbek leader Tahir Yuldashev and Sheikh Essa (main ideologue of Takfirism), who are part of the top leadership of al-Qaeda, are among the main proponents of Takfirism; an ideology which prioritizes the non-practicing Muslims as the first enemy to be dealt with.

It claims that the Muslim ummah (the community of believers) has been weakened by deviation in the practice of Islam. Takfirism classifies all non-practicing Muslims as kafirs (infidels). This ideology is equally applied to Iraq where non-conforming Muslims whether Sunni, Shia or otherwise and all those supporting the government are prime targets of al-Qaeda's attacks.

It is evident that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and its leadership are supporting al-Qaeda in Pakistan-Afghan borderlands. It can also be said that both Baitullah Mehsud and Maulana Fazalullah's open revolt against the Pakistan establishment is a manifestation of al-Qaeda's Takfirist ideology. Both are believed to have a strong link with al-Qaeda leadership. Earlier there had been divergence between al-Qaeda and the Taliban on the utility of signing peace agreements with the Pakistan establishment; Taliban was of the view that it would further their cause in Afghanistan whereas al-Qaeda wanted to consolidate its firm-base in Waziristan and prioritized fighting against Pakistan military as the first option to be undertaken.

In the wake of Pakistan army attack on Red Mosque and abrogation of peace agreement in Waziristan by Baitullah Mehsud the priorities of Pakistan Taliban and al-Qaeda have coincided which does not bode well for either Pakistan military or for a peaceful and stable situation in Pakistan. However, Mullah Omar is still hoping for the focus to be turned towards Afghanistan. It is most likely that there may not be a concerted spring offensive in Afghanistan by Taliban this year thus giving some relief to NATO's beleaguered forces.