KARACHI - The killing on Monday
of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in an Israeli
helicopter-launched rocket attack in Gaza City certainly
eliminates one of Tel Aviv's key opponents, but the
ramifications of the talisman resistance figure's death
are already being felt in Pakistan, where unrest in the
tribal areas continues unabated.
News of
Yassin's death spread like wildfire across Pakistan,
including the tribal areas on the border with
Afghanistan where thousands of Pakistan troops have
encountered fierce resistance from tribal fighters as
they attempt to track down al-Qaeda fugitives and Afghan
resistance members.
The Jamaat-i-Islami
Pakistan, an influential religious political party, was
quick to organize massive demonstrations all over the
country. Although these were held to condemn "Israeli
brutality", most of the speakers focussed on the
goings-on in the tribal areas, where they are highly
critical of the military's intervention in the
semi-autonomous region, and of the United States'
"meddling" in the region.
Despite attempts by
the Pakistan military to implement a ceasefire so that
tribal leaders can negotiate the surrender of suspected
al-Qaeda members, on Monday night a convoy of Pakistani
troops comprising 30 vehicles, which was on its way to
reinforce positions in South Waziristan, was ambushed.
An eye witness told Asia Times Online by telephone that
six cars were destroyed and that the casualties "were
not less than 50". When contacted by Asia Times Online,
Major General Shaukat Sultan, the director general of
Inter-Services Public Relations of the Pakistan army,
confirmed the incident, but refused to give any details
concerning casualties.
The ambush indicates that
the tribals are well informed of the movements of the
army, which is rushing extra troops into the area, as
well as heavy artillery. These preparations reflect that
in the coming days more fighting can be expected.
The resolve of the tribals to resist the
intervention of the army into their region has been
strengthened by Sunday's ruling by 70 religious clerics
that resistance to the army has now turned into a jihad
(a struggle to defend the faith). Copies of the ruling
have been distributed in mosques all over North-West
Frontier Province as well as in cities in Punjab and
Sindh provinces.
Concern in Islamabad
The situation is not tense in the tribal areas
alone. In the capital Islamabad, decision makers have
been taken by surprise by the extent of the resistance,
yet they are in an unenviable position.
On the
one hand the Pakistan leadership has the United States
sword dangling over its head, with demands that all
militants (al-Qaeda, Taliban, Afghan resistance) be
driven out of the tribal areas, and preferably into the
waiting arms of the US army across the border.
On the other hand, the resistance shows no sign
of easing, and if the Pakistan army is defeated, the
anti-President General Pervez Musharraf lobby in the
army will certainly take full advantage of the
situation. Important sections of the army are known to
oppose intervention in the tribal areas, and to harbor
strong sympathies for the Taliban, which Pakistan
supported until persuaded to do an about-turn by the US
after September 11 when Washington launched its global
"war on terror".
Ironically then, like the
hammer and anvil operation that was designed to trap
militants between the Pakistan army on one side of the
border and US troops on the other, it is the Pakistan
government that now finds itself caught between the
devil and the deep blue sea.
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