Pakistan’s policy towards militants and militancy has been a selective and self-contradictory one and its entire claim to have taken concrete steps to counter looks just eyewash to keep the world body and other countries pacified. Even US has been critical of it being selective in targeting terrorists and not going after the groups threatening its neighbours. US State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner two days ago in a strong message asked Pakistan to act against terror groups targeting its neighbours and not just the ones that pose a threat to it, saying that Pakistan was going after terror groups “selectively”. Pakistan reacted with the arrest of an alleged Indian ‘spy’ in March this year which did not prompt a reaction from the US. Pakistan also made a veiled reference to India’s alleged use of Afghanistan’s territory to create regional instability. Gen McChrystal’s 2009 report had also mentioned the neighbour’s activities from the territory of another of Pakistan’s neighbour and that they could be detrimental to stability in Pakistan and the region, Pakistan alleged. Taking its guaranteed stand on Kashmir, Pakistan has always been critical of India’s claim and it had taken a plea to keep the Kashmir burning by stoking the Azadi flame through the separatists and like-minded forces. On the other hand Pakistan has been so engrossed over Kashmir Azadi that it has failed to see the reality of its own home grown-terrorism. Pakistan has been blaming India for strong arm tactics in Kashmir but it has been using brutal force in Pakistan occupied Kashmir to silence the voice of the local population which has been living under the constant threat of its security apparatus. Even Nawaz Sharif whose party had won the recently concluded elections in PoK has been accused of rigging the polls and using force to get the people vote. Sharif though is democratically elected Prime Minister of Pakistan in the present environment looks a puppet in the hands of terror forces who damn care for even army which indirectly is in hand in glove with them to keep the anti-India tirade going on. Under such circumstances it is no surprise in the US reaction Pakistan has attracted in its war against terror.
