Pakistan's simmering war against internal terrorism and religious extremism has taken a serious turn with the decision of the government to launch full scale military action against the militants in the Swat district of Malakand region in the North West Frontier Province. The government was forced to go for military operation after the militants went back on their words and in flagrant violation of an earlier understanding, occupied the town of Buner in the region.
The government thereupon withheld action on the earlier accord and ordered troops to drive out the Taliban militants. The latter have made no secret of their links with a banned organization; the so called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan led by Baitullah Mehsud its self styled Amir Baitullah has been commanding his armed insurgents in the country's northwest tribal areas of North and South Waziristan . They have been carrying out raids on police and military posts and ambushing troops convoys in the rugged mountainous region. His Tehrik has also claimed responsibility for a number of suicide attacks and sabotage activities in various towns and cities. The police investigators probing into the assassination of former prime minister and Peoples Party leader, Benazir Bhutto, in December 2007, have also accused Baitullah for her murder.
During the last one year or so, despite constant attacks by US drones in Waziristan, Baitullah Mehsud is said to be providing safe havens to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda fugitives from Afghanistan and carrying on guerilla warfare against Pakistan "s security forces.
In recent months Baitullah had spread his tentackles into Swat and some other areas of Malakand region of the Frontier province in complicity with a local rebel cleric Fazlullah. The latter had chased out the police and administration officials from Swat and had been openly defying the authority of the Pakistan government. The situation had gone so bad that the government had lost control of the towns of Swat and Buner and their surrounding villages and the countryside.
This has compelled the government to launch a full fledged military operation against Baitullah and Fazlullah-led insurgents. Tanks, artillery and helicopter gun ships are being used to flush out the Taliban insurgents from the area.
Meanwhile, an immediate aftermath of the military operation has been the evacuation of thousands of families from the affected to safer places. The displaced families numbering over a hundred thousand and comprising almost two million souls have been put up in camps in several places in and outside the Frontier province.
The coming months are going to be crucial in Pakistan's fight against the Taliban and Alqaeda militants. Pakistan has also appealed to all friendly countries for aid to shelter and feed the thousands of families evicted from the affected areas.
