The Taliban Imbroglio: Search for a Durable Peace in Pakistan

Abstract

Taliban are not a homogenous group of fighters or extremists rather they are conglomerate of different groups. According to one estimate ‘there are 52 Taliban groups inclusive of 12 foreign groups’.1 Some well-known Taliban or affiliated groups are the Afghan fighters within Afghanistan, Afghan fighters operating in Afghanistan from bases in Pakistan, Tehrik-e-Taliban, Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad etc. One common feature among these groups is the hostility towards the West in general and the US in particular. This also makes them natural allies to the declared terrorist group of Al-Qaeda. As all of them believe that in the guise of war on terror the West has launched a crusade against the Muslims of the world, and it is now the duty of all Muslims to confront them in whatever way possible. They have been very successfully using the issues that Muslims are facing in different countries of the world, such as Kashmir, Palestine, Iraq, Chechnya, Afghanistan etc. They have also declared war against those Muslim countries that are supporting the West in the war on terror.2 This article gives an overview of different militant groups and their fighting strategies with respect to the problem of restoration of peace in Pakistan. –––––––––