Aysha: Everyone is grapling with the same question. It’s a good post that you have written. It’s very hard of ask for the halt of military operations. Recent history tells that the negotiations provide a good time for the militants to re-group and re-organize. More serious than the bluntness of the neo-colonial army is the “double dealing” where the military is trying to preserve the Afghan Taliban (who, many are saying, are stationed around Quetta) and an apparent fight against the Pakistan Taliban and Al-Qaeda. It’s a very complicated situation that we have here in Pakistan.

Therefore, it will be foolish to issue a blank check in the name of Pakistan Army to conduct operations. In this respect, the rising of anti-Taliban Laskars in tribal areas that have pledged support for the government is a very important development. We might be able to see a different type of war with these Lashkars.

Lastly, we must bear our duty as well. We need to fill the gaps where the neo-colonial military and the young bourgeois-democratic state structure falls short. There is no good reason to trust them. We all need to act now in whatever capacity possible.

I am arguing that currently the political option is not bearing fruits and at the same time that the military option is doing more harm than good. Over the past week, the military offensive against the militants has been intensified and there are increased causalities on both sides. Not to mention the rising internal displacements.

I am undecided on whether it is a good idea to suspend the military operation and re-strategize – that will give the militants time to regroup as well. So in that respect, perhaps a decisive push needs to be made with the military offensive to enable the state to execute a more comprehensive policy that will ensure denial of operational space to the militants. It’s a slippery slope…