Arrests

Over the last couple of weeks Pakistan has arrested some very senior Afghan Taliban leaders including the second in command to Mullah Omar. However Pakistan as usual is not doing this out of a sudden need to crack down on its own child. Pakistan is still seeking its all important strategic depth and needs the needs to play a role in any negotiation between the Taliban and Afghanistan for political reconciliation. Without an Afghanistan that is not partially influenced by Pakistan there is the feeling in Islamabad that they are again surrounded. This is the situation that resulted in the initial Taliban onslaught. The problem with the Pakistanis is of course now they have their own terrorist problem from the Pakistani Taliban. This group of Taliban however are not seperate from the Talibs that operate primarly in Afghanistan nor is it seperate from the remains of al-Qaeda and there is the rub. Pakistan needs the Talib to continue the jihad in Kasmir so a complete crackdown on any of these groups is out of the question. There is an interesting article in Dawn that explains this a little more.