General Asim Munir, the new Pakistan Army chief, will have to relook at the age-old patronage of the Taliban and find a new way to deal with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a terrorist organisation protected by another terrorist entity, the Afghan Taliban, both an immediate challenge to the Pakistan Army's authority, reported Geo-politik.
TTP's rise is mainly due to the support it draws from the Afghan Taliban, Pakistan Army's traditional ally and key strategic instrument against India's expansion in the region.
General Munir, therefore, has his hands full with the TTP-Afghan Taliban, politics and internal dynamics of the army leadership. The TTP cannot be pushed back without dealing with the Afghan Taliban as it is the Taliban which is protecting the TTP.
According to Geo-politik, Munir can no longer ignore the legacy of his predecessor, Javed Bajwa, who dismissed reports of the regathering of TTP militants in Swat and other areas in Pakistan in a bid to cover up his singular failure in defending the territorial integrity of Pakistan.
The report said that Bajwa during his tenure had started a peace dialogue with TTP and even struck a secret pact with the militant leadership to hoodwink the people, with the active connivance of his other protege, Imran Khan as the Prime Minister.
It is therefore not surprising that as soon as Bajwa exited, TTP called off the ceasefire agreement and ordered its militants to attack Pakistan, whenever and wherever they get the opportunity.
This can be seen in the recent beheading of a police officer in Bannu. The incident shows that the TTP is serious about implementing its threat.
Pakistani newspaper Business Recorder termed "these are consequences of the appeasement policy adopted by the state until recently", reported Geo-politik.
After General Asim Munir assumed the position of Pakistan Army chief last month, he is now facing an unprecedented crisis, emanating from the economic and political upheaval in the country.
"Army is facing public ridicule in Pakistan to the dismay of old-timers who still consider that Army is an essential part of three 'A's guiding the destiny of the country, the other two being America and Saudi Arabia," wrote the London-based commentator James Crickton, in an opinion piece for South Asia centred think tank Policy Research Group (Poreg).
Crickton said that Pakistan's military has been the only stable and formidable institution in the country even as the country "faced political, economic, judicial, and religious upheavals."
"However, its influence seems to be fading for the first time because of the polity challenging its once indisputable authority," he added.
Even social media platforms are afire with anti-army tirades, while people are hitting the streets, Poreg reported.
( With inputs from ANI )
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