Good Taliban, Bad Taliban

The international community is nearly unanimous on the point that Pakistan is backing some factions of the Taliban, for which they have coined the term ‘good Taliban’. Western analysts and political leaders call Pakistan’s approach a ‘pick-and-choose’ policy. They believe that Pakistan facilitates this faction of the Taliban as it is assumed that it will guard its interests in Afghanistan, i.e. to curtail Indian influence and have safe havens for India-centric jihadis. They are up in arms. British Prime Minister David Cameron’s notorious statement that Pakistan is “exporting terrorism” is probably best representative of what they are thinking about Pakistan. And they are asking us to do more. Recently, David Petraeus, US commander in Afghanistan, in an interview with ABC News said that “more clearly needs to be done in the tribal areas of Pakistan to weed out” terrorists.

Let’s focus our discussion on who these good talibans are. Good talibans believe in the ideology of a chauvinistic theocracy who are disparate in molding the modern Muslim world into a regressive region. In doing so, they would attack the society from within. They do not involve in restoring any sympathy from anyone. The believers discourage the modern education system, the women’s liberation and they discard the modern judiciary ruefully.

Good Taliban have a role in our vision of the future. They will be provided the best modern education in the Binnori Town Mosque and Darul Ulum Haqqania. For advanced post graduate studies, Muridke is the greatest seat of learning in South Asia. This highly competitive centre will equip them with all the skills they need to rise and prosper in the modern society. These include the expert wielding of a carving knife and of Semtex™. Only a select few can aspire to be trained in the techniques of a martyrdom mission.

Now who would decide whether the talibans are good or bad? Will President Zardari or PM Geelani or President Obama has any right to declare that? Have they ever met the eyes of their own daughters, after watching the video clipping? Or we may leave the decision to Chand Bibi who would be the perfect person to decide whether there can be any good Taliban. Until we receive the unbiased comment from either Chand Bibi or the brute whip, we may rest the decision with the souls who have witnessed the ghastly act shown on the video clipping.