The three-pronged strategy

The ground situation is that Pakistani Taliban have been able to establish a strong bridgehead in northern and tribal areas from where they intend to launch an offensive of terrorism to take over the rest of the country. To counter this sinister move a three pronged strategy is the need of the hour. The first is economic development and second is dissemination of nation- oriented education The authorities should move into the areas presently under Taliban’s influence, with unprecedented hefty programs of economic development coupled with a massive educational thrust that should produce truly educated patriotic citizens. The package of education should serve as an antidote to the venomous education to which thousands of students have already been exposed by the madrassas. The third dimension of the strategy is to keep in reserve a mighty military force to decimate the miscreants as and when they try to be troublesome. The mullah should be made to understand that there is no concept of clergy in Islam. If any one has preference over the other the yardstick for that is taqwa. Regrettably through their politico- religious maneuvers they have already been able to weld themselves into a strong pressure group with the ambition to develop a Taliban style polity in Pakistan. They wish to re-enact the bitter experience of the Christian clergy of medieval Europe when no prince could legitimize his rule without the blessing of the clergy. That made the clergy fabulously rich and corrupt which in course of time reversed the tide of its fortunes because it was not relevant to Europe’s political affairs.