Anarchy in nuclear-armed Pakistan is visible for everyone to see. A civil war-like situation prevails on India’s borders. Intriguingly, the hard core Taliban has vowed not to lay down arms. To disarm them was a precondition and a quid pro quo measure, to end terrorist violence in the region of lawlessness. But the PPP and the coalition partners surrendered before the extremists.

“Sharia does not permit us to lay down arms”, Muslim Khan, a spokesman for Pakistan Taliban, said. “Muslims should take up arms, rather than lay down arms”, he quipped. Pakistan is helpless. Very few people are disappointed at the turn of events in Swat, once the land of peace and harmony. Although the details of the sordid deal have not been made public, it is well understood that as part of the deal, Taliban had to give up arms. Islamabad has surrendered chunks of territory to Taliban, just to buy peace, which is imperceptible. Taliban have a free dealing. One shudders how they behave with the womenfolk.

While the ‘ friends of Pakistan’ are engaged in saving Pakistan—dubbed as international migraine—from economic disaster, Zardari has signed the controversial and internecine regulation, called Nizam-e-Adl, though reluctantly. He was under tremendous pressure from the radicals to approve the deal. The Pakistan National Assembly sealed the February 16 deal between the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) government and Taliban-linked radical cleric Sufi Mohammad, amid mild protestations and a walkout by the members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. But that was not enough to exhibit their secular credentials. The army did not act and refused to take on Taliban. And why should it? Taliban was just created by the army establishment, including ISI, for a specific purpose. It has a well-defined role of establishing a ‘strategic depth’ in Afghanistan against India. To quote Irfan Hussain, a noted Pakistan writer: “… Army thought it expedient to use them (Taliban) to further its agenda in Afghanistan and Kashmir.”

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, who seems to be at daggers drawn with Zardari, proclaimed vaingloriously: “We respect the mandate of the provincial government and congratulate people” But for what? Just for pushing Pakistan into the Dark ages? Pakistan is on a suicidal path. It acts impulsively; jihadis act with greater impunity. The administration has been vanquished by the Taliban, who have threatened to besiege the entire country.

Islamabad has had been warned repeatedly. A number of experts and analysts have warned that Pakistan will become a ‘failed State’ soon. David Kilcullen, a specialist in counter terrorism and a former U S military adviser has specified even the time frame of six months when the beleaguered Muslim country, already hanging on a precipice, will ‘collapse into utter chaos’.

An Atlantic Council Report, co-authored by Senators John Kerry and Chuck Hagel has warned: “We are running out of time to help Pakistan change from its present course towards increasing economic and political instability and even ultimate failure.” They have given Pakistan six to 12 months “before the situation descends from bad to dangerous.”

Faced with a difficult situation, Gilani pretends to be brave to ward off the Taliban effect. The Frankenstein of Talibanisation is spreading like wild fire. They are deadest against Pakistan’s American policy. Al Qaida wants to destabilize West Asia. Leaders of divergent parties in Pakistan have feet of clay, without guts to halt the menace. They lack political will to fight the extremists, who have taken deep roots over the decades. Pakistan is playing the role of a deceiving elf, and in the process, gets itself deceived and destroyed.

U S Special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke and Admiral Mike Mullen were told by Gilani in uncertain terms to trust Pakistan in dealing with the Taliban. “Only we can tackle the Taliban. So trust us to do the job for you”. Mark the word ‘you’. As if the Pakistan authorities are ‘tackling’ terrorism, which is of its own making, for the U S and not for its own survival. Pakistan will never eliminate terrorism. It is not serious. In fact, the Islamic country is scheming to ‘entrap’ the Americans, analysts believe. Pakistan army has been patronizing jihadi groups, leading the nation to the brink of economic disaster. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has indirectly admitted the blame by saying that ISI has been ‘cleansed and restructured’. He has made it clear that ISI is responsible for all the ugly happenings thus far. The radical Sunni groups have been simultaneously fighting on various fronts--- internal sectarian jihadis within Pakistan, regional jihadis in Afghanistan and India and waging global jihad in the west.

The sorry spectacle has come to such a pass that the ‘friends of Pakistan’ have now launched the ‘save Pakistan campaign’. They met in Tokyo recently to shower love on Pakistan, pledging multi-lateral aid to the Islamic nation worth dollar four billion to dollar six billion. However, it is for the first time the U S has notified Pakistan that it would not be a ‘free lunch’ henceforth. Barack Obama has specified that economic aid cannot be unconditional as desired by Zardari. On the one hand we see Pakistan’s abject surrender before Taliban, and on the other it is begging for aid, that too without strings, to fight terrorisms.

Pakistan does not want accountability. Zardari has failed miserably. His repeated assertions that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism and is committed to fight it, is hollow. There is no end to it. Pakistan is sinking in the whirlpool of its own making. It is now on the verge of social collapse, casting long shadow over the subcontinent.

State Department spokesman Robert Wood has told Pakistan that when the U S taxpayers are providing money, or assistance to a country, “We want to make sure that certain things that we care about are dealt with”.

What are those ‘certain things’?

The US does not want Pakistan to support any person or group that conducts violence, sabotage, or other activities meant to instil fear or terror in India. These certain things relate to Pakistan’s ‘confrontational policy’ towards India.

It is noteworthy that a bill proposed by democratic congressman Howard Berman, has been envisaged, which calls upon Pakistan to ‘forgo terror tactics against India’. But Pakistan seems to be furious about it. It is natural. The U S wants to establish ‘benchmarks’ while dishing out doles. America now wants to bring the ‘errant country’ to its heels. That is the understanding in Washington.

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