No Pushtuns to Fight Taliban: US

"America wants to divide Pakistan army on the basis of Pushtun, Punjabi, Baloch and Sindhi," Gen. Baig told IOL. (Google)

"The US administration through different channels has been pressurizing Pakistan for quite some time to withdraw Pushtun troops of army and paramilitary forces as it believes that they often turn a blind eye to the Taliban activities on Pak-Afghan border, and in tribal areas where military operations are on," a senior government official told IslamOnline.net.

"The US administration wants us to depute Punjabi troops along Pak-Afghan border, and in the tribal areas, who, according to it, would be more effective as they have no ethnic affinities with the warring Taliban militants there."

Punjabi soldiers make up the majority of Pakistani army troops, followed by Pushtuns, who mainly reside in areas touching Afghanistan.

Pakistan's 700-kilometer tribal belt along Afghanistan is dominated by Pushtuns, who have family and tribal relations on the other side of the border.

The senior official said Washington insists that the more devout Pushtun troops are sympathizing with the Taliban.

"It thinks that Pushtun troops are more practicing (Muslims) as compared to Punjabi troops," he said.

"Therefore, they (Pushtun) often act lukewarmly vis-à-vis action against Taliban, who too mostly belong to Pushtun community."

He said the US military believes that anti-US sentiments are very high among the Pushtuns.

"But as they cannot defy the (army) discipline, therefore they don't say no to their officers, however, they turn a blind eye to Taliban activities," the official said.

"Their (Pushtun troops) yesterday's advantages have turned out to be disadvantages today."

Bowing to US pressures, the Pakistani government has deployed thousands of Pushtun troops on Afghan borders to fight against the Taliban.

"It was the US military establishment which in recent past insisted on detailing Pushtun troops along Pak-Afghan border, and in the tribal areas because they know the local language, and traditions.

"And more than that, because they are locals, they could be more effective in countering the Taliban activities. That is why it provided latest weaponry and training to the troops of Frontier Constabulary (comprising Pushtun troops).

"But now, it thinks its previous stance was wrong, and has yielded no positive results at all.

Ethnic Division

"This will turn out to be a futile exercise," Yusufzai said. (Google

Defense and security analysts warn that the US is seeking to divide Pakistan's powerful army on ethnic basis.

"America wants to divide Pakistan army on the basis of Pushtun, Punjabi, Baloch and Sindhi," General rtd Mirza Aslam Baig, a former Pakistani army chief, told IOL.

"But I want to tell the Obama administration that it is wasting its time as it cannot happen."

General Baig, who served as army chief from 1988 to 1990, said the US has been conspiring to weaken the Pakistan army by turning it against the Pakistan people.

"I am again saying that Pakistan army cannot be divided on ethnic basis. And I am so confident to say this because I have led this army, and I know there is no distinction there on the basis of ethnicity.

"Neither government nor army would entertain any such demand which may result in ethnic division within the army."

Rahimullah Yusufzai, a Peshawar-based defense and security analyst, agrees.

"This is not the issue of ethnic affinity. This is the issue of morale. The morale of security forces can be termed high in tribal areas," he said.

Yusufzai believes that the Frontier Constabulary (FC) is the best option in the fight against the Taliban.

"(This is) because its structure is also based on tribal affinities," he said.

"If any of its soldiers is dead, then it becomes a tribal issue. And then it has become mandatory for whole tribe of that deceased soldier to avenge his death. Punjabi or any other non-Pushtun soldiers will not be as effective as FC is."

Yusufzai admits that Pushtun soldiers act lukewarmly against the Taliban in some cases.

"Yes, I agree with this contention, but this happens only if there is no casualty involved," he said.

"If any soldier, even if he belongs to FC, is dead in clash with Taliban, then they go all out against Taliban. But I would again say, the only problem is a dwindling morale.

"Taliban's morale is much higher than the troops, and this is a reality, which the US and Pakistani government must accept," he said.

The analyst opines that it would be futile even if Punjabi soldiers are deputed along Afghan borders and in the tribal areas upon the US demand.

"This doesn't happen only in case of Pushtuns, but several Punjabi soldiers and officers too have refused to fight in tribal areas, and they have faced court martial because of that," he said.

"This will turn out to be a futile exercise."