Confused policy.

RECENT statements by two major political leaders have underlined the perception that there is no political agreement on tackling resurgent terrorism. On the one hand, former prime minister Imran Khan - in whose tenure 'peace talks' were initiated with outfits operating from Afghanistan - has argued that the banned TTP were 'driven' to their old ways because Islamabad failed to live up to the promises made to them; on the other, incumbent Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has roundly criticised the PTI's policy towards the TTP as mere 'appeasement'. With so much confusion within our ranks, it is hardly surprising that the TTP has been able to exploit the situation to its advantage. It now threatens to start another violent chapter in Pakistan's war against militancy.

It must be said that Mr Khan's accommodating view of the TTP is starkly at odds with how the terrorist outfit sees Pakistan. The group has little respect or consideration for the Pakistani state or its sovereignty, which is reflected in its demand for the reversal of Fata's merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The TTP had made decoupling...