Taliban terror in Pak rose under 'procrastinating' Musharraf's watch: Editorial

Islamabad, Sep.26 (ANI): An editorial in one of Pakistan's leading dailies has said that the Taliban's clout gained tremendous strength during former President General Pervez Musharraf's regime, and added that Musharraf himself watched the banned outfit's terror grow.

The Daily Times editorial blamed Musharraf's regime for the Taliban's expansion in the country and said that the former general kept the armed forces under his control and did nothing while people in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) were being forced to live under the barbaric rules imposed by the Taliban.

"The rise of the Taliban terror happened on Musharraf's watch. He kept the army on a tight leash as the population went under the control of Baitullah Mehsud in FATA and Fazlullah in Swat," the editorial said.

"It is clear that Musharraf had no clue about the Frankenstein created by his procrastination. He looked the other way while the Taliban attacked across the Durand Line into Afghanistan," it added.

The editorial underlined that Musharraf's 'reverse advocacy' regarding NATO's operation in Afghanistan would not benefit Pakistan.

"In fact, due to an irrational hatred of him, the Pakistani view will go in the opposition direction simply to spite him," it concluded. (ANI)