Ban on Haqqani Network after its operatives were moved into safe houses by Pakistan

Pakistan's decision to ban the Haqqani Network and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) has been welcomed by several countries. While it has come too late in the day, it is to be seen if Pakistan will implement the ban in totality or would it just remain on paper.

Several Indian security officials are however not too convinced with the action taken by Pakistan. We have seen in the past Pakistan lifting bans on terrorist organizations after they had claimed that they had reformed.

Either Pakistan will direct these outfits to stay quiet for a while or will encourage them to start operating under a different name to overcome the ban. This has been a norm in Pakistan for several years now and what the democratically elected government intends to do is never backed by the ISI.

Good and Bad Taliban:

It has been said by many analysts that a ban on the Haqqani network would eradicate the concept of a good and bad Taliban. The good Taliban according to Pakistan is the one led by Mullah Omar while the Bad Taliban is the Tehrik-e-Taliban.

In simple words the good Taliban supported by the Haqqani network fights against India in Kashmir and the West in Afghanistan while the bad Taliaban is the one which targets Paksitan.

While the ban appears clear on paper, there are some actions which are clearly indicative that a section of the Pakistan establishment is not ready to give up the Haqqani Network and the Good Taliban.

Saving the Haqqani network:

Just a month back after the attack on the Peshawar school, the Pakistan army launched a major operation against the terrorists called the Zarb-e-Arb. While the idea was to eradicate militancy there was one development in December 2014 which did not catch the eye of many.

A group of ISI officials had personally visited the camps of the Haqqani Network along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and told them to move to safe places. This is not surprising says an official from India. This was expected and Pakistan can never ever take on the Haqqani Network as it would backfire on them badly.

If they eradicate the Haqqani Network they would lack in the numbers when it comes to fighting the proxy war in Afghansitan.

Protecting the so called Good Taliban:

Mullah Omar the man who heads the Taliban in Afghanistan will be a key asset to Pakistan once the Americans leave for good. He was tamed by the ISI to fight for them their proxy war and in exchange he was given a safe hiding place.

The lates intelligence on him suggests that he has been kept in a safe house in Baluchistan along with his cabinet colleagues.

Ban on JuD after consultation with Hafiz Saeed:

Hafiz Saeed is India's most wanted terrorist. He is also Pakistan's most strategic asset. He can shake political equations in Pakistan and he has been a blue eyed boy of the ISI for long and will continue to be just that.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawa the so called charity organization of Saeed has been in the eye of the storm of several international agencies who have accused it of divering funds to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

The ban on the JuD comes too late in the day, India would say. However they also add that this ban would only be temporary and it will be challenged before court.

There was a decision in October 2014 to ban the JuD, but it never went through. However following Zarb-e-Arb, the Pakistan government decided to ban it only with a view of showing the world that it is being fair.

The fact however is that there is no question of taking Hafiz Saeed head on and if the ISI does do this then it would be inviting trouble. The Lashkar is the most reliable force for the ISI.

Indian agencies say that before the ban was imposed Saeed would have been taken into confidence. Moreover this ban will only be temporary or the JuD will continue to collect funds under the various other pseudo names it has.