I‘ve been particularly hard on Pakistan the past several weeks. Watching the developments in Pakistan closely the past four years, I’ve learned that all is not what it seems, and there is significant institutional support for the Taliban, al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the alphabet soup of jihadi groups that infest the country. Actions taken against these groups are never decisive, and often smack of double-dealing attempts to placate the West. But there are good people in Pakistan who fight the jihadis, knowing that they pose a very danger not only to the West, but to the Pakistani state itself. Major General Faisal Alavi was one of them. As the former commander of Pakistan’s Special Service Group, he was charged with hunting down al Qaeda and other terror groups. Alavi was relieved of his command three years ago after expressing displeasure with then-President Pervez Musharraf. He also said he was fired because he knew two senior Army generals who were cutting deals with the Taliban. Alavi was murdered three weeks ago after sending a letter to Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kiyani requesting to have his honor restored and threatening to expose the generals. The London Times’ Carey Schofield met Alavi just before he was killed, and tells the story:
The hit on Alavi was professional, Schofield reported. And Pakistanis are convinced this was carried out by elements within the Army.
General Kiyani and other senior generals did not attend Alavi’s funeral, but “wreaths were laid on behalf of Kiyani and most of the country’s military leadership.” Senior military and intelligence officials tell me they hope there are enough Pakistanis like Alavi to prevail over the multitude of Pakistani jihadis. But if General Kiyani, who most of this hope is placed upon, will not attend the funeral of a patriot such as Alavi, the situation clearly is quite grim.
