HowNotToEliminateTaliban: A Mockery Of Peace?

Twitter is afire with a multitude of voices today criticizing the government using the hashtag #HowNotToEliminateTaliban. Lawmakers have been pushing for peace talks with the Taliban, but it appears as if terrorists may just be buying time to organize.

Pakistanis criticize their government

Earlier this week when a branch of the Taliban attacked the Karachi airport, a spokesperson for the terrorist group said the peace talks with the government were just a farce. Then militants launched a second attack near the airport, prompting the U.S. to send in drones, which killed at least six militants, although there’s no word on whether civilians were injured or killed in that strike.

Now Twitter users in Pakistan are rising up and calling out what they believe is government incompetence in terms of dealing with the Taliban. The hashtag #HowNotToEliminateTaliban started popping up this week in the wake of the two attacks at the Karachi airport. So far, the hashtag has been tweeted thousands of times.

Peace talks appear fake

Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif, two of Pakistan’s top party leaders, have been pushing for talks with Taliban leaders. Meanwhile, many believe the Taliban has regrouped and gotten stronger, playing the government for the fool. After eight months, they’ve begun to target major cities in the country. Even after the attacks at the Karachi airport, Khan and Sharif are still pushing for peace talks with the Taliban. The Taliban appears to have split into groups, with some supposedly wanting to enter peace talks, although their actions seem to say the opposite.

Two other parties—MQM and PPP—both oppose peace talks and want to see the army move against the Taliban. However, Sharif and Khan oppose military action because they believe it will result in the army taking over Pakistan and invoking martial law.

Tweets about HowNotToEliminateTaliban

Pakistanis using the hashtag #HowNotToEliminateTaliban are offering a variety of suggestions, showing a broad range of criticism of the Pakistani government. Here is a selection of some of the best tweets on this topic:

By just tweeting about this crap and not coming on streets. #HowNotToEliminateTaliban

— Hayyan N. (@InsafianJr) June 11, 2014

#HowNotToEliminateTaliban by voting these “unbearded Talibans” again. #Pakistan

— Sheeraz Raza (@SheerazRaza) June 11, 2014

#HowNotToEliminateTaliban – Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif gave taliban 8 months to prepare amid fake talks for peace. Now they are going crazy

— Sheeraz Raza (@SheerazRaza) June 11, 2014

RT @Aus_istan #HowNotToEliminateTaliban consider YouTube bigger threat than Polio.

— Aseefa B Zardari (@AseefaBZ) June 11, 2014

#HowNotToEliminateTaliban Keep saying Benazir was mother of Taliban to cover the real mother Zia-ul Haq and his right left arms.

— Nazrana Yousufzai (@NazranaYusufzai) June 11, 2014

#HowNotToEliminateTaliban damning people from tribal areas for illegal arms and drugs, while using Golden route 2 earn billions frm trade

— Ali Arqam (@aliarqam) June 11, 2014