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Governments and people are challenged to make difficult decisions each day. For most nations, those decisions are about the rights of citizens, the defense of an idea, or the solution of a problem. Few nations must make decisions that include the fight for their very existence against its own citizens. Today, Pakistanis, both inside and outside the country, must decide where their loyalties lie.

In a day filled with news of high-level meetings with the Prime Minister and his cabinet, while the Pakistan Army held concurrent meetings at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Both meetings emerged with one understanding -- we will not be held hostage by anyone, foreign or domestic.

Early in the evening, the media began circulating that the Prime Minister would be addressing the nation and most likely ending the Swat peace deal.

We are all Muslims, our faith intervowen with into the fabric of our identity as Pakistanis. But, at no point, do we accept militancy as a way to spread Islam or enforce Islamic values. ANY attack on innocent civilians -- whether they be at mosques, schools, offices, hotels or homes -- is not an acceptable answer to any of the problems that we face as a nation. Neither on a humanitarian nor religious level is this acceptable.

We as Pakistanis have never accepted that our nation should be used, by militants or militaries, to cause any harm to humanity. Pakistanis are a passionate, peaceful people. We believe that the continued drone attacks on Pakistani soil are detrimental to the overall fight against extremism due to the loss of innocent lives. We will continue to protest these attacks with the same passion until the United States ceases this activity.

We as Pakistanis understand that even if the drone attacks stopped and Pakistan pulled out of the global war on terror, the Taliban would not stop their march to take over Pakistan. The people that lead these militant organizations are only interested in gaining power -- not establishing any form of Islamic system. This has been evidenced by the behavior of the militants in Pakistan -- regularly violating the terms that they brought to the table and agreed to.

At 11 pm, when Prime Minister Gilani started his address to the nation, it was an understood that tonight, the government would declare war on the extremists that are trying to hold Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Iqbal’s Pakistan hostage. The Prime Minister’s words were strong.

In order to restore the honor and dignity of the country, the armed forces have been called in to eliminate militants and terrorists. We will eliminate those who have tried to destroy the peace of the country.

He called on the nation to stand together and fight one war against the militants, rather than fighting hundreds of wars over political positioning.

We will not compromise. The nation must stand against those who imposed their will at gun point. They have held hostage the country.

The Prime Minister’s words are clear.

Today, Pakistan goes to war and the nation must decide will they continue to blame the extremist problem on Pakistan’s involvement in the war on terror or will they stand as one people to support the decision that threatens their very existence?

I have long advocated a long-term sustained military campaign to wipe out their extremists, their supporters, the collaborators and bring Pakistan back to a peaceful state so that we, as a nation, can move forward to solve the other problems that we face each day. Many would say that is a harsh stand to take. Let me explain what my family has lost because of the Taliban invasion into Swat:

• ALL of our family’s ancestral lands
• A cousin whose legs were shot off in a Taliban attack
• An aunt’s home, first looted by the Taliban, then blown up
• An uncle’s house, first looted by the Taliban, then blown up
• Numerous members of my immediate family that are unable to leave their homes because they are female
• A school that I started in 1997 to educate disadvantaged children
• Cousins being turned back from Batkhela when they tried to pack and move out of the Malakand division
• Family members being held for ransom by the Taliban

This is not the Islam that I learned in the Holy Quran. The Islam that I learned taught peace, justice, and humanity. The Islam that I learned taught that if I killed 1 person, I have killed all of humanity and if I saved 1 person, I have saved all of humanity. Where does suicide bombing, beheadings, and torture fit into that statement? It doesn’t and I support a heavy military campaign to teach these cowards what war means.

To the Taliban and their leadership, you are cowards. You hide your faces in shame for your behavior. You attack like cowards with suicide attacks and IEDs because you don’t have the discipline to fight a real battle. You are an insult the to mujahideen that defended Afghanistan from the Russia military, which would be why Mullah Omar, the leader of the Afghan Mujahideen, threw Baitullah Mehsud out of the Taliban for initiating attacks on the Pakistani military and citizens.

On the 26th of January, 2008, this story appeared in the Pakistani media:

Taliban chief Mullah Omar has sacked Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud for fighting against the Pakistan Army instead of with NATO forces, Asia Times Online reported on Friday.

The news website quoted Mullah Omar as telling other Taliban commanders to turn their focus on NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan. The sacking comes at a time when President Pervez Musharraf has launched an intense military operation against Baitullah in South Waziristan. Mullah Omar appointed Baitullah as TTP chief, according to the website.

Baitullah has been sacked at a time when the Taliban’s spring offensive is just months away. “The Afghan front is quiet because the Taliban and Al Qaeda militants are heavily engaged in fighting Pakistani security forces in Waziristan. Therefore, Mullah Omar has put his foot down to reset goals for the Taliban: struggle in Afghanistan and not against Pakistan, as was being done by Baitullah Mehsud,” the website reported.

On the 24th of February, 2009, this story appeared in the Pakistani media:

The militants active in North and South Waziristan agencies have been directed by Mulla Omar to immediately stop their attacks on the Pakistani security forces.

In a letter to the militants, who have forged a new alliance, Mulla Omar admonished them not to fight the Pakistani security forces and kill their Muslim brethren, a reliable source told The News on Monday.

“Mulla Omar first sent an envoy to the local Taliban and then wrote a letter to the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) admonishing these leaders and told the TTP that fighting Muslims could not be described as Jihad so they should immediately cease attacks on the Pakistani security forces.

He told them that if they really want to participate in Jihad, they must fight the US and Nato troops inside Afghanistan because their attacks on the Pakistani security forces are undermining the objectives of the war against the invaders and cause of the Taliban movement.

“If anybody really wants to wage Jihad, he must fight the occupation forces inside Afghanistan,” the source quoted Mulla Omar as having told the TTP leaders. “Attacks on the Pakistani security forces and killing of fellow Muslims by the militants in the tribal areas and elsewhere in Pakistan is bringing a bad name to Mujahideen and harming the war against the US and Nato forces in Afghanistan.”

“Our aim is to liberate Afghanistan from the occupation forces and death and destruction inside neighbouring Pakistan has never been our goal,” he added. The source said according to Mulla Omar, the US was devising a new strategy and adopting new tactics to crush Mujahideen in Afghanistan so the Taliban, too, must forge unity in their ranks, and instead of operating in Pakistan, they must concentrate on actions against the US and Nato forces.

Understand that even the Taliban in Afghanistan don’t accept the actions of the Taliban in Pakistan.

There will be loss of life. There will be collateral damage. This will be a long fight that will take its toll on every single person, whether Pakistani or not, that loves this country.

We must be willing to stand strong throughout the battle -- because the reward is much like August 1947 -- an independent Pakistan hangs in the balance.

Where do your loyalties lie?

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