The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has split. Its Kurram Agency leader, Fazal Saeed Haqqani, has broken off and formed Tehrik-i-Taliban Islami (TTI) saying that he has hundreds of soldiers under his control. His claim not to have been influenced by anybody in Pakistans security forces should not take away the credit from the Pakistan Army, which has played an important role in this split. That only a few days ago COAS Kayani had said that if the tribesmen can take care of militancy on their own, the army would help them, even supplying weapons, and leave the tribal areas, provided a hint of such a development to come. A 10-member consultative council of the TTI will formulate its programme. Haqqani said that the policy of attacking mosques, markets and other civilian targets was against Islam. However, he asserted that the American occupiers of Afghanistan would continue to be targeted, describing attacks on foreign troops as 'justified. The new organisation will presumably seek to distinguish between the occupation forces and Pakistans people and military, and will not conflate them into one enemy and abandon the policy of targeting Pakistani civilians. The split, has resulted solely from a process of debate and argument. It may have been lengthy, but at least it has not involved the loss of life that military action involves. The Pakistan Army wants to pursue this policy among its own people in the tribal areas, which the USA wants visited with fire and brimstone in a vengeful spirit, as it believes people from here have attacked its soldiers. Thus, the USA has pressed the Pakistan Army to launch a military campaign in South Waziristan. Prior to this, the army was to have carried out an action in the Kurram Agency linked to Mr Haqqanis decision to split off. At the same time, insufficient credit is being given to his having had enough of killing innocent Pakistani civilians in order to drive the Americans out of Afghanistan. The latest development also signals the beginning of a process many experts felt was on the cards after the killing of Osama bin Laden: the break-up of Al-Qaeda. It reflects the success of dialogue. This is a process which must be continued, despite what any foreign power might think of it. The government must resist all pressure for military action within the tribal areas and engage in talks, which are as much part of the tribal tradition as fighting. Contrary to the unfortunate impression formed, tribesmen do not like fighting their countrymen, and it is for the government to use this sentiment to create peace.