ISLAMABAD - The political divide paired with establishment’s ‘concerns’ and grievances of tribal elders delaying the launch of full-scale military action in North Waziristan Agency. Pakistan’s military establishment passes the buck on parliament for deciding on landing into NWA to take on terrorist sanctuaries. “Had we been having majority at the centre, we would not have waited for a second to get parliament’s approval for launching North Waziristan operation,” Federal Minister and ANP leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour told TheNation.“I have sacrificed my son and my brother in the battle against terrorists. The ANP stand undeterred in fighting the militants. We’ve lost hundreds of our dear ones. What more we have to offer? It’s high time the political parties set aside their differences and get united against terrorists before they start slitting our throats. Parliament needs to demonstrate collective unity on NW operation, the sooner, the better,” he said.Calls for NW operation echoed afresh following the last week’s assassination of Bashir Ahmed Bilour, the ANP’s senior provincial minister in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Ghulam Bilour’s younger brother. Bilour was a vocal critic of Talibans’ practices. From the foiled terrorist attack on Pakistan Air Force (PAF) base in Peshawar to the killings of anti-polio vaccinators in Charsadda, Peshawar and Karachi.The elder Bilour says the ANP will keep pressing the coalition partners as well as the opposition parties for creating consensus on NWA operation. “I don’t think the NW offensive would have any effect on the general polls. The elections would not be delayed. This is incorrect to assume that the electoral process in the entire Pakistan would be disrupted due to operation in a tiny part of the tribal region.”In October this year, the government could not introduce a bill, supporting military action in the NW due to the opposition from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The bill was to be introduced a few days after Malala Yousafzai was attacked. The political divide, according to a parliamentarian, is not the only issue. “The tribal communities, especially the powerful tribes, have concerns regarding the drive against militancy. The support to armed forces has cost lives to several tribesmen. Moreover, the military does not want to go against those factions of Taliban it has made peace with, that’s another issue,” says Munir Orakzai, the Member National Assembly and Parliamentary Leader of the MNAs from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). “Unless the tribesmen are sure that their lives after NW operation would be safe, their support to a full-scale military action would be uncertain,” he said.Molvi Nazir, a pro-government Taliban commander in South Waziristan Agency, survived a suicide attempt last month. According to an influential tribal elder, 18 peace militia (Lashkar) commanders have been targeted by Taliban in the last two months. “When our people get butchered like carrots, we have to be worried,” says Malik Dilawar Khan Wazir during an interaction with a representative of TheNation. Wazir heads the NWA peace militia.The tribal leaders, he said, have repeatedly held meetings with military officials up to the ranks of corps commander Peshawar and general officer commanding (GOC) Waziristan. “But the problem has not been solved. We need to be strengthened indigenously instead of relying on military-provided security. Our demand is for the provision of funds so that we look after our security needs. “We need financial support and it should be left for us to decide how to utilise it against the militants. We know this region better than anybody else. When everything would be in their (military’s) hands, what would be left for us to rely on?” he said referring to the military’s centralised control vis-à-vis its support to local tribes. “Is there any guarantee that we’ll not be targeted after the NW operation is launched or once it’s over? We support that military go all out against terrorists but our demands should be met first,” he said.Requesting anonymity, a Pakistan Army brigadier in Rawalpindi said that the military was not inclined towards decentralising control over finances to Lashkars. “Relying too much on tribesmen could backfire as it happened in past. The drive against militancy in NW has to be led by the military. Tribesmen provide secondary support. Excessive reliance on them could prove counterproductive.” He said that Taliban and ‘friendly’ tribal factions during Musharraf era took up arms against Pakistani government. “We have our reservations as well. You just cannot trust them with absolute ‘autonomy,’” the army officer says.For Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, there stands no distinction between good or bad Taliban. “There’s nothing like good or bad about Taliban. They’re terrorists who challenge the writ of the government.  “They’re not ready to accept our constitution and even our country. They have to mend their ways. And those who mend their ways and pledge allegiance to the state can be reconciled but the rest have to be taken out. That’s the only solution to terrorism.”