The fire lit in FATA and Swat was initially started and fuelled by the Bush administration and their partners, including India and Afghanistan, to destabilize and resultantly denuclearize Pakistan. Foreign agencies slogged in this region, funding and training terrorists which eventually infiltrated our territory in the guise of Taliban to launch an insurgency that now threatens our very existence. One is not really sure whether the Obama-administration is also working on the same agenda or not although cogs and wheels of state policy once set in motion rarely stop moving on the change of an administration. One hopes though that better sense has prevailed as is seemingly visible from Obama's advisors such as Bruce Riedel and others who advocate that only a strong and stable Pakistan can ensure a peaceful stay of the US and coalition in Afghanistan. If the Taliban insurgency is allowed the privilege of destabilizing Pakistan, this Frankenstein would devour the whole region, especially India. America had turned its back on the mujahideen of Afghan jihad in the late 80s and it turned out to be a blunder that led to 911. The creation of the present hordes of Taliban for destabilizing Pakistan would be a similar blunder that might cause irreparable damage. It seems India is trying to take the maximum advantage from the US inclination towards installing New Delhi as the regional bully of South Asia. The strategy of expansion of the Taliban movement inside Pakistan could prove to be highly counterproductive if Pakistan gets destabilized or its army suffers a defeat. US, India and their collaborators should sense gravity of the situation and withdraw any support they may be giving to fuel the insurgency inside Pakistan both for the sake of Peace and their own interest. The world should accept Pakistan as a nuclear state. Any idea of denuclearizing it would be tantamount to playing with fire that would endanger the whole region. -MARYA MUFTI, Lahore, via e-mail, May 12.