Major General Athar Abbas, the Director General of Inter Services Public Relations.

Its time to play let's blame India again. As Pakistani security forces advance in South Waziristan, senior military and government officials continue to point the finger at India for backing the Taliban. The latest statements come from the military's top spokesman and the minister of information. From the Associated Press of Pakistan:

The security forces have found substantial evidence of Indian involvement for assisting terrorists in South Waziristan Agency, Director General ISPR [Inter Services Public Relations] Major General Athar Abbas said. “Indian literature and weapons under the use of terrorists have been recovered from South Waziristan and more evidence is being gathered,” he said addressing a joint media briefing on Operation Rah e Nijat here Monday.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira, Secretary Information Suhail Mansoor and Principal Information Officer Ch. Rashid Ahmed were also present.
“We have sent all the proves of Indian involvement to the Foreign Office for their onward presentation at the appropriate forum,” he said.

Again, this bears repeating:

If the Pakistani government and military have extensive evidence of their arch-rival backing the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, why did they cut a deal with Sufi Mohammed, Mullah Fazlullah's father-in-law and a known front man for the Taliban, this spring?

And why did they just cut peace deals, again, with Hafiz Gul Bahadar and Mullah Nazir?

Why were Pakistani officials in negotiations with Baitullah Mehsud last summer in an attempt to end hostilities?

Why would a senior Pakistani general describe Baitullah as "a patriot" when tensions between Indian and Pakistan flared late last year after the Mumbai assault? If Baitullah was an agent of RAW (the Research and Analysis Wing, Indian's intelligence service), wouldn't that make him a traitor? And what does that say about the Corps Commander who feted Baitullah? Why does he still command an Army Corps?