Pakistan has to learn some good lessons from Sri Lanka and its Army, especially in dealing with terrorists. Tamil tigers are fighting for separate homeland in Sri Lanka for the last 30 years, using terrorist activities, including deadly suicide bombings as tool. Up till now more than 70,000 people have died on both sides.
Sri Lanka, even with small economy, handled the challenge to its writ with iron hand. They knew it's a long war and it took years to crush the Tamil movement. Sri Lanka fought for almost 30 years to crush the terror. They decided, in principle, to establish its writ for whatever toll it takes but now they are getting the fruit of the decision. Sri Lanka Army, after so much time and sacrifice, was able to uproot terror from the surface of Sri Lanka.
They recently captured areas which were with Tamils for more than a decade. Pakistan constantly helped and provided state of the art equipment and ammunition to Sri Lanka. Pakistan has to adopt the same resolve as Sri Lanka adopted in dealing with terror. It's for sure that if these terrorists are not stopped at this point they will take over whole Pakistan. The lessons to be learnt from them are:
i) To mentally prepare for a long fight. This war on terror may take 10, 15 or may be 20 years or may be more but this menace has to be ended just like Sri Lanka did it. ii) Government should be ready to establish its writ for whatever toll it takes iii) Army should be given especial encouragement, incentives and budget to fight this long war. iv) External help may be taken in the form of ammunition, equipment and training. v) Masses should be educated about this menace and atrocities they are doing against people. vi) Government should start a vigorous media campaign to get a united stand against these Taliban and to encourage people to stand against them. After taking these measures we may be able to get rid of this cancer in a decade's time but the government has to realise it first.