Social and political forces are bringing the various factions within the Taliban close together. This newfound unity makes the Taliban an even more potent force on either side of the Pakistani-Afghan border. The Media Line's Shaheen Buneri reports from the frontier.

The ever-increasing influence of pro-Al-Qa'ida Taliban groups is forcing Pakistan authorities to re-think its policy of reconciliation and devise a more comprehensive mechanism to deal with the militancy that is now threatening Pakistan's settled districts after sweeping the tribal belt along the Pakistani-Afghan border.