Jan Achakzai


It is, indeed, terrible that ANP leaders and workers are being targeted. Perhaps, it is because of the ANP-PPP coalition government's policies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata that are now backfiring. The first mistake that the coalition made was to call in the army in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata in aid to civil administration. Consequently, military operations were launched in South Waziristan, Kuram, Bajaur, Khyber, Orakzai and Mohmand agencies during which many people lost their lives and many were left homeless. All this led to discontent among people, while the armed forces lost the battle for hearts and minds, despite enormous sacrifices. It is unfortunate that even today the displaced persons are forced to lead a miserable life in various refugee camps without the government’s support. The military is still deployed in Swat and cannot leave it even after nearly four years, since the PPP-ANP provincial government had failed to maintain its writ in the post-operation period. Almost the same situation prevails in Fata; there is no civil infrastructure yet and the political agent cannot go to South Waziristan even today.The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata believe that neither did the PPP-ANP coalition forcefully condemn the drone strikes, nor did they take effective measures to reduce the affects of the collateral damages caused due to various military operations. Now a section of the media and civil society, along with international ‘human rights’ groups of the left persuasion, are crying wolf that the election campaign is skived, simply ignoring the fact that it was the same coalition that tacitly supported the drone attacks and  bombardment of its own people. For instance, over 13 people, including children, were killed in Bara in January whose corpses were brought in front of the Governor House, as their relatives wanted to demonstrate like the Hazara community did in Quetta. But right under the ANP-PPP coalition’s watch, the Commissioner sent in reinforcement, baton charged the relatives, forcefully took away the corpses and almost after three days returned the dead bodies. Obviously, it was a not a mistake; perhaps, it was a message inadvertently sent out to the tribesmen that the government had a different yardstick for their demands and treatment for their loved ones. It partly explains the current indignation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata against the PPP and ANPFor those who do not understand the Pashtun tradition of enmity is that its unwritten rule is: everything is fear, unless there is a reconciliation of sort and end to hostilities; hence, the ANP is being targeted. The situation would have been far better if the ANP had convened the APC not in the last two weeks of its government, but at the time when it came to power. Unfortunately, the ANP took upon a task that it did not have the capability, and time, to finish till the end. Instead, it played ‘gungho’ and resorted to bravado that could not be construed as real policy alternative.The PPP and ANP are also using the militant attacks to gloss over their miserable performance during their five years in government: loadshedding, collapse of Pakistan Railways, corruption, unemployment and lawlessness in the province. It must remembered that banking on sympathy cannot buy the ANP genuine support of the people. It is also important to add that militancy needs to be dealt with diplomatically and not through force. Why? Firstly, since the surge by the US in Afghanistan failed to downgrade the Afghan Taliban; secondly, the Fata terrain suits guerrilla war; thirdly, across the border sanctuary undermines our tactical ability to take on the TTP; fourthly, if reconciliation in Afghanistan fails, the TTP would extend sway to the adjoining Afghan provinces of Paktia, Paktika, Khost, besides, Nooristan and Nagarhar that will createa lot of problems for the Pak Army; and fifthly, over a million illiterate kids are growing up in Fata ready to join the militancy. What we need to do is to peel off the foot soldier, buy the mid level commanders who are beneficiaries of war economy and isolate the top leadership if they refuse to be co-opted. Keeping this in view, the JUI-F has clearly set out the map for peace. On February, 28, 2013, it held the APC in which the national leadership agreed to back the tribal jirga and agreed to hold talks with the Taliban. The APC was attended by the government, opposition and parties outside of Parliament. It unanimously decided to favour talks over bullets. Since the caretaker government has a limited mandate, the next government will resume the policy and will facilitate the jirga efforts to pave way for talks.Now non-elected sections of the society and state institutions - including the members of civil society, media and above all the army - needs to give lead to the political leadership of the country to try negotiations in post-May 2013 scenario.Those who claim that there should be no talks with the Taliban for they do not believe in democracy or constitution, fail to understand that being insurgents mean they do not recognise our "rule of the game". Additionally, if the US can negotiate with the Afghan Taliban, if we can negotiate with the Indians and the Balochs, who do not recognise our flag and the constitution, why can’t we negotiate with the TTP? Let us not go waste the sacrifices of 35,000 plus civilians, our brave fallen soldiers and officers, and give peace a last chance.The writer is spokesman for JUI-F head Maulana Fazlur Rehman.