NOW that the military operation in Malakand Division is all but over and the residents have begun going back to their homes, the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts must receive a fillip to make for the normal, daily life to return. President Zardari, who addressed on Monday a meeting of diplomatic envoys and experts from friendly nations, which are chipping in to supplement Pakistan's scarce resources being spent for the purpose, urged them to ensure that the pledges they had made need to be speedily honoured. It is of interest to note that US Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke lamented only the other day that hardly any country was forthcoming with enough funds, except for the US. Briefing journalists after the meeting, President's spokesman Farhatullah Babar revealed that a five-year Malakand Pilot Project would be presented to the Friends of Democratic Pakistan for consideration next week. The project would be comprehensive enough to cover not only the reconstruction and rehabilitation aspect but also address the root causes of militancy and extremism and alleviate poverty. The President, therefore, wanted a long-lasting commitment from the FoDP to make that possible, but one wonders that when they have been withholding funds at a time of crisis how he expected them to keep offering assistance over the long haul when its seriousness was behind them. Islamabad would have to urge Washington to exert its influence over these countries to donate more money, besides markedly increasing its own contribution. The economic uplift of Malakand would, after all, constitute a major achievement on the road to putting an end to terrorism from the region. The US also owes an explanation about the inordinate delay in the setting up of reconstruction opportunity zones in FATA that were so proudly announced by President Bush when he visited Islamabad more than three years ago. They have yet to see the light of the day. One could also question whether the quantum of non-military aid sanctioned by the Congress for the entire country is going to make a real difference as far as the end result is concerned. Mr Zardari visualised that the socio-economic development of Swat would result in the elimination of extremism from the valley and could serve as a model of containing the curse elsewhere in the world. One would like to interject, though, that there is urgent need for educating the people in the real teachings of Islam and for having a look at the seminaries' syllabi not only in Malakand Division but also in other parts of the country.