Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik has offered the Taliban and other banned outfits the option of a negotiated settlement but with the condition that they first dissolved their military wings. One would have advised that he had simply asked them to hold talks and then during the discussion persuade them to give up the armed struggle. Talks are necessary to assure them of our sincerity and neutralise them.
A revision in government policy is, therefore, in order. Keeping in view the American withdrawal plans from Afghanistan, and the fact that they are seeking negotiations with the Taliban, it becomes all the more necessary for us to also stop the military operations against them. And the best way of finding an amicable solution to the ongoing conflict is through talks with all the major players. Rather than imposing such conditions on the outfits, which if obeyed would remove the need to hold negotiations at all, they must be first taken into confidence and assured of the need to achieve peace in the land. Without this process, mutual hostility cannot be overcome. A lot of bloodshed has occurred in our cities and streets, yet it is also a reality that we used to live in calm with these now disgruntled and armed militants before our alliance with the US post-9/11. Currently, such is the state of belligerence that none of them is willing to trust the other’s assurances of peace. The failure of the Swat peace deal before the military operation could be traced to this very lack of trust. The government’s argument is that it had to launch a grand military operation in the valley since the Taliban did not fulfil their promise of giving up arms. Yet the Taliban have their own version of events and complaints. Hence, at the end of the day, it all becomes a sort of zero sum game to indefinitely keep on fighting.
The overall impact of militancy and the deteriorating situation have taken a heavy toll on every sphere of life, including the collapse of the national economy. Mr Malik has hinted that the peace process can be initiated within a few days, if the Taliban surrender their arms. While the government must convey its reservation, its main focus should be on finding a political settlement without further delay.