General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has proposed to the tribal leaders that the Army would withdraw if they assumed responsibility for looking after their areas. He was inaugurating a cadet college in Wana, North Waziristan on Thursday. There is no denying his point that the tribesmen have fought shoulder to shoulder with the army in Pakistans hour of trial and are a source of strength for the country. One would also aggress with him that it were mainly the foreigners who were disturbing the peace of the area. In fact, General Kayani very well understands the thinking and the mindset of people in FATA who are loathe to the presence of the army in their areas and hence he has taken the right decision to vacate the areas and give their control to the tribesmen. They are patriotic Pakistanis like the rest of the citizens and would be able to run their affairs in a manner that ensures against any disruption of peace, whether by local miscreants or foreign elements. They would have to be on the lookout for any hostile country like India trying to fish in troubled waters. And, on the other hand, the US, with its drone attacks had caused considerable collateral damage which explains why resentment against it is at an all-time high, not only in the tribal belt, but also the entire country. Under these circumstances, it is clear that the army operation and presence in the tribal areas only adds fuel to the fire, as the local population feels that it is being conducted at the behest of the Americans. The result has been bad blood between the tribesmen and the army, something that has been to the detriment of our national interests. The tribal people are peaceful and loving people, fiercely independent by nature. A military intrusion or any attempt at subduing them through the use of force could have disastrous results. General Kayanis decision should, therefore, be hailed as the most appropriate. It is expected that the army will pull out of the tribal areas as soon as possible.