Swat Deal: Government’s Surrender to Militants or to Popular Demand ?
By Mohsin Sehgal • Feb 20th, 2009 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look • 11 CommentsThe peace talks between Maulana Sufi Mohammad, Chief of the Tanzim Nifaz Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Maulana Fazlullah for the restoration of peace in Swat are one thing, while the looming doubts over the sudden peace efforts and the durability of it is another.
That is like forcing people to accept peace on the terms of Taliban. Media is a strange animal in Pakistan. Just after the peace accord between the TSNM and NWFP government, media started throwing breaking news that Swat has erupted in euphoria and people are going crazy with the happiness and peace is there and so on. Then a journalist was killed and mutilated and the media cut it down and declared that nothing has improved. Extremism in media has damaged the morale of the people most.
Peace talks and even peace accords are nothing new in the Swat or in FATA for that matter. They have been done before more than one time, and even one time they were tied up in the holy city of Mecca. They were even held accord between government and Taliban directly, but they didnt’ sustain for much longer a period. This time, nothing has been finalized between the fighting sides directly. NWFP government which hasn’t even visited the Swat has talked with Maulana Sufi Muhammad of TSNM, who has been sidelined by the Fazlullah, the who is leading the militants.
Nobody still knows what Taliban actually think about this accord and what are there terms. Taliban clearly feel that they have got an upper edge and they are now in the driving seat. Taliban won’t really get away with their newly found power, yes not even after the promulgation of Nifaz-e-Adal regulation. If Zardari is thinking that he could cajol Taliban and bring them out with the carrot of Shariah, then he lives in fool’s hell.
We must not expect much from the current situation. This is not the ultimate solution. Ultimate solution is the prevalnce of government writ throughout Pakistan including Swat, FATA, and Balochistan.
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I totally agree that the media behaved irresponsibly. This fever of breaking news has cost the industry it’s Pakistan’s true image and credibility. But I must disagree with the analysis of what Zardari should be doing… we’ve tried carpet bombing, tried Lal Masjid, experienced it with Marriott and Luna Caprese… Dialogue is truly the only way of reaching some conclusion in this mayhem and nonsense. Also remember that the govt is not only trying to tackle with international pressures but also to deal with forces within. It’s quitie a lot to handle for a year-olp democracy.
Well Ria is right that dialogue is the only viable option now.
Ria, but dont you think that Taliban would then advance further beyond Swat into the other cities of NWFP and then rest of the Pakistan?
@Ria: Remember Taliban haven’t yet committed anything? What if they demand that it would be they who would be playing Qazi and policemen in Swat and running “Nizam-e-Adal”? Do you understand the implications for the future?
Thanks for the comment.
Mohsin,
It is the governments surrender to Taliban, the rest is just a front screen. This all was started by the Taliban to gain control over people and region and they have successfully done this.
If the government is also playing games the Taliban is trying to play with them then it is a good strategy but lets wait and watch what happens after 10 days of truce agreement.
Saleem Khokar
what do we mean by ‘Talibans’, need to re-assess this term?
Dear Mohsin,
1.Who controls the TALIBAN?
2.wHY THEY DONOT LIKE THE pAKISTANI STATE?
3.If Sharia law alone is the question, then Pakistan itself was created as land of pure and is an Islamic republic? Then what is the difference?
Mohsin, Ria, Farrukh, Saleem, Adil , Fareed and Johann !
it feels very hurting and very strange too that we all are ignorantly creating hatred against the followers of the great religion ISLAM.
who are Talibans??? can any one tell???? who is molana soofi muhammad? why is he doing all this? who is molana fazlullah? can any one tell. . . what is his background?
who is muslim khan? the taliban representative. . . you might do not know all these.
the point here is, we do not know many things and speak about. i am not favouring any of these molana and neither i speak against them. i just want to say that there is game being played in the larger interest of the country and the whole muslim ummah.
yeah beleive me. . . this can not be easily understood.
but you just think. . .
Dear sidra,
Islam is a PEACEFULL RELIGION without any doubt.
@@@@@@@@@@@@
On the question of TALIBAN:
“”" You Compromise with the SAVAGE and SAVAGE will consider you as weak”
“” Virtue is wasted on the EVIL”"
“” love needs to be reciprocated by LOVE ONLY……..same is the case with POISON”"
It clearly looks that fanatics took control of swat and now new target is DI khan , tang and suburb areas.All is happening in the tenure of secular joint team of ANP and PPP.So what one can think about this so called democratic government.We as a nation is completely out of frying pan into fire.