Operation in Waziristan

I feel I should set the record straight on certain points of Farhat Taj's article "Imperatives of the Waziristan operation" (Oct 26). A lot has been written about the miseries faced by the people of Waziristan but so far the government has not taken any step whatsoever to address the problems

It is not only the so-called Islamabad-based armchair analysts who are questioning the military operation in Waziristan, but also the entire population of the two Waziristans, including people like me born and bred there. They have seen that in the last eight years of operations during only the innocent suffer and the militants go Scot free. They have paid more than anyone else for the elimination of militancy. They are hit by both the government and the militants.

In the past, each time an operation took place it raised hopes in the local people that the militants would be eliminated but each time their hopes were dashed, when deals were made with the militants for reasons I would rather not dwell on. The deals provided respite and succour to the militants who emerged stronger after each deal. How long are we going to test the patience of the unfortunate people? How many times are we going to launch inconclusive operations in Waziristan?

Large-scale displacement of people, which had never before happened in that area, began with the operations in 2003. It is unfortunate that their sacrifices have gone waste and militancy increased. The government, instead of addressing the core issue, has resorted to the use of force. Militancy cannot be eliminated through the barrel of the gun alone. It should be complemented by other means.

The crucial point, as I see it, is the involvement of local people or taking advantage of their collective wisdom in finding a durable solution to the problem that we face in Waziristan. This has never been done and decisions made in the palatial houses in Islamabad are imposed upon the people.

It is not true that the rich had left the area because they could afford to do so while the poor had to stay because they had no choice. To begin with, there is hardly any rich person in Waziristan by national or international standards. Even if they are, they used to maintain two houses, one in Waziristan and the other in the settled areas of Pakistan. In summer, without fail, they used to take their families to their ancestral homes in Waziristan. These operations have forced both rich and poor to run away from the area.

Who was responsible for the collapse of the three institutions around which the tribal system revolved? Was it done by the tribesmen themselves? Was it done by a foreign power or non-state actors within the country? Who elevated Nek Mohammad overnight to new heights of popularity by entering into a deal with him? Who was threatening the Yargul Khail tribe in Waziristan of dire consequences? It certainly was not the tribesmen to be blamed for collapse of the system.

Let us not confuse Waziristan and Swat with each other. The two are different in many respects. The state of Swat was merged into Pakistan almost forty years ago. All the law-enforcing agencies, including police, were present in the area. It was as good a settled area as anywhere else in the country. It has the provincial government backing it, and the central government available with all its resources. On the contrary, in Waziristan there was no army or police stationed in the area. The Scouts and Khasadar, a force mostly raised from within the tribal areas maintained law and order. Maintenance of law and order or looking after the people of the area is not the responsibility of the provincial government as Swat was. It is the responsibility of Islamabad only.

We have members from the tribal areas in the Parliament making laws for the country but Waziristan is not within their remit. The Parliament has no control over it, nor has the Supreme Court any say in the matter. It is directly under the control of the president who has not bothered to visit the area even once.

Blaming the educated lot of Waziristan for not rising to the occasion is an easy option. They have neither been silent nor are they enemies of Waziristan. They have done what little they could do to make aware the public of the problems that they face. They have highlighted time and again the challenges that the militants pose to them and to the country as well as the way forward. They alone cannot solve the problem. The government has to step in and not only rescue them from the clutches of the militants but also to resolve the underlying problems. Half-hearted action by it only encourages the militants.

Let me also mention that if education alone could save places or countries from the scourge of terrorism, then Sri Lanka should have been the place to go to. Despite having a 100-percent literacy rate that country experienced one of the worst kinds of terrorist violence in its history. The Soviet Union would not have become only Russia if education alone could work wonders. I am not against education or trying to portray an image that education is not good for the tribesmen. It certainly is one of the very important factors, but it alone cannot deliver unless coupled with other factors which are equally important and need to be attended to.

Waziristan has been ignored by successive governments, both politically and economically since creation of Pakistan. The people are faced with abject poverty. Lack of employment opportunity and good educational institutions as well as denial of justice has further contributed to the spread of militancy. The government needs to address these on a war footing. Only then the people would trust it and resist the temptation of joining the militants.



The writer is a former ambassador. Email: waziruk@hotmail.com