Dismantling militancy

Pakistan has taken several strong steps towards tackling extremism and militancy in the country. Two major organisations, the Jamat-ud-Dawah and the Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation have been added to the list of proscribed groups while 44 people linked to various organisations have been taken into preventive detention. They include the brother and son of Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar. These measures, which followed a meeting between top security agencies, provincial officials and federal decision-makers, clearly take on the issues highlighted by the Financial Action Task Force, a delegation of which will be visiting the country this month.

There is however a lot more to be done. Islamabad will need to demonstrate to the world that its actions stem from a true determination to act against militancy. Certainly, this time round there seems to be more will than has been demonstrated in the past. Of course, the problems we face today would never had arisen had the issue been tackled some 20 years ago. But since this did not happen, action now has become imperative. This is crucial also in Pakistan’s own interest rather than as a response to pressure from external sources. It is also evident that a longer-term plan is required if militancy is to be weeded out for good. Reports that the government is thinking along these lines are encouraging.

The strategies being discussed include efforts to reintegrate militants into society, deweaponisation and the possible mainstreaming of some groups. All these options need to be considered more carefully and in depth. Giving young men who have taken up arms and joined militant organisations other ways to live their lives is important, indeed central, to success. How this is done will need careful thought, though. We have seen that mainstreaming has not worked out very well in the past. Similarly, all extremist groups may not wish to enter mainstream politics or be suited to this. We have a spectrum of undesirable groups, each set requiring different approaches.

There will need to be decisive steps to regulate financing and the different means through which funds are collected. This is a central FATF demand. Pakistan needs to keep uppermost its own interest and remember that driving back extremism will most of all help a country that has spent millions of rupees and lost thousands of lives to the threat extremists pose. With this in mind, the process must move forward stage by stage and all political parties must be persuaded to play a role in this by refusing to support militant organisations or ally themselves with these outfits in any way.