fatman17
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COMMENT: Not a war of choice Abbas Rashid
The resolve shown by the government and the military in the Swat operation, backed by a major shift in public mood and perception regarding the Taliban, is a significant development
The massive blast in Lahore on Wednesday was followed the next day by two in Peshawar and an explosion in Dera Ismail Khan. While security agencies and personnel were targeted in Lahore, the collective toll in the three locations has included a large number of civilians among the dead and injured.
The Taliban have threatened more attacks in an obvious bid to put pressure on the government to stop the ongoing operation in Swat. There is no doubt that the TTP senses the intent to take the operation to its logical conclusion. It will therefore try its best to break the national will that supports this war. But at this stage, it is not a war of choice. Arguably, we could have tried harder to ensure that things did not come to such a pass and resisted, among other things, the temptation to assume a frontline role.
It is fitting and necessary that the media is highlighting the sacrifice of those soldiers and other security personnel who have given their lives fighting the terrorists. The advance in Swat has come at a high price. And there is little doubt that the price for the residents of these areas has also been very high.
According to some estimates the number of people uprooted from their homes may now be as high as three million. Despite the effort underway, many in the camps are in a dismal condition, especially when it comes to women and children. A very large number is residing with host communities in Mardan and Swabi who in a remarkable act of generosity have come forward to share whatever they have, which in most cases is not all that much. Cash, rather than relief goods, is the greater need here. And the government needs to set up a mechanism for disbursement of the Rs 25,000 initial grant per family that it has announced, on an urgent basis.
Not least, some remain trapped in the area where the fighting is going on. The use of air power and long-range artillery seems to have been reduced and this is critical for saving innocent lives and keeping panic as well as the ensuing exodus in check. In line with this policy the use of drones must also be discontinued by the US.
It makes eminent sense to argue that it would be better for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to stay in areas that are proximate to their homes so that the process of their rehabilitation can begin as soon as possible once the military operation ends. And, almost certainly, the overwhelming majority would prefer to return to their homes if they could be assured of safety for their families and a modicum of support.
However, it is an entirely different matter to suggest as some have done that they are not welcome in other areas or provinces because there is a security risk of terrorists slipping through using them as cover. The major effort right now should be to isolate the terrorists from the larger community, rather than adopt policies that alienate the latter. Those who have already suffered dispossession and terror can hardly be barred from moving to a location of their choosing on the grounds that this could facilitate terrorists.
The Constitution affords freedom of movement to all its citizens. How can it be denied to the IDPs? Further, there are extremists groups known to be active in some areas of Punjab. So, will we now also place a check on the intra-provincial movement of people? Irrational responses of this kind can in the end only serve to provide succour to the terrorists rather than helping to counter terrorism.
The operation in Swat is one part of the broader struggle. Keeping the Swat valley free from the Taliban will require a strong army presence for some time to come. The administrative set-up, including an effective police force, will need to be rapidly re-established in the area and development funds as well as credit facilities made available on an urgent basis so that the people can return and start putting their lives together.
But then there is the Al Qaeda/Taliban stronghold in FATA that will require an even more formidable effort on the part of the military, not least because it borders Afghanistan and allows for relatively free movement of militants, money and weapons. Nevertheless, the resolve shown by the government and the military in the Swat operation, backed by a major shift in public mood and perception regarding the Taliban, is a significant development.
At another level, countering the terrorist threat has to do primarily with making our intelligence apparatus more effective by putting the right people in charge, ensuring that the many intelligence agencies pool information, have much greater resources at their disposal as well as some mechanism for coordinating their efforts nationally. The high-level meetings that are held virtually every time there is a blast, with the police being told to arrest those responsible within X number of days, is hardly the answer.
Meanwhile, elections in India have returned the Congress party and Manmohan Singh to power. Its still a coalition government, but with a more secure Congress there seems some likelihood that the stalled peace process between Indian and Pakistan can be resumed without too much delay.
Also in May, Pakistan and Iran finally signed the deal over the gas pipeline between the two countries with the proviso that India, whose interest in the project had waned, can join if it so chooses. Doing so might well clear the way for a less contentious relationship that aside from helping resolve outstanding issues between the two countries could enable Pakistan to concentrate on the difficult war it is having to fight on its western front. Contrary to what many in the Indian establishment seem to believe, this is in Indias interest as well.
Abbas Rashid lives in Lahore and can be contacted at abbasrh@gmail.com
this guy is singing our tune!
The resolve shown by the government and the military in the Swat operation, backed by a major shift in public mood and perception regarding the Taliban, is a significant development
The massive blast in Lahore on Wednesday was followed the next day by two in Peshawar and an explosion in Dera Ismail Khan. While security agencies and personnel were targeted in Lahore, the collective toll in the three locations has included a large number of civilians among the dead and injured.
The Taliban have threatened more attacks in an obvious bid to put pressure on the government to stop the ongoing operation in Swat. There is no doubt that the TTP senses the intent to take the operation to its logical conclusion. It will therefore try its best to break the national will that supports this war. But at this stage, it is not a war of choice. Arguably, we could have tried harder to ensure that things did not come to such a pass and resisted, among other things, the temptation to assume a frontline role.
It is fitting and necessary that the media is highlighting the sacrifice of those soldiers and other security personnel who have given their lives fighting the terrorists. The advance in Swat has come at a high price. And there is little doubt that the price for the residents of these areas has also been very high.
According to some estimates the number of people uprooted from their homes may now be as high as three million. Despite the effort underway, many in the camps are in a dismal condition, especially when it comes to women and children. A very large number is residing with host communities in Mardan and Swabi who in a remarkable act of generosity have come forward to share whatever they have, which in most cases is not all that much. Cash, rather than relief goods, is the greater need here. And the government needs to set up a mechanism for disbursement of the Rs 25,000 initial grant per family that it has announced, on an urgent basis.
Not least, some remain trapped in the area where the fighting is going on. The use of air power and long-range artillery seems to have been reduced and this is critical for saving innocent lives and keeping panic as well as the ensuing exodus in check. In line with this policy the use of drones must also be discontinued by the US.
It makes eminent sense to argue that it would be better for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to stay in areas that are proximate to their homes so that the process of their rehabilitation can begin as soon as possible once the military operation ends. And, almost certainly, the overwhelming majority would prefer to return to their homes if they could be assured of safety for their families and a modicum of support.
However, it is an entirely different matter to suggest as some have done that they are not welcome in other areas or provinces because there is a security risk of terrorists slipping through using them as cover. The major effort right now should be to isolate the terrorists from the larger community, rather than adopt policies that alienate the latter. Those who have already suffered dispossession and terror can hardly be barred from moving to a location of their choosing on the grounds that this could facilitate terrorists.
The Constitution affords freedom of movement to all its citizens. How can it be denied to the IDPs? Further, there are extremists groups known to be active in some areas of Punjab. So, will we now also place a check on the intra-provincial movement of people? Irrational responses of this kind can in the end only serve to provide succour to the terrorists rather than helping to counter terrorism.
The operation in Swat is one part of the broader struggle. Keeping the Swat valley free from the Taliban will require a strong army presence for some time to come. The administrative set-up, including an effective police force, will need to be rapidly re-established in the area and development funds as well as credit facilities made available on an urgent basis so that the people can return and start putting their lives together.
But then there is the Al Qaeda/Taliban stronghold in FATA that will require an even more formidable effort on the part of the military, not least because it borders Afghanistan and allows for relatively free movement of militants, money and weapons. Nevertheless, the resolve shown by the government and the military in the Swat operation, backed by a major shift in public mood and perception regarding the Taliban, is a significant development.
At another level, countering the terrorist threat has to do primarily with making our intelligence apparatus more effective by putting the right people in charge, ensuring that the many intelligence agencies pool information, have much greater resources at their disposal as well as some mechanism for coordinating their efforts nationally. The high-level meetings that are held virtually every time there is a blast, with the police being told to arrest those responsible within X number of days, is hardly the answer.
Meanwhile, elections in India have returned the Congress party and Manmohan Singh to power. Its still a coalition government, but with a more secure Congress there seems some likelihood that the stalled peace process between Indian and Pakistan can be resumed without too much delay.
Also in May, Pakistan and Iran finally signed the deal over the gas pipeline between the two countries with the proviso that India, whose interest in the project had waned, can join if it so chooses. Doing so might well clear the way for a less contentious relationship that aside from helping resolve outstanding issues between the two countries could enable Pakistan to concentrate on the difficult war it is having to fight on its western front. Contrary to what many in the Indian establishment seem to believe, this is in Indias interest as well.
Abbas Rashid lives in Lahore and can be contacted at abbasrh@gmail.com
this guy is singing our tune!
