Dear All-Green:
TTP is not really an object of love, admiration or positive energy. When you sow poisonous weeds, dont expect to reap mangoes or apricots.
The rise of TTP in FATA / Swat (and now some settled areas) is mainly attributable to the ill conceived, US dictated, Army operations that resulted in thousands of deaths / casualties. Amidst death and despondency its a normal human reaction to cluster around a counter-force.
TTP is not really such a menace as projected at this forum. But I do agree that they are too simplistic in their interpretation of Shariah.
Gen. Tariq of FC is a bit JAZBATEE, what he does work pretty well for him. 1400 terrorists killed, 60 killed, 22 arrested
FC control over Khyber
. At this rate all the Taliban have been killed about 5 times over!. Mohmand, Bajaur, Swat are a few hours of driving time away, all parts of Pakistan. Just go there and see the things for yourself.
Dear Anwar2
At least you admit about the poisonous weeds...that's a start to accepting the bitter truth which most of us are so ready to discard away. I do not deny that we have been used and abused but we cannot change the past and that is another limitation which dictates that we move on and sort out the imminent threat which is facing us. As with any normal situation the threat from within is dealt first.
While i cannot deny that US action has given us a lot of trouble in terms of unrest i would like to point out that the start of the menace threatening us is not post 9/11, it has its roots in the Afghan Jihad and Post Afghan Jihad period.
My father was posted in these areas during Afghan Jihad and served as instructor as well. From what i recall he and many fellow officers including pashtuns/punjabis were quite critical of the way the jihad was being organized without looking at the post Jihad situation.
Even then many were realizing this threat we were building in our homeland, the unchecked migration into our land, the parallel army we helped create which had nowhere to go after the war.
Sadly nothing was done about it, Zia waved his brand of Islam at us and people were fooled/seduced by it.
After the war, US had the luxury to abandon the region but Pakistan could not change its boundaries. The acceptance of 3million plus refugees (officially) was a big thing for a struggling economy like ours. Most of them settling in FATA caused this underdeveloped area to be put even under more burden.
The result of this step was very complicated and slowly has disrupted our law and order situation. Afghans were outside the influence of tribal maliks and jirgas and hence started an instability which has only grown due to the influx of more foreigners (via Afghanistan) and the wanted elements of many lashkars from Punjab which were created in the Zia era and are totally on collision course with our state.
During the Jihad, many of our knowledgeable people realized that Pakistan Afghan belt is becoming home to the most hardcore militants (not terrorists) in the Islamic world, most of whom were not at all wanted back by their home countries.
This fear proved to be quite correct but with the advent of Osama and his blessings of suicide attacks on civilians it has taken an unimaginably ugly dimension which was beyond imagination!
These militants were indoctrinated with very hardcore wahabism as part of their training and therefore were made quite intolerant towards other sects of Islam, particularly our shia brethren.
The drug culture/AK-47 culture is the criminal byproduct, however the most evil outcome by far is the religious intolerance which has been bred into these people and is part of their glorious version of sharia.
The massacre of Shias in Afghanistan by the Taliban, the fact that in these tribal areas and in Afghanistan most of the people like Riaz Basra were given protection is an ample proof of the their intolerance.
Mind you these were the genuine Taliban, TTP is an even more chaotic group.
So when you say they are too simplistic in their implementation it is a very big understatement. They are misguided blood loving barbarians to say the least. Mandatory beard and cap etc and beatings for those who do not obey these things are their minor vices but still the humiliation one feels when forced to do these things is beyond me.
I have seen saintly men in my life who did not keep beard or wore a cap.
Our prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the most tolerant man on this earth.
To associate such customs with him are a great crime against Islam.
The daily practices of TTP is the biggest drama in the history of Islam.
They are not fighting for Islam but for power and influence.
I have both friends and family in the SWAT and Tribal areas so i know what TTP is all about; their overt anti US stance may fool some people but the systematic butchery of Jirgas and maliks and anyone who opposes them or does not follow their teachings is something i shall always be disgusted with.
Coming to USA.
I still maintain that US has to accept the fact that it has itself contributed to a very dangerous situation by abandoning the Afghan region after orchestrating the Russian defeat by planning the biggest and most successful proxy war in modern era.
The responsibility lies with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as well. Keeping in mind our economy we were the least capable of removing the threat of desperation from the war stricken area, even then we could have played a better part.
Saudi Arabia was in a better position to play its role as the economic power house of Muslim world. I can only speculate how the things would have been today if there had been more responsible actions taken by US and Saudi Arabia supported by Pakistan, i do believe it would have been better than today.
Regarding the house demolishing thing, do you know that is the decision of the jirgas and tribal elders as well; to tear down the houses of the militants and those who harbor them. However still i know that situation is nightmarish and pray there is an end to it soon.
What do you think we can do?
Simply run away with our tails between our legs and let the local population know that TTP is their government now, to do with them as it pleases?
Such abandonment would be worse than the current ARMY presence.
I do not care about US or Al Qaida's agenda, but i do know that our house is on fire and we are in for a long fight to make it safe again. Once that is done external threats can be taken care of.
I do realize that the political will is missing and without it the fight is so far inconclusive.
Tribal leaders need full help and support of State and FATA should be developed on critical priority to counter the miscreants stranglehold.
Military action is but one part of the road to securing these areas, socioeconomic development and political/legislative changes being the other key aspects; but it does not imply that ARMY is simply not needed in current situation.
