Militancy on the rise in Swat

[A.Rafay]

Taliban oracle Ehsanullah Ehsan says the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has made a comeback in Swat, announcing it by target-killing three members of the Swat peace committee in the last two weeks. These killings were symbolic and aimed at creating discouragement among the population of the paradisal valley, which has now become a test case for the country’s capacity to look after its people. The peace committees were formed to keep an eye on the absconding militants’ return and to let the army know about their presence.
The TTP’s message is: we are making a comeback and we still have allies among the people of Swat who want the warlord Fazlullah back in control. Of course, it does not matter what the people of Swat really want; it is a matter of creating an environment of fear through killings, affecting their behaviour as citizens in favour of the pre-2009 regime run on extortion. Unfortunately, their high-profile attempt on the life of Malala Yousufzai has not produced the kind of consensus it should have in the establishment, which indicates the extent to which Pakistan is vulnerable to rule-by-terror.
The army in Swat is doing its job of keeping the valley and its adjoining areas pacified, in order to give a chance to rehabilitation of normal administration and economic life. When Fazlullah and his men were hunted down three years ago, the army was not able to prevent their escape into the Afghan province of Kunar, where the Taliban joined up with al Qaeda Arabs and the Afghan Taliban in a Wahabi environment for which Kunar is known. Another neighbour of Kunar on the Pakistani side, Bajaur, too, is subject to two-way infiltration across the border, undermining the work of pacification that the army and FC have done there.
Swat is passing through a difficult psychological transition from the trauma of living under terror, which will only succeed if return to normalcy is steady and secure under a new administration provided by the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Fazlullah hiding in Kunar and plotting his raids from there does not want this transition to be completed. He is relying on two factors: his own ability to defy the army and send his men in from across the border and the memory of terror of the Swati population, which will not fade if the new administration is ineffective.
There is evidence to support that pockets of Afghan refugees are still surviving in parts of the valley, who could be infiltrators from Afghanistan, which normally means that Kabul is doing mischief in Pakistan, in tandem with the TTP. This fits into the overview of the terrorist battlefield presented by Interior Minister Rehman Malik: it divides the killers into three categories, first the TTP, which is the enemy of Pakistan; second the Afghan Army and intelligence, which is enemy number two; and finally, the Americans, enemy number three, who are funding the targeted killings.
This diagnosis of the trouble in Swat is problematic because of the lack of evidence that could be put before the people. For its own Afghan policy, the army is relying on the formulation that Mullah Omar’s Taliban (good ones) are opposed to the Pakistani Taliban (bad ones) so that the former can be relied on to give Pakistan leverage on the endgame in Afghan in 2014. What undermines this formulation is the fact that the army controls no one group, not even the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, which is currently more offended with Pakistan than with Pakistan’s enemies. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, which allowed the Taliban to consolidate power in Swat appears to be gelling together again.
Pakistan is more focused on post-withdrawal Afghanistan and India’s possible ‘pincers’ move there after 2014 than on controlling its non-state actors, who are clearly auxiliaries of the TTP and al Qaeda and will fight the coming Afghan civil war on the basis of their own ultimate objective of transforming Pakistan into a radical jihadis state. Pakistan needs to change its strategic thinking. And it needs help from the rest of the world also threatened with terrorism.

Militancy on the rise in Swat – The Express Tribune

 

[Spring Onion]

And this was also recently


Cultural show breaks silence of fear in Swat[/B]

MINGORA: The singers and artists enthralled the residents of militancy-hit Malakand division at a three-day cultural and music show, held here at Wadoodia Hall in Saidu Sharif.

The participants of the show said that after attempt on the life of Malala Yousafzai, organising such a successful cultural event was a great victory for those forces, who wanted to promote sanity and restore peace in the region.


The culture and music show was organised by Swasto Art and Culture Association with the cooperation of provincial cultural department. The show was aimed at breaking the silence of fear and fright in Swat and reposing people’s confidence in the government and security forces.


The show, started on Oct 28, continued till Oct 30. A large number of people from Swat, Shangla, Buner, Dir Upper and Lower and Malakand protected area participated in the show.


According to administration of Wadoodia Hall, around 1,000 people attended the show on the first day, over 15,000 on the second and 20,000 on the final day.


Bakhtiar Khattak was the host of the show while renowned Pashto singers Humayun Khan, Sitara Younas, Kiran Khan, Ayaz Khan, Ziauddin, Anwar Khial, Azra Iqbal, Nabeela, Omera and Fareeha performed at the show.

Comedians Rahmat Ali Ajiz, Mohammad Akbar Meno, Jehanzeb, Alamgir Swati and Yousuf Khan also amused the audience.

The participants of the music show appreciated the government’s efforts to create confidence in the people of Swat.

Osman Ali, a resident of Barikot, told Dawn that he enjoyed such an attractive show after three years. He applauded the singers, who enthralled the participants with their melodious voices.

The opening and final days of the show were attended by Swat DCO Kamran Khan, DOR Niaz Ahmed and MPA Sher Shah Khan, who is also district president of the ruling Awami National Party.

They said that the show would convey a message of peace to the world. It would prompt people to visit the picturesque area and enjoy its scenic valleys, they added.

They said that such events would be arranged in future to show the world that Pakhtun culture always promoted peace and not vulgarity. They regretted that some religious and militant groups considered culture as a vulgar and un-Islamic act.

Swasto Art and Culture Association head Usman Olasyar told Dawn that they proved that there was no space for vulgarity in Pakthun culture and music.

He said that the show was aimed at providing recreational opportunity to the people of Swat and highlighting the positive aspects of Pakhtun culture. He said that it was responsibility of every Pakhtun to work for promotion of culture.

Extraordinary security arrangements were made on the occasion. Swat DPO Gul Afzal Khan Afridi told Dawn that apart from security forces 6,000 policemen were deployed at different spots of Swat after the government declared Swat and Shangala as sensitive areas during Eidul Azha. He said that leaves of all police personnel were cancelled during Eid to make elaborate security arrangements.

He said that all entry and exit points of Swat were sealed and mobile teams were set up to keep vigil on the movement of suspected persons. He said that no untoward incident occurred during Eid owing to better security arrangements.

Apart from the music and culture show, a large number of visitors thronged the scenic spots of Swat valley including Kalam, Bahrain, Madyan, Malam Jabba, Marghuzar and Fizagut. The tourists enjoyed the relatively chilly weather of Swat and snow-covered Kalam valley.

Cultural show breaks silence of fear in Swat | DAWN.COM

 

[Thorough Pro]

PAF should bomb the afghanistan area he is hiding in.

 

[tarrar]

All these rented terrorists are coming from Afghanistan, they are trained, armed & provided with Intel by Afghanistan, US & India. Pakistan Army should not wait for anything & if they have confirmed Intel reports on the terrorists hide outs in Afghanistan PAF should bomb them as soon as possible.

Gen. Musharraf was right & supported his idea of land mining the whole border with Afghanistan but US & Afghanistan opposed it, today we can see why.

 

[Tshering22]

All these rented terrorists are coming from Afghanistan, they are trained, armed & provided with Intel by Afghanistan, US & India.

See here's the thing; when you try militancy against us, naturally we will do the same and with our capacity when our time strikes. Before starting this proxy-proxy war you should have thought a dozen times that it was more sensible and controllable to keep wars between both the armies rather than involving third party agents.

During 90s when we were weak and US funded and managed to keep your economy (since 50s) afloat, you were given a free reign to try whatever you liked. Now when the game has finally come out on an even field, we get to see the actual view of who is where.

Besides, the US doesn't even need to fund militants in. Your military seems to have made quite a lot of enemies other than us. What makes you think they won't leave an opportunity to press you down? I leave it to you imagination to understand who they are.

Pakistan Army should not wait for anything & if they have confirmed Intel reports on the terrorists hide outs in Afghanistan PAF should bomb them as soon as possible.

PAF cannot do that. Simple. It is incapable of flying into a NATO-imposed no-fly zone. By incapable I don't mean your jets can't go in. However, if your military deems it absolutely essential, you're most welcome to try it.

Gen. Musharraf was right & supported his idea of land mining the whole border with Afghanistan but US & Afghanistan opposed it, today we can see why.

What stopped you from unilaterally doing so? After all now it is your country suffering right?