Pak scraps peace deal with Taliban

[Neo]

Ongoing Taliban violenceeace deal with Swat militants scrapped​

* Interior Affairs adviser says escalating violence has rendered redundant efforts to continue with deal
* Three suicide bombers’ arrest averted ‘big tragedy’, Malik tells NA​

ISLAMABAD: The government has scrapped its peace deal with the Taliban as militants have reneged on their promise to stop violence, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik said on Monday.

The NWFP government signed a peace agreement last month with militants in the Swat valley. The militants had agreed that they would refrain from attacking the security forces.

“The Swat agreement is scrapped as the militants have [continued] their attacks on security forces,” Malik told a group of reporters in Islamabad.

The announcement comes a day after Taliban militants killed four policemen in an ambush in Mattani, near Peshawar. The Taliban accused the government of not honouring its commitments under the deal on Sunday.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Islamabad Kamal Hyder quoted Malik as saying earlier on Monday that escalating violence against government forces meant there was no point in continuing with the deal signed last month.

“The Interior minister... has admitted that there has been an escalation [in attacks],” Hyder said, “and that if the government did lose its patience and the militants in that area did not stop their activities then the deal would be off.”

Hyder said that the government was talking from a position of strength having fortified positions and moved the military into the Swat valley.

“The government’s contention is that as long as those people do not allow the government to re-establish its power over the entire region, then they will not give in to any of [the Taliban’s] demands.

“Many analysts are looking at this as a warning shot by the government to the Taliban, saying to them that the challenge to the government is unacceptable,” Hyder said.

Hyder said that there were elements within the Taliban who are averse to peace with the government and are attempting to sabotage any dialogue between the two sides.

Big tragedy: Responding to questions during the National Assembly question hour, Malik said law-enforcement agencies had averted a ‘big tragedy’ after arresting three “students” who were allegedly on a suicide mission in Islamabad on Sunday.

He said the alleged suicide bombers were ready to strike within an hour, but did not disclose their identities and intended targets.

Rehman said the vehicles seized from them were packed with explosives weighing between 200 kilogrammes and 400 kgs, which could have destroyed a whole sector. daily times monitor/ agencies/zulfiqar ghuman

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Awesome]

The deal should only be broken with consultation with the NWFP government.

 

[araz]

It is really difficult to say sitting out side the country, exactly what is going on. Clearly there are more than one players in this fiasco, trying to derail the deal, as well as vested interests trying to get their dirty work done while the going is good. I think we need to move with caution and exercise a certain amount of restraint, while coercing the local Taliban to honour their end of the deal. To move in without adequate proof will amount ot a grave mistake. If we have proof of Taliban involvement, then they should really be made an example of , after the nation has been taken into confidence.
In some ways both the Army and the Beaurocracy would be happy that it is an elected Government that has to deal with this tricky situation.
Araz

 

[fatman17]

i think there is truth in the fact that the taliban after suffering major losses at the hands of the PA esp in the swat valley, needed time to re-group, mend their wounded and re-equip, thus the so-called peace deal. how can the govt. (federal or provincial) be blind to these facts.

 

[Always Neutral]

One step forward two steps backward policy reminds one of the Tv programe DEAL or NO DEAL in UK.

very confusing.

Regards

 

[vish]

i think there is truth in the fact that the taliban after suffering major losses at the hands of the PA esp in the swat valley, needed time to re-group, mend their wounded and re-equip, thus the so-called peace deal. how can the govt. (federal or provincial) be blind to these facts.

Sir, this does provide the GoP with a perfect opportunity to sway the masses' opinion. The GoP can always claim that it did moot a peace deal which was broken by the fundamentalists.

I just hope the GoP uses proper PR and capitalizes on this.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

AM,

I believe that the NWFP govt is legacy of Badshah Khan.

Therefore, do you feel that it is a good thing to allow them to decide the destiny?

Salim,

It is the party of Badshah Khan, but going by the statements of the leadership of the party pre and post elections, there is no doubt about where loyalties lie.

Contrast their rhetoric with that of some of the Baloch nationalists.

The current position of the ANP is pragmatic, in that public opinion is not in favor of the ideas that estranged Badshah Khan.

Public opinion is in favor of peace, education, service and progress - and I believe that aspect of Badshah Khan's movement is something more political parties should emulate.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Playing the cynic for the moment, what if the announcement is merely to deflect attention from the deals being negotiated in FATA- where the Taliban have a greater role in Pakistan's strategic concerns.

The GoP goes after the militants in Swat, the world takes note of the military action against the Taliban for "not adhering to the deals made".....

 

[fatman17]

Sir, this does provide the GoP with a perfect opportunity to sway the masses' opinion. The GoP can always claim that it did moot a peace deal which was broken by the fundamentalists.

I just hope the GoP uses proper PR and capitalizes on this.

this requires strategic thinking with everyone on the same page but the govt is a dis-jointed lot with each coalation partner having their own agenda. the only organised institution in this country is the PA but the CoAS has decided to let the civilians try their hand at such things. so u r right, the opportunity is staring them in the face but alas no strategy....busy scheming to get rid of the president.

 

[kidwaibhai]

i hope that they are planning a really big operation this time. i think the prime minister should take both approval from the parliment and Proventail assembly. go on television and anounce to the people what has happened and what is going to happen. then really go after these guys and finish them once and for all.

 

[Always Neutral]

i hope that they are planning a really big operation this time. i think the prime minister should take both approval from the parliment and Proventail assembly. go on television and anounce to the people what has happened and what is going to happen. then really go after these guys and finish them once and for all.

Dear Kb,

Won't it give a wrong impression if the PM went on Tv to explain his action ? Make the matter look more serious then it probably is ?

Regards

 

[Spring Onion]

Dear Kb,

Won't it give a wrong impression if the PM went on Tv to explain his action ? Make the matter look more serious then it probably is ?

Regards

only one impression that government is under pressure from super power as well as those whom it has hoodwinked by grabing votes

 

[Energon]

this requires strategic thinking with everyone on the same page but the govt is a dis-jointed lot with each coalation partner having their own agenda. the only organised institution in this country is the PA but the CoAS has decided to let the civilians try their hand at such things. so u r right, the opportunity is staring them in the face but alas no strategy....busy scheming to get rid of the president.

Actually this also has a lot to do with the details of the "deals" themselves. This is why I had posed this question earlier:

How well organized/formalized are these deals? Are their written contracts between the governments and the tribes/groups with each religious and/or political leader signing off? Or are they more verbal agreements with some but not all of the tribes/group/militias?

The point being that all of these deals are useless unless they are crafted in a very meticulous manner so as to comprehensively include all parties. Subsequently when there are breaches by a particular group/tribe/militia, it can be traced to the specific source which in turn means focal reprisal as opposed to just scrapping the entire deal. It would hence be very helpful to figure out the details of this arrangement.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

^^^ From what I understand, one of the criticisms of the deal in Swat when it was announced (it was not verbal, there was a document that was signed off on by representatives of both parties - there was a separate written agreement with Sufi Mohammed prior to his release as well) was that the monitoring mechanism was found lacking.

I believe it did not involve a neutral third party, but representatives from both the Taliban and the NWFP govt. - so you would essentially have a stalemate between the two sides if accusations of a violation were to be raised by one side.

 

[Spring Onion]

NWFP chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has said that the provincial government has reached peace agreements with all groups in insurgency hit areas including TNSM and Fazlullah group for establishing the writ of the government and bring peace and normalcy to the region.



“Clauses of the agreements are opened and these accords were singed after the government was assured of no attacks on security forces or government installations in troubled areas,” Hoti told German ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Gunter Mulack, who called on him at his office on Tuesday

.

Ameer Haider Khan Hoti said that some forces were against the provincial government efforts for peace and stability, adding assassination attack on TNSM leader Maulan Sufi Mohammad was part of that conspiracy, in which the Maulana narrowly escaped.



The chief minister briefed the German envoy about the overall progress being achieved in improving law and order situation and developmental strategies of his government in the province.



Hoti also thanked the German government for its assistance in various fields and said the government and the people of the province greatly valued their services.



In his address, Dr. Gunter Mulack said that his government will continue to support the newly elected provincial government for the development of the province.



Chief minister rebutted the impression that a parallel government or judicial system will be established in Swat and Malakand as result of the agreements.

He said the basic problem of the Swat dwellers was delay in receiving justice and his government was taking measures for provision of speedy justice to the people of Swat.



Hoti said peace in neighboring Afghanistan was linked with peace in tribal region which had direct bearing the settled parts of the province.

He said that fruitful results of the FATA package could only be achieved if administrative and political reforms were carried out in tribal areas.



He said that innocent people were affected from use of force in FATA and led to increased support of locals for the militants there.

Hoti said that the British foreign minister during his visit to Peshawar had supported the provincial government for its efforts establish peace and stability in the province.



He said that it was very necessary to strengthen police forces for curbing militancy and establishing writ of the government in the province. Underlining the need for sufficient resources, the chief minister said the police force needed to be provided latest weapons, training and other allied facilities in order to enable them to cope with untoward situation.