Some excellent points made by the NWFP Governor. The government did try to convince the recalcitrant minority of tribal leaders to give up the foreign terrorists many, many times, but they refused. These foreigners are not Jihadi’s but cowards. They do not have the courage to go back to their own countries to fight their jihad, and are using our territory to carry out their political feuds and terrorism, nothing else.
http://www.nni-news.com/current/main/news-09.htm
**Operation in Waziristan initiated after many jirgas: NWFP Governor **
The NWFP Governor Lt. Gen. Â Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has said, operation in South Waziristan Agency was initiated after holding many jirgas with the respective tribal elders and having assurance of the tribesmen that they would not let the foreign elements to stay in their areas and has vowed that the operation will continue till its logical end. Talking to renowned journalist and compare Mr. Salim Safi during the PTV current affairs programme New Night, the governor said that the foreign elements who have taken shelter in South Waziristan Agency are in fact irrelevant to Afghan Jehad because majority of them are reportedly Chechen and Uzbeks who didnt participate in Jihad in Afghanistan. Similarly the other people who waged Jehad against Soviet occupation would now certainly be too aged and their presence in the area is also out of question. These people, he added are in fact those who are hiding in our territory to score their political differences with their respective governments. They have their own political agenda and we would not allow any one to use our territory to achieve their own targets. On a question, the governor said that during Afghan Jehad the entire world community particularly the Islamic Ummah was behind the Afghan Mujahideen but after the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan all the Mujahideen leaders formed their own government in Afghanistan. Even today, he added, majority of Mujahideen leaders are either practically part of present Afghan Government or its allies. The governor said that the international community particularly the Muslim countries wish to restore peace in Afghanistan and for that matter are desirous that the present Afghan Government should succeed.
Therefore, he said presence of those people who oppose the present Afghan government, on our territory is also unjustified. On another question, the governor said that even if it is considered that these people are anti America even then there exists no justification for them to take shelter on our soil. The United States had provided all out support to the Afghan jehad and all those jehadees including Arabs knew the fact that the United States was backing the Afghan jehad. Now, he added they are not justified to oppose the United States. The governor said that if these people have some differences with their own governments they must go to their own country and oppose them there. On a question, the governor said that despite all these facts, I myself visited the tribal areas on the directives of the President General Pervez Musharraf and offered the foreign elements conditional amnesty. Even such people who had shifted to tribal areas and settled their after Afghan war were also offered that if the respective elders of the area would assure that these people would not take part in any negative activities they could be allowed to continue their stay in the tribal areas alongwith their families.
He said that I repeatedly reiterated this offer but we received no positive response from the other end. We have also made it clear on the tribesmen that if they continued to support and provide safe sanctuary to them they would also be proceeded against under the law of collective responsibility. On a point, the governor said that according to the tribal traditions and law of the land the respective tribes as a whole is considered responsible for any crime or other negative activities taking place in their respective jurisdictions. Therefore, he added operation in South Waziristan Agency has been initiated on these grounds. On a question that the political parties should also have the opportunity to play their role in FATA, the governor said that it was properly considered during meetings and discussions with different personalities but unfortunately their actions and deeds never remained the same. However, the governor said that certain elected representatives are fully cooperating the local administration and the remaining could also be welcomed if they come forward to do so. The governor made it clear that we cannot allow any one to take political benefits out of the prevailing situation. In this connection, he added our strategy is very much clear and it is in line with the customs and traditions of the tribal areas. Regarding the casualties occurred during the operation, the governor said that collateral damages are part of military actions taken to crush the miscreants.
On a question regarding developmental activities in FATA, the governor said that the development process carried out during the past three years is quite unprecedented even in the entire history of the country. He said that two years earlier the FATA ADP was one billion rupees which has now been raised to Rs. Four billion. Moreover many other development projects with the help of United State, Japan and Norway are also under implementation. Similarly, he said the number of primary, middle and high schools are also being raised almost 100% besides the number of degree colleges, which were only 11 till last year but would reach 30 by the end of current financial year whereas it would become 50 within next two years. The volume of development in other sectors like, health, communication and agriculture is also on rise and we are implementing a plan to construct as much as 12 small dams throughout FATA. On question regarding FATA reforms, the governor said that we have already finalized the documentation process of these reforms, which would be implemented at a proper time. However, reorganization of law enforcing agencies has been initiated and training of Khasadar force is underway. Under the proposed FATA reform, he added the power of political agents would be gradually devolved. On a question regarding Governors Secretariat FATA, he said that establishment of this secretariat was decided by SAFRON a few years ago. However its creation at Peshawar was aimed at to facilitate the tribal people to have easy access to resolve their grievances and problems. On another question, the governor said that establishment of small industrial estates in FATA is being planned and their locations would be ascertained on merit and other related factors.