Chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khan Khattak (R).—File Photo by INP
Published 2013-06-10 08:13:50
ISLAMABAD: The PTI-led coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is about to formally demand that the centre should withdraw army from Swat and Malakand in a phased manner because it believes it to be an important step for establishing peace in the province and adjacent tribal areas.
The Amir of the KP chapter of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Prof Mohammad Ibrahim, disclosed on Sunday that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had already raised the issue during a recent meeting with Peshawar’s Corps Commander Lt-Gen Khalid Rabbani.
Talking to Dawn, Prof Ibrahim, whose party is a coalition partner with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in the province, said the provincial government was preparing a plan to hold talks with all stakeholders, including the Taliban, in an effort to restore peace in the country.
“The PTI, JI, Qaumi Watan Party and Awami Jamhoori Ittehad, all coalition partners in the KP government, have decided to first consult all provincial political and religious parties and tribal elders about the peace process,” he said.
They have also decided in principle that after consultations at the provincial level they will hold talks with the federal government and the army.
The JI leader said his party wanted a “national policy” to establish peace in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
Well the army cannot remain there for ever, its about time local intelligence (IB) and police/levies be trained to take over the responsibility for law and order of these areas.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
^ how long should the army stay there? Whose responsibility is to provide local security? Army or civilian paramilitary forces? It's about time the local police be strengthened otherwise the army will remained bogged down for a very long time.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
^^^ However long is necessary b/c civilian law enforcement & local administrations are not ready to take control of these areas. If the army is withdraw we will go back the time when Taliban were about mach on Islamabad. Btw, its naive to think that unilaterally disarming will bring peace because it wont & I hope army puts its foot down and says no.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
^ that time would never come.
The police needs to be trained, provided with the necessary tools and be given the responsibility for maintaining law and order in the areas under their jurisdiction.
The army is overburdened at the moment (as they are doing Policing as well). Most important is to stop the cross border movements between Afghanistan and Pakistan (the basic responsibility of the army) in which the army has failed.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
Well the army cannot remain there for ever, its about time local intelligence (IB) and police/levies be trained to take over the responsibility for law and order of these areas.
The Taliban arent far away. They probably crossed in the Afghanistan or are lying low in Swat itself. Whats to prevent them from taking over again?
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
^ how long should the army stay there? Whose responsibility is to provide local security? Army or civilian paramilitary forces? It's about time the local police be strengthened otherwise the army will remained bogged down for a very long time.
Until the Taliban are eliminated completely, including from NW, and there is no threat of anyone taking over again.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
Any idea how many locals have been forced to take up arms against the state because of the ongoing military action and presence? With a continued military presence, this will be a never ending cycle of violence and terrorism.
Military action against your own population only breeds terrorism...doesnt eliminate it. Show me one example in history where any action by military forces against their own citizens ended nicely.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
This is good step, Army cannot stay there forever, the longer army stays the more enmity it will create for itself. But KP govt needs to sit with military leadership and device a plan for safe withdrawal with sustained peace in the area.
It will also free up PakArmy's resources to take on NW/Mohmand if needed. Like it or hate it, we "might" have to take some action on ground to stop drones.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
Yes, all the Chechens, Uzbeks, Afghans & Arabs waging global jihad from tribal areas are all locals.
Are you saying that the Uzbeks etc are living in a pocket of land where there is noone other than foreigners? Fact is, they are mixed in with the locals, and when they are bombed/droned, a number of local civilians die in the process as well. And you cannot expect those locals to accept their dead as collateral damage and turn the other cheek every time.
A step wise process is required to weed out these elements. Internal military actions and bombings are never the answer. If at all, we need to use the locals in our favor, rather than against us.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
^^^ Why not just given in to what Taliban want? Let them takeover, shut down women education & kill anyone who does not agree with their brand of Islam. Let see w/o army's is protection how long PTI stays in power in KPK.
Those who are cheering for these terrorists clearly have short memories that negotiated peace settlement did not work in the past. In 2009 Swat was handed to Taliban under the condition they will rule their kingdom only & not try to expand, but Taliban failed to keep their promises. They were threatening to march on Islamabad when they were routed from Swat by the Army. Since then 10k troops and some 40k people paid with their lives fighting these scumbags.
As for foreign terrorists, they should be kicked out. Let them go fight their own corrupt govts. What are they doing in Pakistan?
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
^ If PTI is not able to control terrorism it would lose the next elections. The previous government has done all they could and failed to defeat terror. Let PTI have its way, if they fail it would bring their downfall. Whats the issue?
As far as foreign terrorists are concerned who will kick them out, with the porous borders and the army bogged down in various settled areas?
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
^^^ The issue is what PTI is trying to do is what MMA did during their rule. Letting Taliban retake areas by withdrawing army is a recipe for disaster.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
Btw at the moment the most dangerous terrorists are coming from Punjab, the only way to rid of this menace is to conduct operations through out the country.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
Pakistani counter terrorism policy (operations after operations after operations in the same areas) and the terrorists are still there. The operation in khyber agency is going on for three years. If swat was purged from terrorists how have they returned? No one has got the time to stop, think and and analyse if there's a problem somewhere.
Re: PTI to ask for withdrawal of army from Swat and Malakand
^^^ Swat is much more peaceful today then it was 3 years back. There are no headless bodies of police found in Mingora & likes of Muslim Khan aren't threatening anyone. Can you eliminate all terrorists? No. But the point is, the military to large extent has brought stability back to the region. If not, what was the point of sending in army on the 1st place?