Pakistan is a front line Non-Nato Ally of US led coalition in the War Against Terrorism. Geo-strategically and Geo-politically Pakistan is a very significant character on the international stage. Pakistan herself also has become the victim of the terrorism. After the merciless incident of September 11, 2001, USA invaded Afghanistan and once again looked towards Pakistan for help as it was facilitated in 1979 against USSR. In December 2001, USA attacked Afghanistan and after few months of resistance Taliban regime was ousted. Taliban is a group of some radical people who believes in extreme and fundamental values and interprets Islam according to its own point of view. They believe in the use of force to spread the message of Islam that is against the true spirit of Islam. Pakistan fought a proxy war in Afghanistan and Jihadis from all over the world came to Pakistan to get training of guerilla war tactics. USA funded Pakistan for the establishment of seminaries to equip the Jihadis against USSR in Afghanistan. Since that time these Jihadis have been settled in the tribal areas of Pakistan along with the border of Afghanistan.
Once it was thought that Taliban has lost all their powers after the fall of Mulla Omer’s regime, but they better equipped, financed and regained strength not only in Afghanistan also in neighbor state Pakistan with the passage of time. In Pakistan, these people are commonly known as the ‘Local Taliban’. Right after the demise of Taliban government in Afghanistan, they started insurgency across the Durand Line in Pakistan. Tribal areas of Pakistan became the hub of terrorist activities. Blame game between both governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan started. Both think that the other country in responsible of terrorism in the whole region.
Pakistan’s previous government deployed its army at the large scale for the first time in the history of Pakistan to crush the terrorist militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). A large number of militants and army men lost their lives during the operations. On September 5, 2006, the Waziristan Accord, an agreement between tribal leaders and the government of Pakistan was signed in Miranshah, North Waziristan to end all fighting. But later that agreement could not prove as much fruitful and the insurgency remained continuous. With the passage of time other three agreements were signed but they also faced the same fate. The government of Pakistan launched another military operation in Swat in November 2007 after militants led by Moulana Fazlullah had tried to seize the control of the district and cut off the Karakoram Highway that links Pakistan and China. The culture of terrorism spread all over the country. Killing and suicide bombing became the routine of daily life. Flames of terrorism took the whole country in the lap of spreading fire.
The day when new elected government came into office, the threat of terrorism was haunting it. It is the real threat to the stability of the state. On May 21, 2008 the provincial government of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) signed a fifteen point peace pact with the local Taliban in Peshawar. The NWFP government was represented by Senior Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Senior Minister Rahimdad Khan, Enviornment Minster Wajid Ali Khan and Awami National Party’s provincial chief Afrasyab Khan. The Taliban militants were represented by Moulana Fazlullah’s aide Muslim Khan, Moulana Mohammad Amin and Ali Bakht. The talks lasted more than six hours.
Once it was thought that Taliban has lost all their powers after the fall of Mulla Omer’s regime, but they better equipped, financed and regained strength not only in Afghanistan also in neighbor state Pakistan with the passage of time. In Pakistan, these people are commonly known as the ‘Local Taliban’. Right after the demise of Taliban government in Afghanistan, they started insurgency across the Durand Line in Pakistan. Tribal areas of Pakistan became the hub of terrorist activities. Blame game between both governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan started. Both think that the other country in responsible of terrorism in the whole region.
Pakistan’s previous government deployed its army at the large scale for the first time in the history of Pakistan to crush the terrorist militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). A large number of militants and army men lost their lives during the operations. On September 5, 2006, the Waziristan Accord, an agreement between tribal leaders and the government of Pakistan was signed in Miranshah, North Waziristan to end all fighting. But later that agreement could not prove as much fruitful and the insurgency remained continuous. With the passage of time other three agreements were signed but they also faced the same fate. The government of Pakistan launched another military operation in Swat in November 2007 after militants led by Moulana Fazlullah had tried to seize the control of the district and cut off the Karakoram Highway that links Pakistan and China. The culture of terrorism spread all over the country. Killing and suicide bombing became the routine of daily life. Flames of terrorism took the whole country in the lap of spreading fire.
The day when new elected government came into office, the threat of terrorism was haunting it. It is the real threat to the stability of the state. On May 21, 2008 the provincial government of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) signed a fifteen point peace pact with the local Taliban in Peshawar. The NWFP government was represented by Senior Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Senior Minister Rahimdad Khan, Enviornment Minster Wajid Ali Khan and Awami National Party’s provincial chief Afrasyab Khan. The Taliban militants were represented by Moulana Fazlullah’s aide Muslim Khan, Moulana Mohammad Amin and Ali Bakht. The talks lasted more than six hours.
According to this 15 point peace agreement, the local Taliban has accepted the writ of the government in the region and promised to help the administration to maintain the law and order situation. Taliban has renounced the militancy and terrorism. They have also agreed to eliminate all sources of militancy and stop training suicide bombers. This agreement envisaged a phased withdrawal of troops from the District of Swat and required Moulana Fazlullah’s supporters to stop attacks on security forces, government officials, installations, girls’ schools, CDs shops and barbers shops.
Under the agreement, the government will enforce Sharia Laws in the Malakand division and withdraw cases registered against the Taliban. A joint committee will scrutinize the cases filed against militants, including Moulana Fazlullah. The Imam Dheri seminary which served as the headquarters of the militants will be converted into an Islamic University. No group will be allowed to recruit a private militia. No radio channel will work without the prior permission of Government. Moulana Fazlullah has been allowed to run his controversial radio channel. No one will be allowed to obstruct the polio vaccination schemes in the area. The Taliban will help the action taken by the local authorities against kidnappers, robbers and other criminals. The government will pay the compensation to the people who have lost their relatives in the military operations and whose houses have been damaged.
This peace accord is being considered a very kind step taken by the government and the local Taliban. People have hopes that this agreement will be fruitful for the restoration of the peace in the region. The newly elected government has abandoned the policy of use of force against those people who are ready to sit on the negotiation table. The fifteen point peace agreement was need of the time, as the use of force could not create peaceful environment. It is the first step of the popularly elected government for the conflict resolution through amicable means. Though USA and Afghanistan have reservation on this peace deal but it is the demand of the time that parties to the agreement should follow it for the peace and tranquility in Pakistan.
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