LEAs criticised for not curtailing Talibanisation in tribal areas

23 Aug, 2008

Members from the ruling coalition on Friday took the law-enforcement agencies, particularly the spy agencies, to task for their failure in curtailing the growing terrorism, accusing them (agencies) of promoting Talibanisation in the tribal areas.
On the second day of the debate on the law and order situation in the house amid a fresh spate of the fatal suicide attacks, the parliamentarians expressed their deep concern over failure of the LEAs to break the net of the terrorists, questioning their main source of finance used for carrying out fatal activities.
On the demand of the lawmakers, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik assured the house that in-camera briefing on the law and order would be given to the parliamentarians and their input would be incorporated in the internal policy.
Opening the debate, Pervaz Khan, advocate, of Awami National Party (ANP) held the policies of former dictator Zia-ul-Haq responsible for promoting Talibanisation in the tribal areas. He also condemned Pakistan's interference with the internal affairs of a neighbouring Afghanistan in 1980s.
Due to such policies, he said the blood of Pashtoon was being shed everyday.
He suggested the government to adopt a neutral policy regarding war on terror and review Jirga system in the NWFP and Fata to evolve a strategy to overcome the problem through peaceful means.
He said: "We have no interest who would occupy the presidency or the chief justice slot, our people need peace and a stable Pakistan for which our forefathers given sacrifices."
Akhundzada Chittan, a PPP member from the volatile Bajour agency, openly blamed the intelligence agencies for promoting Taliban instead of tracking them down.
"The current operation in the agency is a bid to strengthen the Taliban instead of wiping them out as the innocent people of the agency are victim not terrorists" he maintained. He challenged that he would brief about the fact as to how they (terrorists) were being patronised there. Chittan also rejected the government claim of providing relief to the displaced people of Bajour agency at different camps, saying that the government was doing nothing except exaggeration of the relief activities.
Hanif Abbasi of PML-N questioned that who were the suppliers of bulk of dollars and weapons to Taliban in the tribal areas for challenging an atomic power.
He pointed out that India was actively involved in terrorists and subversive activities in Fata and Balochistan, and alleged that it was providing financial assistance to those, who were involved in these activities through its 11 consulates in the bordering areas of Afghanistan. Abbasi asked the government to make it clear that the controversial policy of Pervez Musharraf on war on terror would not be carried forward.
Engineer Khurram Dastagir alleged that due to the policies of Musharraf, a vacuum was created between tribal elders and the government and it was filled with terrorists, religious extremists and other interest groups.
He also said: "We should stop the use our soil as battlefield for the proxy war of foreigners," adding that a sustainable solution was need of the hour instead of conquering the tribal areas. He demanded of the government to close the political wings of the spy agencies and make them more active to hunt down the terrorists.
He also suggested forming of a standing committee on intelligence oversight to brief the house weekly, retraining of security forces to counter the insurgency and establish governance structure in Fata.
Engineer Ameer Muqam expressed grave concern over the situation in Swat Valley, and said it should be taken very seriously and should not be mixed up with Fata operation. He said 50 percent of the local population had migrated to other places due to declining law and order situation. He demanded implementation of Shariah in Swat, which was the key to resolve the problems of local people according to Islamic laws and would help bring peace.

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