Swat deal

25 Feb, 2009

The government of Pakistan has recently struck a peace deal with Taliban of Swat. I have a few observations in this regard. First, historically no deal with Taliban in the past worked out as Taliban always back out on their words.
Secondly, Taliban always talk of peace when they are badly hit by the security forces and they are short of their men, money and weapon, so they need time to regroup and re-arm themselves. As soon as they got re-energised the peace deal breaks and more terrorism starts. Thirdly, the way Taliban exhibited the religion and Shariat is rejected by all schools of thoughts in Pakistan and elsewhere as Islam stands for peace. Fourthly, Taliban are a bunch of half literates of madrassah, mostly run by an extremist schools of thought present in our society.
Have Taliban got any scholars of Islamic Fiqah, history and Shariat? The simple answer is no. Islam emphasises education both for men and women, which Taliban deny. Fifthly, one can make a deal with locals of Swat as they want peace, but making deals with Taliban who are a few thousand in number, means that they have become Sardars of Swat. Sixthly, Taliban and their foreign supporters are here for war and not for peace. I fear that this Swat deal sooner or later will fall apart and a more dangerous battle will start.

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