Pakistan is facing a clear and crystalline threat of Talibanisation. Is it an ideology, a creed, a cult, an apprising, a demon or mere phenomena? For sure it is not a mere ideology, it is most likely a creed which is ready to now realign itself with the two main fissures of Pakistani society, one the sectarian or sub-sectarian divide and other the anti-feudal sentiments of poor masses. If that happens, then it will be almost impossible to stymie their march towards Pakistani heartland.
News was circulating in media that armed persons are seen roaming the streets and bazaars of Dera Ghazi Khan, some even termed it the show of force by Taliban. People knowing the rural dynamics of DG Khan being very close to Balochistan know that the Balochi sheep and goats rarer came to the vales during winter and leave the place at the start of summer. Nevertheless DG Khan is very important in the current and past history of Pakistan’s nuclear fuel cycle, as a number of uranium mining facilities are located in the same vales of Balochi sheep rarer of DG Khan. In any future negotiation about CTBT or FWCT it is the place which will figure out most prominently as being the nuclear fuel town.
South Punjab is actually getting prominence riding same workhorse of geography and history. The relationship of lord and vassal is going to be the factor which will decide that how civic tranquillity is maintained in this area. Being completely agrarian South Punjab is under tremendous water stress.
Till the time agriculture is thriving Talibanisation cannot take roots due to the geography of the area based on Great Plains formed by the Indus river system and its dissipating landscape. If government and policymakers failed to address the agrarian sensitivities, then probably we are going for a ride.
The FATA area is sort of Mackinder’s Rim land in this new great game of ascending ambitions. Anyone who controls the FATA Rim land will control the region and eventually much beyond. Pakistan has to reach a conclusion and decide fast that what policy is to be adopted, the appeasement, engagement and containment or a mix of all.
There is no time to lumber on as so much is happening so fast. Talibanisation in Swat was manifesting as an insurgency with the ingredients of a well delineated sanctuary, a nursery for the queen to lay eggs and the shadow economy to sustain the complete life cycle. The ethnic divide of society and fissures on religio-political lines are to be forgotten while dealing with emerging challenges.
Now is the time that the headed hydra of Talibanisation be dealt with people’s participation and a resolve by government. There is a need to bolster the demographic surveys of different areas by initiating different measures to stymie the growth of any obscurantist tendencies amongst any ethnic or sub-ethnic group.
ESCHMALL SARDAR
Peshawar