Deradicalisation of terrorists: not an easy task. But then again, nobody said it was going to be a walk in the park. As the problem was beginning to spiral out of control, along with an acerbic state of relations with the United States, one need not be a strategist to understand the need for such an action. A radical problem deserves a radical solution.
Though the plan envisages leaders and prominent foot soldiers of Pakistani Taliban to be reintegrated into mainstream society, it is the implementation aspect of the plan that would be the target of criticism. One should be sceptical of the plan rather than being optimistic, or at least that’s what past experience teaches us. They make promises to shun their ways, the army retreats from their area, and they resurge with even more venom than before. Proponents of this plan need to stay one step ahead this time. There should be no let up for the terrorist, no loophole, no easy way out and most of all, a guarantee that they won’t go back to their violent ways.
The strategy behind the plan may be praiseworthy, but it is the tactical details that can’t be missed out as the devil is in the details. How actually is it going to play out in the long run? Would they willingly submit to this plan? How would the government deal with their foot soldiers, followers and sympathisers? Is the government really going to forgive them and not going to take them to task for what they have done to this country and thousands of its citizens? Burning questions like these could pose an obstacle in the implementation of this plan. And let’s not forget it, the judiciary could jump in the fray or someone could move the court challenging its legality.
Required along with answers of these troubling questions, acceptance of this plan from the international community, or at least from the US and Afghanistan, is a must. Their apprehensions are not totally unjustified as various factions of militant groups in the past have reneged from peace pacts with the government. Unless visible progress can be seen in this regard, any such plan would only make the government appear more appeasing than coming from a strong position. And that’s exactly what the government can’t afford.