As a part of its deradicalisation plan, the government has started reaching out to Taliban-linked banned militant outfits and in the first phase of the plan, some important leaders and foot soldiers of the defunct Sipah-e-Sahaba are undergoing the process of rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
“The first phase of rehabilitation of the militants linked to Sipah is underway and the recent release of a top leader of this organisation in Punjab is part of that plan. This leader was released after he assured the government he would shun all violent activities and become a peaceful citizen. Some other leaders of this banned outfit also gave assurances that the released militant leader would do what he pledged,” said a senior Pakistani official who asked not to be named.
He refused to disclose the name of the released militant leader. The plan was first devised by former president Pervez Musharraf’s government years ago but it was never implemented. However, with Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders recently deciding to reach out to militant organisations for peace talks in the wake of a serious row with the United States, this plan is now being put into practice.
The government is trying to first work on the leaders of the Pakistani militant outfits and their important followers, who are linked to the Taliban and their groups are popularly known as the ‘Punjabi Taliban’. The officials here said that after the defunct Sipah-e-Sahaba, it would be the turn of other banned outfits such as Jaish-e-Muhammad and Harkatul Mujahideen.
“Yes this plan is underway but the government will make completely sure that the leaders and foot soldiers of all these banned organisations abandon terrorist activities after they are neutralised and that they will never indulge in acts of subversion again,” said another official, who also wished to remain unnamed. He said that in case the leaders of the militant organisations and their followers shunned the path of violence and pledged to lead a peaceful life, they could also be given government jobs in return and would be provided technical training where needed.
He said the leaders of the so-called Punjabi Taliban could also be used for peace talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with which they were associated. However, he said that matter would be addressed later because right now the whole focus was on Pakistani militant organisations and no decision had been made yet about talks with the TTP. The official said the Punjab government had been assisting the security organisations in the rehabilitation and reintegration of Punjabi Taliban and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was on board with the top military leadership for the plan.
