Malala Yusufzai, a young girl from Swat, was attacked by the Taliban of Fazlullah group from across the border in Nuristan, Afghanistan. This also led to pressure on Pakistan to undertake operations in North Waziristan. But this is a serious matter; operations are undertaken in order to bring relief. Any operation has to be undertaken after gathering reliable intelligence, with able assistance of local population and keeping in mind the tribal traditions. Secondly, there has to be a mechanism that ensures timely replacement by a pro-active civil dispensation as and when the army vacates the area. Army is ever since managing the civilian affairs as the federal and provincial governments are unable to take the charge. The political administrations can’t move without army’s escort. This did not happen even in worst operations during the British Raj.
Challenges for army redouble as a large number of troops deployed on eastern front have been move to western border, thus leaving the defence against India unbalanced. This situation has been exploited by neighbouring countries and an invisible foreign hand seems to be working behind fuelling insurgency in the troubled areas of FATA as well as Balochistan. Vacation of posts by NATO-ISAF forces on the other side of the border leaves the Durand Line vulnerable for Pakistan. This indicates towards the plot to keep Pakistan Army engaged on its western borders, so that continued engagement weakens the armed forces from within. So Pakistan has more at stake than what seems at the face value. The human angle has never been given any priority. People of FATA, who are loyal to Pakistan, are fed up of terrorism.
The situation demands a strategy to be made afresh involving locals, all political parties and stakeholders, with an aim to win over the hearts and minds. Army must be relieved of the local administration burden. It can be redeployed in DI Khan. Development work must start with the cooperation of local tribes. Politically elected representatives and civil society organisations must rally people and show their presence by sharing their grief and treating them with dignity. Political parties must establish offices inside North and South Waziristan. Political government should hold negotiations with the tribes to redefine social contracts. No joint NATO-Pak Operations should be conducted. We should not overstretch army’s deployment in FATA and Swat. Political activities must be allowed in FATA, elections must be held across the tribal area, committees be formed to write a new social contract, the FCR needs to be re-written, FATA be declared a separate province, and development work be started a massive pace to bring the tribal people to mainstream.
