‘Most difficult phase’
Consolidation, they say, is always the most crucial part of a successful military campaign, especially a long one. Granted, it takes a big fight to dislodge the insurgent enemy from its fortified base – as Zarb-e-Azb has done over the last year-and-a-half. But holding on to the gains, especially when the fight must go on – in more urban settings, in our case – is key to keeping the enemy disrupted. In addition to the military aspect, the exercise requires swiftly repatriating people displaced by the war, so normal life can resume as quickly as possible, and erecting a stable political system so there’s no vacuum to be exploited.
Sadly, though, the government has been behind the curve in its part of the obligation, as duly noted by the KP Apex Committee meeting the other day. According to the press, a bulk of the money meant for rehabilitation of temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) has still not been disbursed, and much of the small sum that has been signed off has yet to see the light of day due to procedural delays. To make matters worse, it seems the prime minister has not turned his attention to the matter for over a month, despite repeated reminders. And as things stand now, there is no telling when the right arrangements will be made to hand over the entire Rs80b, even though TDPs were supposed to be back in their newly constructed homes by November.
Fata reforms is another non-starter, and the government is squarely to blame. Throughout pre-Zarb-e-Azb operations in tribal agencies, the military noted insurgents funneling back to pockets that had been cleared owing to the political isolation of the tribal area. The government promised reforms and a representative governance system in Fata, one which would cater to the needs of the people, to complement the Operation. Yet its words, once again, have not been followed by actions. Unless these issues are addressed immediately, not only will the people suffer, but the battle for hearts and minds will be lost, and terrorists will still ultimately be able to exert influence in the tribal area.