In the face of heavy odds
Disregarding warnings from the KP establishment and the possibility of attacks by the militants, Imran Khan has launched his march to Katkai, the first village in South Waziristan bordering the settled district of Tank. The PPP, ANP and JUI-F, which have been ruling KP in alternating combinations, are unhappy to see a new claimant to power entering their turf with a bang. The militant outfits are jealous of any mainstream party showing the tribesmen a non-violent way of getting their demands accepted. Playing its cards close to its chest, the TTP has maintained that it does not need the sympathies of a party headed by a liberal and secular Imran Khan. This indicates the militants do not rule out an attack. Despite the risks involved, Imran Khan believes that the people of South Waziristan would provide security to the peace rally.
The KP establishment has relied on bureaucratic arguments against the march besides showing concern for the burden it would impose on law enforcement agencies. The administration has announced that it would not allow foreigners in the march to enter the tribal areas because they do not possess the mandatory permits. There are about 100 foreigners in the march, including about 40 from the US. They comprise peace activists and reporters. Interestingly the same administration has failed to stop the continuous traffic of foreign militants to and from Waziristan.
Imran Khan’s peace march would help highlight the issue of drone attacks. The group of American peace activists has already presented to the acting US ambassador a petition with more than 3,000 signatures and a letter from a number of prominent Americans demanding an end to the drone strikes. The march would have a positive impact on the people of Waziristan also. For the first time they will find that the rest of the country cares for them. It would thus help bring them into the mainstream.
The march was hailed enthusiastically by people all along the route as it moved towards Dera Ismail Khan. It grew larger as more people joined it from the towns on its way and those coming from the cities of KP. It goes to Imran’s credit that while the leaders of other parties failed to go beyond statements of sympathy, Imran found an innovative way to bring the issue of drone attacks to the notice of the world. International media cannot ignore the event, as it does the statements of politicians, on account of so many foreigners being part of the march. While one agrees that providing security to thousands of marchers can pose difficulties for the law enforcement agencies, the march would strengthen those in the West who oppose the drone attacks.
It is now clear that the march will not be permitted to go ahead and will not reach the heart of the drone-hit areas. In spite of all the dirty tactics employed by the government, rival politicos, the US and Taliban, the march has successfully registered the message that drones kill even those who are non-combatant. Will Mr. Khan organize another march against Pakistani Taliban who are an Indian proxy and foreign terrorists living on Pakistani soil who invite drone attacks and who are responsible for instability of the entire region, is a question agitating thinking minds? Read more at: http://passivevoices.wordpress.com/2012/10/06/waz…
WHO ARE LOCAL TALIBANS?DO THEY WANT DRONES TO END?INFACT THEY APPEAR NOT.THE MORE THE DRONE ATTACKS,THE MORE THEIR POLITICAL TERRORISM OR CANABAKISM.IMRAN IS A SHEIHIKHORA WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND POLITICS BUT HIS ARROGANT VIEWS SUPPORTING ZARDARI-ALTAF AXIS
IK ended his march by taking a quick u-turn of his silver colour SUV as soon as a junior officer of the FC told him to do so! This speaks volumes as to who is running the Security Policies of the country. If IK really believes what he says about drones, then the place to protest is Rawalpindi and not Tank.
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