Conforming to recent trends, once again when talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) seemed imminent, an unfortunate event took place that put the whole peace process in jeopardy. All major political parties had showed their commitment to eliminate terrorism in Pakistan in the All Parties Conference (APC) by deciding that engaging in talks with the TTP was the best way forward. The TTP welcomed this development as it had previously complained about the lack of seriousness shown by the federal government in this regard. However, contrary to logic and reason, the TTP on Sunday carried out an IED attack on Major General Sanaullah Khan’s vehicle in Upper Dir as a result of which he along with Colonel Tauseef Ahmed and Sepoy Irfan Sattar lost their lives. This attack was one of four carried out on the same day in FATA. It is speculated that the General was targeted as he was instrumental in cleansing Swat of militants after the TTP broke its accord with the government in 2009. Needless to say this incident, coupled with the preconditions of talks set forth by the TTP, has caused a serious setback to the prospects of the peace talks. The TTP has stated that the ‘minimum’ the government needs to do in order to engage in dialogue with them is to withdraw troops from the tribal areas and to release all the incarcerated members of the TTP.
Army chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani in a strongly worded statement on Monday not only condemned these attacks but also made it clear that the terrorists will not be allowed to dictate terms. He reaffirmed the army’s support for the political process but at the same time categorically stated that terrorists should not view the army’s commitment to respecting the will of the people as weakness. Pakistan’s army, he elaborated, is fully capable and willing to fight the terrorists whenever required. The civilian leadership while vehemently condemning the terrorist attack on the General fell short of squarely pinning the blame for this heinous crime on the TTP. It is true that the better solution to this menace of terrorism is through peace talks instead of more bloodshed but in order to negotiate, both parties to the conflict should be rational and willing to compromise. The truth of the matter is that the bare minimum conditions put forward by the TTP seem untenable, especially after the events that transpired in FATA. Whether these attacks were tactical, in order to strengthen the TTP’s position in talks with the government, or part of the TTP’s grand scheme of enforcing their own brand of shariah in Pakistan is not yet clear. What has been made clear is that the political leadership seriously needs to reassess its stance in the light of Major General Sanaullah’s assassination.
Pakistan’s struggle against terrorism is rooted in an ideological conflict between the forces of moderation and extremism, the former heavily outnumbering the latter. The roots of Islam in Pakistan can be traced back to Sufism as the revered Sufi saints were responsible for spreading the religion in this region. Even today, the majority of Muslims in Pakistan adhere to the Barelvi school of thought as opposed to the Deobandi, which is more puritanical in nature. According to a recent Pew survey carried out in eleven Muslim countries, including Pakistan, it was revealed that out of all the countries surveyed, Pakistan had the highest disapproval rate of suicide bombings and other acts of violence that targeted civilians in the name of Islam. A staggering 89 percent of people surveyed rejected these actions, so frequently employed by the TTP. Moroever, the survey also revealed that 65 percent of Pakistanis had a negative opinion about the Taliban in general. It can be safely said that the TTP does not enjoy popularity and its ambitions of overthrowing Pakistan’s democratic state and establishing a so-called Islamic emirate cannot be realized. The political leadership, especially the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, should realize that the stark difference in the TTP’s worldview from that of the rest of the population is irreconcilable. This realization would strengthen the Pakistan army’s hand in fighting against the terrorists. *