Convincing Bush

ONE hopes Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani would be able to convince President Bush of the futility of Washington’s policy of resolving the complex issue of militancy through use of force alone. The policy has failed to deliver in Afghanistan, where indiscriminate use of military power has led to the killing of thousands of innocent people, creating widespread sympathy for the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. In Pakistan also, military operations in the tribal areas have proved to be counterproductive. They have not only failed to stem the tide of militancy, but created conditions that helped the spread of extremism to the settled districts of NWFP, known otherwise for moderation. Committed militants. as well as ordinary tribesmen motivated by revenge, have conducted suicide attacks in a number of cities.

The policy of tackling the issue of militancy through talks with the Pakistani Taliban, introduced by the coalition government, has on the other hand paid off. While stray incidents of attacks on security forces still continue to take place, the situation has considerably improved. A number of those abducted by the militants have also been released. The bloodletting in the two Waziristan Agencies has stopped and as a gesture of goodwill the troops have started vacating key positions in Mehsud areas. There is a need on the part of the Karzai government to pursue a similar policy to bring peace to Afghanistan. With more money pumped into the economic and social development of the federally administered tribal areas, more and more people would be convinced of the need for peace. This would isolate the handful of extremists who use the excesses committed during military operations to turn the tribal area into a staging post for militant attacks. As Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar has observed, peace talks would also have a significant impact on crossborder militancy.

Policymakers in Washington, who lack the patience required to deal with a phenomenon that has been created to a great extent by their own policies during the Afghan jihad and after 9/11, vainly try to put an end to it through quick fixes. The attack on Damadola has led to condemnations all over Pakistan, while the local tribesmen have vowed to take revenge. There are many who think Islamabad should have urgently protested over the attack instead of delaying its response for three days. Prime Minister Gillani is well aware of the sentiments of the people as well as the coalition partners. He has also received a detailed briefing from the ISI over the issue. One hopes he would try his best to drive home the fact that militancy can best be tackled through talks, rather than use of relentless force, which has failed to restore normalcy in the troubled region during the past so many years.