Dawn.com invites its readers to debate current affairs in this forum.
On Sunday, three workers of the Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) and one Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant were killed during an exchange of fire between the two sides in Mamond tehsil, Bajaur Agency.
The clash erupted after TTP men arrested the son of TNSM Bajaur chapter chief Dr Ismail Khan, who is a close aide of Maulana Sufi Muhammad, as well as 15 workers on Saturday night when they were coming back home after organising a TNSM public meeting. The Taliban are of the view that nobody outside their ranks can carry or display arms or hold public meetings. Therefore, the move was opposed by the TTP Bajaur leadership and termed a ‘lashkar kashi’ (attack) against them. Subsequently, the Taliban erected barricades on entry and exit points on various roads in Mamond region and searched passing vehicles.
In reaction, TNSM local leaders announced a public meeting – a show of strength – in the Maina area of Mamond. The situation turned violent when the two sides opened fire on each others’ positions.
Is militant infighting the new curse of the tribal and northern areas? Do you think a power play between different militant factions is imminent? How should government officials and residents of the tribal agencies contend with clashes between militant groups?
The British Imperials left us (Pashtuns) with good infra structure, education system, electricity, jobs and a tolerant society. After independence the naive leadership and greedy establishment replaced our schools with Madarissas, took pen from our children and gave then a kalashankof,threw us in every war from Afghanistan to Kashmir, sold our blood for dollars and it still continues. So what do you expect now. You wanted to see Pashtuns destroyed. You are successful. Today we stand destroyed. You wanted to earn money through the sale of our blood. You stand successful. You got Billions of $$$. You wanted that we should not have a say in the country affairs. Your job is being done by the Talabans. We are without tongues now. We have conceded defeat. You should now face the MUSIC. Good Bye my Greedy and tyrant Big Brother. I am now too week to stand up against your monster
First of all, I like to say (sadly) that I am son of a ex-Pak Army officer. I always admired Pak Army and held them in high esteem until now…
I am amazed at the spineless manner in which Pak Army has ceded control of the country to rag tag bunch of jihadi….and we all thought they will hold india back, if time ever comes…LOL
Pakistan army should go in FATA in order to clean up the area of all kinds of guns and weapons.
The tribal chieftians should be persuaded to help the Army remedy the damaged writ of the State to re-establish an effective control of the area by the govrnment.
The ongoing militancy and criminal behaviour can not be tolerated at all.
Why curse? it is a blessing, let them fight it out, may the longest beard survive.
Dear Mr. Waris Khan,
Taliban Freedom Fighters or Terrorists? Where does Quran preaches killing of innocent people, women cannot go to school, suicide bombing, teenager’s peoplic flogging etc? WAKE UP. These people have given Islam bad name. Beside Feta is Pakistani Territory, they want to fight, move to Afghanistan. Why they are distroying 170 million people country.
PAKISTAN WAKE UP. OUR COUNTRY IS BEING DESTROYED. FIGHT FOR IT. RISE PEOPLE RISE. COME ON THE STREETS.
Militant infighting: A new curse?
A curse? Are you kidding? Isn’t it a good thing that the militants get weaker by infighting (well, unless you like them to stronger just like the agencies do)
Where ignorance is bliss its faulty to rise over there. Its useless to teach them. They will finish each other for sure, i dont know why goverment is wasting time and money over there.
Waris Khan,
You’re solution of diplomacy is fine, though I disagree. But you’re showing sympathy and support to extremists, calling them ‘true Muslims’? Its such support that’s allowed this extremist invasion.
They’re not ‘freedom fighters’ nor ‘true Muslims’. After the Lal Masjid debacle they declared war on Pakistan. They’ve bombed shrines as well as Masjids (where Muslims pray). They targeted minority Shia Muslims and non-Muslims. If foreigners want to live in Pakistan that’s fine…but don’t go off killing other Pakistanis and Muslims. I believe the Marriott bombing masterminds were a couple of ‘true Muslim’ Moroccans.
Swat was not a center of any Pakistani or US operation, yet Mullah Radio with his anti-polio nonsense decided to take over.
They’re not labeled militants…they are militants…carrying guns and harassing people, acting like thugs killing people on whimsiest charges.
Those who have knowledge of this lawless region must know that there has always been an infighting between different tribal clans etc. After the defeat of Russians these renegades could not agree to govern Afghanistan peacefully. How can you expect anything different from these illiterate black turbaned (they are not mullahs or maulanas) heartless bandits in Pakistan?
Anyone who calls them freedom fighters out is of his/her mind. These ‘freedom fighters’ started looting people including children of Rawalpindi in 1949 after cease fire was announced in Kashmir (I was a student there) at the point of 303 rifles. Now they have better weapons.
It is unlikely that they would eliminate each other. The only way now to get rid of them would be to mobilise the people of Pakistan against them by a mass propagenda.
It is very surprising that when they killed Benazir Bhutto, people did not rise up against them,instead they burned and looted public property. They should have gone against these killers. As a Bangladeshi visitor described it, the people of Pakistan are in a malaise; they have no direction and there is no unity. All provinces are at loggerhead with each other. Punjabis, Sindis, Balochis, and Pashtoons have become alienated from each other and from Pakistan. I wonder if they would feel any different if and when Pakistan is no longer.
May Allah save Pakistan
Dear All,
These people are born fighters. They have been doing it since ages. You poke your nose, they shoot you. First they fought USSR. They ran away. Then they fought amongst themselves! USA came in, so they are suffering too. So, whether you like it or not, they will fight. In my belief, keeping a gun at home is unsafe. You sometimes might get tempted to use it on someone. And look at the guns in NWFP (as I see the photographs in Dawn). Every man (Taliban or Non-Taliban) seems to have one for himself! And that too, better then I think the standard army issues!! Why you allowed so many guns there? In India, such guns are very costly and not legally available. How these simple salwar kurta clad, illiterate looking guys can afford a thing costing a min 2-3 lakh rupees, is beyond my understanding!!
Reply to waris khan:
It is precisely people like you who have made the current situation in Pakistan so bad. You keep calling them “muslim” and “freedom fighters”, where they are actually barbaric terrorists. what is wrong with people like you? Dont you realize that these guys are nihilistic, and that your perfect islamic state is one where nothing will thrive?
It is the nature of tribes to fight each other on any small dispute. It is also a question of leadership between Taliban and Tehreeq-e-Nafaze-Sharia. Both are congested-minded. Now look at the procession speech of Sufi Muhammad on 19th April.
1-Sufi rejected and challenged the Parliament and insulted parliament as well as the people of Pakistan.
2- Sufi rejected high courts and supreme courts of Pakistan and became a guilty of contempt of court.
3-He insulted all the advocates, civil society and the democratic forces who recently struggled for restoration of judiciary and succeeded.
4-He rejected and blamed all political parties’ especially Islamic democratic parties and issue Fatwa-e-Kufr against these parties and leaders. He only admired a so called secular pashtoon party, ANP.
5-He gave a dead line to government of Pakistan to accept his demands otherwise blood shed will be there. Open threat and blackmailing.
6-He suggested a dress of black Pagri as an Islamic according to his faith. (All other colors are un-Islamic – Nauzbillah).
What a congested minded human-being he is. Even not having common sense or regard for others and their sentiments. He thinks that his brand of religion is only right one and all others wrong. He also threatening and challenging that if his un-justified demands were not met he will fight and make killings. What a creature he is and what he wants.
Now it is clear that MQM stand about the so called Nizam-e-Adl Regulation was very right and I appreciate the stand and rejection of The Senate. I think the people’s party’s democratic government will re-think and will take notice of the insult of democracy, judiciary and the insult of peoples of Pakistan by a Nim- Mullah. ( Khatra Imman )
Taliban represent the symptoms of a people who are having a hard time dealing with the modern age. They are scared of entering the 21st century and trying their level best to keep themsleves and the people in th edark ages, even if thakes behading and lashing a few. No discourse, no research and no consensus. The power of the gun and fear keeps them in comtrol. They have no other means to control their destiny. Internally they feel they have lost out to the west and therefore refuse to accept the facts as heresay, work of ‘infidels’ etc.
The only control they can assert is over helpless and illiterate people around them.
Ulitmately, it is Pakistan who has failed to bring these people into the modern age. By leaving control of these areas to fuedal lords who ruled by fear and proxy mullahs ans eventually Zia’s army we are now seeing this cancer tryign to srpead into the rest of Pakistan.
It can and will enventually be defeated. Ignorance will never win over technology. Unforutnately, it might take a generation beofre the country pulls out of it. The Army is incapable as its leaders are incompetant. The political leadership is even more pathetic. The mullahas are silent and will continue their silence as they are clueless as how to bring the Muslims into the modern world.
We are in for a rough ride for the next 10-15 years.
Readers… It is now upto the people of Pakistan that how to sve Pakistan from the clutches of these extremist groups. First thing is role of media. This role can change public opinion, let people know the facts.
Watch the cruel role of clergy in the cities and rural areas. Let Govt and ;parliaent pass a law to avoid any malicious messages in khutbas for jumma prayers.
Let there be no hatred spead around. Prepare public and then strike. Let not any other power do strikes in Pakistan.
The only hope is that the people rise and confront this situation themselves. Sounds difficult at this time, but it is going to happen sooner or later.
well said fersos,if our goverment cant handle them then they should allow the militants to eliminate each other,we should actively encourge them.the soon these people go, the better for pakistan.
Why should infighting among the Militants be a curse,it is a blessing. If the Militants can eliminate each other it will be a boon for Pakistan as fewer people will be Terrorising the population. Wonder why the Government did not play one group against the other much earlier.
Ah The Government. The days of writ of government are gone in Northern parts of Pakistan. Now see when they start clashing in Islamabad. Some leaders are seen defending the cause of terrorists more than Taliban themselves.
Fighting is the way of life of the talibans. As happened in Afghanistan, after sovient evacuation, for one reason or an other, taliban factions ultimately will fight and kill each other.
I believe people who support talibans are partly responsible for their subversive activities in Pakistan. Please don’t advocate and justify talibans, as there can not be any justification for killing innocent and un-armed people. There can not be any justification for killing people as they are Shias, as they are demcratic, as they are Christians or they don’t agree with the belief & way of life of the Taliban.
The real fight between tribes will take place after the money given by the Friends of Pakistan is distributed. If Sufi gets it all, Fazlullah may not take it lying down. Fighting over ‘kharaj’ is an old tribal habit and the present situation is no exception. There may be further trouble if the ‘distributers’ at the federal and provincial level too stake claims.
Azam Khan
If I were the last person on earth and cloned into 10,000 replicas, the “many me’s” would slowly divide up into cliques and perceive differences between cliques worth fighting about. People always find something to fight over. As for what the local residents can do? I imagine they are for the most part already politicized and aligned one way or another, rather than neutral onlookers. As for what the government can or will do? The Swat capitulation seems to have answered that question.
People with wrong motives and violent beliefs are directionless. They started off by fighting with Army, well trained in hills and guns these militants lack a spiritual, social and cultural upliftment. Non of the taliban has ever read any religious book other than Quran, obviously the insight on Quran is also horribly wrong. After army the next they tried their guns on close rivals and their family under pretext that they are infidels, their women violet Quran and so on. Purpose of Quran was to transform animal-like creatures into Human Beings, whereas these lower souls have become from humans into degenerated wild beasts, probably animals would also be scared of them. These monsters should be wiped out from planet from once. The latest Taliban dictat is democracy is unislamic and import from infidels, dudes where have your guns come from aren’t they unislamic and coming from infidels, where does Quran says punish a women with Kalashnikov?
Assalam-0-Allikum
Of course it is a very serious and a grave matter when masses stand up against their own armed forces. Federal gov’t must accord top priority to its national interest and not to the American’s interests. Taliban’s and other likeminded groups which are fighting for their survival against the foreign troops in Afghanistan are not basically against Pakistan than why our gov’t should involve our armed forces to hit these freedom fighters at their hideouts in FATA areas. the locals being illiterate but true Muslims will never go and act against these Freedom fighters and would rather support them if possible. it is evident that not only the locals but true Muslims from all over the world have flocked here for the support of these Freedom fighters. And at what cost, They have been labelled as militants.
In my opinion, if the gov’t pulls the army out of these areas and adopt socio political approach involving notables of the area through civil Admisitration/Authorities, it will bear fruits.
I appreciate the provincial govt’s approach in this regard.
With Regards
waris khan
Assalam-O-Allaikum
This is a very grave matter and it needs immediate attention and deliberation not only from the gov’t side but the public of Pakistan must also come forward for the solution of this very serious Issue. In my opinion bullet in not the solution, Govt and the locals must find out a solution which should socially and financially compel the militants to reconsider their present course of action. the Gov’t must pull the military out of the theater and adopt a socio political approach involving the civil and local population.
with Regards and best wishes