Peace deal or capitulation?

Monday, March 09, 2009

This is with reference to a report titled “Implement Sharia by March 15 or else, warns Sufi” (March 2). Tanzim-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi chief Mulana Sufi Mohammad said at a press conference in Mingora that he was dissatisfied with the steps taken by the NWFP government and that despite an announcement by the government about the enforcement of Nizam-e-Adl in Malakand division the courts were still following un-Islamic laws. He has now given the deadline of March 15 for the government to implement Nizam-e-Adl across Malakand division and Kohistan district of Hazara division, and threatened to set up a protest camp in case the government failed to implement Sharia before the expiry of the deadline.

But only after an hour of Sufi’s warning, militants violated the peace by attacking a security forces’ convoy in Sarsenai area and kidnapped the district commandant of the Frontier Constabulary along with four guards and a driver in Kumber area of Swat. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman (Swat chapter) Muslim Khan said the convoy was taking ration and had not informed their committee which they had formed to oversee the movement of security forces (March 2). According to the so-called peace deal the security forces will have to inform a three-member committee formed by the TTP before undertaking any movement in the area.

It is pertinent to note that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (Swat chapter) chief Mulana Fazlullah while announcing an indefinite ceasefire on his illegal FM radio on Feb 24, dictated his one-sided terms and conditions to the government by warning it against sending additional security forces to Swat, putting restrictions on the movement of the army in specified places and by warning NGOs against operating in Swat till the implementation of Sharia (Feb 25). Not only this, according to a press report on Feb 25, he also put restrictions on the quantity of ration for troops deployed in the area. On the other hand there are no terms and conditions given by the government for the TNSM to follow. With all this, should it be called a peace deal or capitulation?

Sqn-Ldr (e) S Ausaf Husain

Karachi