Militancy in Pashtunkhwa and repercussions
By Zar Ali Khan Musazai
Some times back J1 Ameer Qazi Hussian Ahmad staged a protest demonstration in Khyber Bazar Peshawar and demanded of the government to halt supply to NATO in Afghanistan. His party men and other activists proudly and foolishly proclaimed that they had started a campaign which would create hindrances for the forces stationed in Afghanistan which have perched there under the resolution of UN. One wonders as to why Jumat-i-Islami got impetus these days to stop supply line though they were the masters of gold and silver only a year time ago in this province of Pashtun but they kept mum by the time and the supply was smoothly going on and there was neither religion involved nor any other harm but now they realized it to be against the religion which they exploit and mislead the innocent souls on the name of religion. There are reports that US military sends 75% of supplies to Afghanistan through, Khyber Pass, includes 40% of the fuel for its troops. NATO and Russia signed a land transit agreement in April last year allowing alliance to use Russian land to deliver non-lethal supplies to troops; in Afghanistan.
On Thursday feb.5, 2009 Tehrik-e-Taliban spokesman Molvi Omar warned that TTP would accelerate its attacks on NATO containers if the supply was not stopped from Pakistan to Afghanistan.
On the same day Taliban claimed responsibility for torching 12 NATO supplies containers and blowing up a bridge in Khyber Agency.
An operation “Darghlam” was initiated by security forces in Khyber Agency few days back where Several hundred houses of the people were demolished who were alleged to have kept the insurgents but it was alleged that a single terrorist was neither arrested nor killed in the operation only the general public came under the wrath of the security forces of Pakistan who are supposed to defend the people targeted them and left the actual stuff who are considered their own loyal lots and blue -eyed loving boys.
The insurgents fled away from the scenes and hid somewhere at a short distance of the road side, meaning out of sight, out of mind. The insurgents took no casualty and remained safe and sound as such insurgents are needed for next rounds which are prepared by the high ups sitting in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
In pushto language, Darghlam means “I came towards you”. This is a warning before one comes. It is simple that the insurgent are advised in early to hide somewhere in mountains or at least keep themselves away for a short while. So there are loopholes in the operation. This is half-hearted methodology. It lacks sincerity and commitment. Still the insurgents are roaming freely and can do any thing wrong they wish to do. They blow bridges. Destroy and torch schools. Halt supply lines. They hurled threats to all and sundry. Chief of the insurgents in Khyber Agency FATA, Mangal Bagh is freely moving from place to place. Even in the suburb of Peshawar he calls people to Bara, Khyber Agency and gives them punishment if found guilty as he thinks. Most of the people take their cases to him and he has his own style of lslamic courts. Here I am not talking of the Khyber Agency. He has accelerated his efforts to establish himself in Peshawar, district. His men came to a village Bazid Khel, Badaber, Peshawar last morning to get a man hand cuffed from there to Khyber Agency who was alleged to be involved in a crime, (Badaber is a town where the Americans had established a camp in late 50s for the surveillance of the former Russian states through U2). The supporters of the UC Nazim and the militants started firing each other. People of the surrounding villages came flocking with the guns and Kalashnikovs and killed all the 9, militants on the spot. Local police also came for the help of the villagers against terrorists. Later on the dead bodies of the militants were handed over to the political administration of Khyber Agency who gave them to Mangal group of extremists. On his FM radio Mangal Bagh condemned this incidence saying all the killed were martyrs in the way of God and those who killed them were called as killers. He threatened them with stern consequences. He asked the people of the concerned villages to hoist black-flags on their houses to commemorate the martyrs sacrifice.(His own version). Here all the three members of the Provincial Assembly of Pakhtunkhwa namely khushdal khan Advocate, Deputy speaker Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Saqibullah Khan Chamkani and Alamgir khan Khalil thronged to the Hujra of Nazim Fahim Khan and assured their all out assistance, to combat insurgents in the area. Deputy Speaker demanded of governor to take action against Mangal Bagh within 2 weeks otherwise people of the area themselves would devise strategy against religious militants. Khalil and Mohmand tribes deiced to get united against militants. It is worth mentioning here that when Pashtun were disgraced and humiliated by the Mughal rulers of India, Aimal khan Mahmand was the first man who took the sword and started fighting against the enemies of the Pashtun nation. Today when all the Pashtun are fed up with the enemies or the Agents of the enemies once again the sons of Aimal khan Mahmand rose up to defend the Pashtun nation. Here I would call upon other Pashtun tribes to rise against enemies and their purchased Agents and save Pashtun women, girls and children from the dark future and genocide initiated by the Punjabis like Mughals in late 17 century .Here I come to my concerned topic again to mention the actual story of the militants and villagers. All the threats by the militants were taken deaf ear and the brave villagers of Mahmand and Khalil tribes warned if the militants were not controlled by the incumbent governor then they are ready to fight against the extremists in their centers which are located in FATA by the friends of the terrorists not with the consent of the common tribal people as the tribal Pashtun have also been made as hostage. In Pukhtunkhwa (, Province, FATA + PATA) dogs are free while stones are tied. Militants have free hand to move anywhere and they can do everything they want. There is no writ of the government. But at the same time, the security agencies are either unable to control the militants or they are afraid themselves or intentionally have been given free hand. People who are averse to the interpretation of the militants are lifted from the roads, houses and offices in the broad day light and then their life is in the hands of the militants. Women, children old and young all people in Pukhtunkhwa are suffering from tension 24 hours and they have the thoughts for the safety of life. No one knows whether he will come back or not if goes to city. There are reports that there are more than 30 thousands militants armed in Peshawar city alone and what to say of the rural areas where there is a mashroom growth of the religious seminaries working 24 hours. Bajour, Mahmand, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan, Swat, Tank, Bannu, D.I.Khan and Peshawar are in the full control of Taliban. It is claimed loudly by the establishment of Pakistan that her armed forces are engaged fighting against terrorists but the actual picture is some what different as the common people have come too realized from their practical experiences and miseries that military and militants are same and only innocent Pashtun are targeted by both. All most all Pashtun are ready to call UN peace forces to the region and trust on Pakistani security forces does not exist any more.
The establishment of Pakistan broke the Pashtun Code. There is imminent danger that one tribe will fight against other and this will yield dangerous results. This enmity will last for decades. Pashtun nation will be destroyed. Pashtuns think that Punjabi needs their land. Punjabi Generals were heard in 1971, saying that they needed land not people of Bangladesh. Doctors, Engineers, Students, Teachers, Political Workers, and intellectuals of the Bengalis were murdered. On December 15, 1971, the Pakistani security forces said that they were wining but only one day after it on December 16, 1971 the army surrendered and badly defeated. Bangladesh was created and two nations theory was drowned in Arabian Sea. The Pakistan of Jinnah was broken in to 2 parts and the foundation of nazria Pakistan was laid by Genral Sher Ali in 1971. In Bangladesh militants Al-Shams and Al-Bader were the colleagues of Pakistan army who were fighting side by side against the people of Bangladesh more than 3 million Bengalis were butcherd. More than 5 lacks women were raped. These Punjabis fought in Afghanistan where they destroyed that country and wanted to make it as its fifth province. Punjabis broke the Pushtun Code to fulfill their dreams come true. Pakistan’s economy is a war economy. In Afghanistan it earned dollars through promoting militancy and supporting extremists. When Americans landed in Afghanistan in 2001 the Punjabis started war in pushtun region this side of Durand line to get dollars and create problems for the allied forces in Afghanistan. Punjabis want to earn dollars on one hand and on other it tries to engage Americans with pushtoon. Pushtoons are taught that Americans are non-Muslims and fighting jihad against them is obligatory. A factory is established in Punjab while mosque and seminary is setup in Pukhtunkhwa. Almost all the pushtun have migrated to comparatively safer places. Now in swat and FATA there are only military and militants who are one and the same. Both are sweet and loving friends. Talib is not killed. Only the innocents are targeted. The people left their homes. Now the game is going to be matured and the militants are coming to Peshawar and in surrounding area where the pseudo operation will start. People will suffer and militants will have free hand to do what they want and wish. Punjabis should remember and get lesson from the Bengalis when military and militants both fought against Bengalis the victory was for Bengalis and defeat was written in the fate of the military and militants both. Banning routes of Pashtun, assassinating their Mashran, demolishing the schools of their children, forcing them to either leave their homes or going to the camps of extremists who are fighting for the benefit of Punjabis as Agents, and other atrocities by the hands of the anti-Pashtun forces are unacceptable any more. We do not need such Pakistan which is going to be protected on the heads, blood , debris of the walls and rooms, demolition of children schools and sacrifices of Pashtun nation.
A nazi victim narrates his ordeal in such words,
First they came for communist
And I did not speak
Because I was not a communist
Then they came for Jew
And I did not speak
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for trade unionist
And I did not speak
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for me
And there was no one to speak for me
Pashtun say that grave is a difficult place but a dead body will have to bear.
Great poet of Pashto language Rehman baba also says about the hard times in Peshawar:
Due to the barbarism and cruel acts of the cruel rulers
Now home, grave and Peshawar all the three are same.
(The writer is Chairman Pashtun Democratic Council who can be contacted through his email:
The web is:www.larawbar.com/pdc)