Swat militants had wrecked havoc to the enchanting tourist resort and terrorized the people through acts of savagery. Using Islam as a shield they indulged in using naked force, hypocrisy and malice coupled with deception and treachery. Many instances took place where policemen and soldiers were deceived by the Taliban pretending as friends on basis of Pashtun net and making them believe that they wanted to offer their hospitality. After treacherously disarming them they were kidnapped.

 Those who didn't part with their guns were not touched. Slaughtering captured persons with blunt knife to prolong the agony of victims was most gruesome. The victims were mostly Pakhtuns from Swat and adjoining districts or security forces personnel. Throats were slit and videos made to moralise and civilize. Decapitated bodies were hung by the pole or a tree to create terror. Even dead bodies were excavated from graves and mutilated. Schools were destroyed to do away with education and instead have madrassas only. They wanted to have their style of so-called Sharia using brute force. In our quest for dialogue to restore peace we played into the hands of the militants who had snatched away basic human rights and liberty of action to choose his/her destiny.

The basic foundations on which Pakistan was stood was challenged and jolted. Democracy, parliament, system of justice and above all constitution were declared un-Islamic. The so-called Taliban movement is neither religiously oriented to implement Sharia, nor it is anti-American. All leaders of Pakistani Taliban are students of remote madrassas and have little knowledge of Quran and Ahadith of Holy Prophet (pbuh). Their sole aim is to gain wealth, political power and authority. The MMA government in NWFP which remained in power from October 2002 till November 2007 made no effort to check Fazlullah's growing influence through his clandestine FM radio. Its softness gave complete liberty of action to Fazlullah to spread his influence and become an influential figure of the area.

By the time military operation was launched in November 2007, Fazlullah and his militants had become too strong in the valley and the people terrorised. Whatever gains made by the military in two-month operation were frittered away when it was withdrawn soon after elections in February. Taking the plea that the government was not keen in introducing Nizam-e-Adl in Malakand Division the militants began to assert their authority by targeting the police, civil administration and political leaders. On the pretext of cleansing Swat of immoral activities, they came down heavily upon the women. Girls schools were targeted and boys schools and colleges were also not spared. Video shops and music shops became their favorite target and so was the case with barber shops. All men were ordered to sport beard and offer five times prayers. No woman was allowed to step out of her house unaccompanied or unveiled. Target killings, kidnappings for ransom, banks looting, and extortion became a norm. Consequent to the two month military operation, Fazlullah and his followers fled the scene but no sooner the army was withdrawn in March 2008, they re-entered the valley and began to persecute and kill all those who had sided with the military. 

When peace deal with ANP in May 2008 broke down, the militants began to target ANP and PML-Q leaders, police and civil administration forcing them to desert their posts.  Left with no choice, the services of army were once again sought by ANP government. By mid 2008, many other fronts had become restive because of which the army was employed in Khyber, Kurram, South Waziristan, Mohmand, Bajaur Agencies and Swat. Hardest to tackle were Bajaur and Swat fronts where it took the army units nearly six months to push back well-trained, well-equipped and well-supplied militants to depth areas. In Bajaur, the militants could retain only Mamond Tehsil while in Swat they were driven back to Kabal, Peuchar. As the army was getting ready to launch second phase of the operation in February 2009, another peace deal was inked between TNSM leader Sufi and ANP and the army was once again moved back. The militants ruthlessly beheaded pro-government and pro-military elements within the valley and warned others that if they sided with the state again their whole family would be massacred. 

In the two military operations in Swat within a span of one year, since the militants were not defeated comprehensively, the latter grew stronger and were much better poised to take on the army in the third round. Hats off to the grit and determination of army units, within one month they have cleared over 90% of the valley. Baitullah led Mahsuds and Maulvi Nazir led Ahmadzai Wazirs in South Waziristan pose greater challenge since they have been fighting the army since 2003. Mountain range in the back is more formidable and inaccessible providing better sanctuaries and escape routes as well as supply lines from Afghanistan and other tribal agencies. South Waziristan has already got heated up where Seplotai Fort was attacked by 400 militants but was summarily repulsed. North Waziristan cannot be taken lightly where the army fought toughest battles with Gul Bahadur led militants mostly from Uthmanzai and Dawar tribes. 

While some elements among the Baloch led by dissident Sardars and leaders of nationalist parties are contemplating separation of Balochistan, some among the Taliban in northwestern regions are aspiring for an Islamic state based on Sharia. Local Taliban are linked with six banned extremist groups, criminal elements as well as some religious political parties and have connections with foreign terrorists belonging to Al-Qaeda, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Tajiks, Uzbeks, Pashtuns from Afghanistan, Arabs, North Africans, Chechens, Indians. This conglomeration of terrorists and criminals is sponsored and supported by foreign agencies. It is this wide ranging linkage which makes the threat to Pakistan security that much alarming. FATA, Swat and Balochistan insurgencies are aided by CIA, RAW, RAAM, Mossad, MI-6 from a single platform of Afghanistan which borders both the troubled spots. These foreign powers have commercial and strategic interests which they do not like to lose. The situation for Pakistan is therefore much more complex and dangerous than what it was in Sri Lanka where only RAW was supporting the LTTE.

It has now become very clear that Brahamdagh, Baitullah and Fazlullah led militants are patronized by their patrons in Afghanistan. It is ironical that all these powers have been unashamedly blaming Pakistan on account of cross border terrorism and pressing it to do more against its trained and armed militants and thus trying to kill two birds with one stone. 

In reaction to Swat operations and in anticipation to operations in Waziristan, there has been a spate of suicide attacks and use of roadside bombs in recent days. After the attack on police and ISI set ups in Lahore and on police check post in Islamabad, a suicide attack was carried out on a mosque in Upper Dir. Razmak Cadet College students were kidnapped from Bannu region but were mercifully recovered. Police was targeted in DIK and a paramilitary force convoy was ambushed on Road Mardan-Buner. Peshawar came under several attacks including the one on Pearl Continental Hotel. ANP minister was injured near Darra. Two suicide attacks took place today during Friday prayers in Lahore and Nowshera. Each dastardly act resulted in loss of innocent lives. One possible reason of targeting mosques is condemnation of Ulemas and religious notables of violent and un-Islamic acts of Taliban. The main reason is however to unnerve the leadership and force it to abandon military operation which has posed an existential threat to militancy. Undeterred, the military is continuing with its operations and has targeted militant hideouts in Upper Dir, Hangu, Orakzai and Bannu to constrict their space and eliminate militancy from all quarters.       

The writer is a defence and political analyst. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it