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No Appeasement with Taliban

By

Sajjad Shaukat

After the World War I, the policy of appeasement was followed by the Great Britain to pacify German leader Hitler who increased his demands and occupied more European regions. Such a British strategy which showed signs of weakness resulted into World War II. In one way or the other, Pakistan’s present government is acting upon the similar policy towards all the militant groups of the Taliban, especially Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which has continued its terror-activities such as suicide attacks, bomb blasts, targeted killings, ruthless beheadings of the innocent people, assaults on security personnel and prominent religious figures. On January 20, this year, thirteen people including six security personnel were killed and 29 others injured after a suicide bomb, exploded at R.A Bazaar near the army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. Besides other cities of Pakistan, particularly Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Karachi have become special target of subversive acts, while in Balochistan, the Taliban have connections with other insurgents’ outfits like Balachistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Jundollah (God’s soldiers).

Condemning the latest acts of terrorism, particularly in Rawalpindi by the TTP which also claimed responsibility for the same, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan stated that attacks on innocent persons and armed forces would not be tolerated. On the one side, they have repeatedly been emphasizing upon peace dialogue with the Taliban, especially those of the TTP, while on the other, taking note of their perennial terror-attacks, they have also suggested strong action against these militants.

In this context, although the rulers have expedited the formulation and promulgation of anti-terror laws as part of counter-terrorism strategy, yet they are wavering between fact and scepticism, as they are appeasing the TTP and their affiliated insurgent groups which have again and again been rejecting government’s offer of peace dialogue, while continuing their acts of sabotage. Even leaders like Imran Khan who were showing sympathies with the Taliban have condemned their recent terror-activities.

It is mentionable that TTP is acting upon shrewd tactics, as sometimes it claims responsibility for its terror-assaults and sometimes denies the same. For example, when its militants had attacked the church in Peshawar in September, 2013, TTP did not accept responsibility, but afterwards, by misinterpreting Islam, its spokesman said that it was in accordance with the Shariah (Islamic Jurisprudence). Similarly, TTP condemned bomb blast in the Tableeghi Markaz (preaching center) in Peshawar, which killed nine people on January 16, this year, but, it claimed the responsibility of attacks on police in Malakand, Shangla and Mansehra including military convoy in Bannu and R.A Bazaar near GHQ.

Meanwhile, the TTP new Chief Maulana Fazlullah had dismissed the proposed peace negotiations with the government as a “waste of time”, and vowed to target the prime minister, chief minister, chief of army staff and corpse commanders.

However, tough terms of the TTP for reconciliation indicate double game. In the recent past, in a letter, Pakistani Taliban demanded that Pakistan should pull out of the Afghan war, abandon its pro-American and pro-western policies and change its constitution and foreign policy in conformity with Islamic Shariah.

But, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik had pointed out that the Taliban’s offer of conditional truce was unacceptable, adding, “Taliban groups cannot dictate the state.” While indicating unclear policy, the government is indirectly pacifying the TTP and other Taliban insurgents who have been emboldened, and keep on challenging the writ of the state.    

Notably, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wants to initiate peace process with the Taliban in accordance with the decision of the All Parties Conference (APC) in which leaders of the mainstream political parties had participated.

Contrarily, now, situation has entirely changed. Recently, while condemning the inhuman activities of the insurgents, particularly by those of the TTP, more than 100 Islamic scholars clarified in their joint fatwa (edict) and separate statements that “killing of innocent people, target killings and suicide bombings including sectarianism are against the spirit of Islam…the terrorists’ self-adopted interpretation of Islam was nothing but ignorance and digression from the actual teachings of the religion.”

In fact, Islam is a religion of universal application, as it emphasizes peace, democracy, moderation and human rights including tolerance of political groups, religious communities and sects which are in minority in a country. In this connection, the Constitution of 1973 which was unanimously adopted, clearly states that Pakistan is basically a democracy guided by the Islamic principles and values—no law would be made contrary to Quran and Sunnah. 

Undoubtedly, in our country, the victims of terror-attacks have been innocent men, women, and children. While ruthless beheadings of the people, assaults on security personnel and prominent religious figures—blowing children schools and attacking the female teachers in order to deny education to girls, the militants also targeted the places of worships. Their nefarious acts resulted into killings of several persons in Pakistan.

Nevertheless, Jihad is a sacred obligation, but its real spirit needs to be understood clearly, as murdering innocent women and children is not Jihad. These Taliban and their banned affiliated groups are defaming Islam, concept of Jihad, and are weakening Pakistan.

As terrorists have accelerated their anti-social, undemocratic and un-Islamic practices, therefore, people from all segment of life and majority of politicians want that a handful of terrorist elements must not be allowed to dictate their agenda and to impose their self-perceived ideology on the majority of Pakistanis.

While the present government issued three ordinances which are before the parliament—yet to take a concrete form of law. Nonetheless, it is due to delay in formulation and implementation of counter-terrorism policy that the Taliban who continue their brutal acts have been encouraged by the contradictory approach of the present government. As it is a joint war of the nation and security forces, it certainly demands a serious unified action to root out the terrorists including their internal and external supporters. So, the government must not act upon the policy of appeasement regarding Taliban.

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