Reining in militants: Kabul asked to ensure return of Bajaur youth

Cabinet condemns attacks on Chitral and Dir border check posts.

ISLAMABAD:

The federal cabinet asked the Afghan government on Thurs­day to help secure the release of more than 30 children from Bajaur tribal region, kidnapped by the Pakistani Taliban, who have allegedly detained them in Afghanistan’s Kunar province. However, there has been no further headway since the foreign ministry took up the issue with its counterpart.

The boys were abducted after they mistakenly crossed the border into Afghanistan over a week ago. The cabinet condemned the abduction of innocent children from Bajaur Agency and asked the Kabul government to ensure their release at the earliest, read a statement issued after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. The statement, however, avoided directly blaming Kabul or international forces stationed in Afghanistan for failing to control militant activities. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the abduction which they said was in retaliation for the lashkars their elders had raised to help the Pakistan army fight.

(Read: In exchange for Bajaur boys, Taliban want comrades freed)

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has demanded the release of some of its commanders in exchange for the youth. Local officials put the boys’ ages between 12 and 18, but TTP has claimed they were 20 to 30 years old. Pakistani officials blamed the abduction on a militant group allied with Taliban commander Maulvi Faqir Muhammad. Afghan authorities said they had little or no control over the border provinces of Nuristan and Kunar, where factions led by Faqir Muhammad and other TTP commanders had taken refuge and are being facilitated by local militants. Pakistani military officials blamed provincial authorities of supporting Pakistani insurgents in attacking border check posts.

(Read: Ongoing kidnap saga of boys from Bajaur)

Intrusions

The cabinet also condemned cross-border attacks on check posts in Dir and Chitral and asked Kabul to rein in the militants. Gilani informed the cabinet that the security apparatus had been directed to take necessary steps to ensure ‘such abhorrent incidents’ are not repeated, according to the statement. The steps Gilani referred to were not specified in the handout, but a security official revealed they include massive reinforcement at border check posts, aerial surveillance and setting up of village defence committees to fight intruding militants. The Pakistani military has accused Faqir Muhammad of being behind a recent attack on a paramilitary check post in Chitral, which killed 25 troops.

Karachi

The federal cabinet has decided that the ongoing operation by the paramilitary Rangers against criminals responsible for the latest wave of violence in Karachi would continue till the law and order situation is totally under control. According to sources, the federal cabinet had also decided to support the provincial government if it decided to give more powers to the Rangers.

(Read: Karachi worse than Waziristan, says Rangers chief)

The prime minister, said two cabinet members present at the meeting, informed the cabinet that the government would expedite the process of tightening laws dealing with terrorism so that proclaimed offenders of crimes like target killings and kidnapping for ransom cannot take advantage of weak prosecution. The cabinet called upon the law enforcement agencies to take stern action against criminals across the board regardless of their political affiliation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th,  2011.