Paying for mistakes: North Waziristan blamed for its misfortune

GOC says natives were displaced because they supported foreign militants

BANNU:

The Garrison Officer Commanding (GOC) for North Waziristan Agency, Major General Zafarullah Khan, said people of North Waziristan have no one to blame but their own selves for their plight as they had supported foreign militants earlier.

The commander of seventh division, while addressing a grand jirga of tribal elders in Bannu on Monday, said people of North Waziristan have been displaced owing to their own mistakes and the army is not to be blamed for this.

He further said that people of North Waziristan used to give their houses to Uzbek and Chechen miscreants on higher rent and also used them as a shield against their personal enemies.

The Maj Gen Khan informed that around 706 army soldiers have been martyred from 2007 to 2011, while the militants have carried out 2,509 attacks on military so far.

He mentioned that army didn’t start war in the region but it was initiated by Taliban Commander Gul Bahadur. He also said that these militants had made peace agreements with the army in 2007 and 2009, but despite those agreements they continued attacks on the security forces — which they later called a misunderstanding.

The GOC said that militants have planted landmines at every step in the agency and the army cannot allow people to return to their native areas as their lives are still unsafe there. Zafarullah, on behalf of army, assured that they are making efforts for the repatriation of the IDPs, but can’t give a set timeframe for their return.

“If you (the tribesmen) want peace in North Waziristan, then you have to change your thinking pattern and support army against the militants,” said the military commander. He mentioned that earlier an option was given to the local elders of the area to play their active role and save their people from displacement but the elders couldn’t perform what was expected of them.

Maj Gen Khan said that now the tribal elders need to make a 10-member committee to remain in contact with officials of the security forces. “Names of those included in the committee should be submitted till November 17.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2014.