Adezai Aman Lashkar: Reining in the anti-heroes

PESHAWAR:

Leaders of the Adezai Aman Lashkar have been asked to ‘return’ all their men who were under contract with the police along with official AK-47s which had been given to them. Effectively, with this act, a line has been drawn under the era of the civilian militia which was formed in 2008.

A local police officer told The Express Tribune that a month and a half ago these leaders had been asked to return all guards and weapons. The decision had been taken in light of ongoing military operations in FATA which attempt to snuff out militancy.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Adezai was the first of its kind; a militant movement in Peshawar, the heart of the ‘settled areas’. And Adezai Aman Lashkar was initially a one of a kind response; a counter-force populated by civilians. Over the years, the benefit of the militia which was touted as the Taliban solution was overshadowed by its heavy-handed and questionable treatment of locals.

Gun up

The militia was initially raised by villagers with the support of police but soon the unavailability of arms, vehicles and funds pushed its leaders to demand the ammunition and money.

The police responded by recruiting its members on a two-year contract on a fixed salary of Rs10,000 per month (later increased to Rs15,000), and provided these men with AK-47s. This special force was deployed in their own village to escort the peace militia’s leaders.

“There were six leaders who were given the protection of special force constables, including Dilawar, Haji Abdul Malik, Ali Abbas, Irshad, Waqif Khan and Haji Inam Gul,” said Farman Khan, the brother of late Dilawar who died of respiratory illness in 2013. Farman added all lashkar leaders had been asked to send the contract constables to the police, and the check post established at the house of the late Haji Abdul Malik had also been removed.

He lashed out at the decision, adding the militant threat was still very much real.

“TTP leader Umar Mansoor is a resident of our village and was the first commander of TTP Adezai,” said Farman. “He is the mastermind behind the APS attack too, so you can’t say the militant threat is gone forever.” The police though were of the opinion that most aman lashkar volunteers were involved in suspect activities and many of them have been nominated in murder, attempted murder and kidnapping for ransom FIRs.

“We are under pressure from the military as these leaders roam freely with armed escorts in civilian clothes, creating many problems and causing panic among locals,” added the official.

However, after the police took back its support, most contract lashkar guards chose not to report to police stations, bringing an end to the militia’s state-patronage.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2015.