The Way I See It
Imran Khan can bring peace to FATA

Imran Khan can bring peace to FATA

Peace in Fata is related to peace in Pakistan, a political process should now be initiated to bring stability there.

Mureeb Mohmand October 15, 2012

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s ‘Peace March’ has been widely criticised by many but the fact remains that the liberal Imran Khan had taken a brave initiative to march towards the militancy-struck Waziristan – the headquarters of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

But being a divided nation, we happen to be pessimistic.

Criticism is in our nature and is mainly the reason why we have remained an underdeveloped state even after 65 years of independence. After detaching Fata from Afghanistan in 1893, we were revealed to the world as a land of wild animals, leading people to believe that once you enter this region, there is no coming back.

Yet, the reality is quite different and those who have ever visited Fata will always cherish the hospitality shown to them.

It is exactly this hospitality that the foreigners who came here during the Afghan war and decided to make the region their home remember. They married here, learnt Pashtu, started their businesses and forgot their native homelands.

But now, thanks to the ‘super powers’ and their allies, the region has been made a battlefield on the pretext of the ‘war on terror’. The once brave settlers, as well as the hospitable tribal people, are left wondering whether they should remain in their land or move to the camps for internally displaced people, as chances of them becoming suspects in their own country are high, since possessing a tribal identity card is looked upon as a crime.

Imran Khan’s visit was a chance to promote peace not only for the tribal region but for the nation as a whole. As a tribal, I personally favour Imran Khan’s march and, in my opinion, it was a chance for peace.

It is said that a peaceful Afghanistan is necessary for Pakistan.

Now, peace in Fata is related to peace in Pakistan, and after a successful armed operation in Swat in 2009, it is important that a political process be initiated in Fata to bring stability to the region.

One cannot rule through force and civil administration forever, especially without the support of the masses.

The only way the tribal people can return to their homes is when there is a political process, which implies political activity for all, and not just a select few.

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WRITTEN BY:
Mureeb Mohmand An Express Tribune reporter from FATA. He tweets @mureebmohmand (https://twitter.com/mureebmohmand)

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

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COMMENTS (14)

M.khan | 12 years ago | Reply wazirstan peace March actully the voice of the people of FATA.imran khan only a brave leader n pakistan.for a leadr their must be 3 caristristics.{{GHARAT> SADAQAT. AMANAT}} imran khan has these 3 caristristics.therefore he taken the boled step of wazirstan peace March.

Shahzad | 12 years ago | Reply @Shakeel N: Islam through Hadith gives guidance on governance including on how to coexist with other non Muslims. But it does not allow alternative sources of state power.The Taliban are non state actors who state that apostates ( mur tad ) have to be killed whereas (monafique) it is good practise to kill. Can the state allow this twisted ideology to exist and be practised against its own citizens and against our neighbours including Afghanistan, Iran, China and India. Now this is not fundamentalist Islam but hiding the truth about Islam and in fact blaspheming against our beloved Prophet pbuh, may I suggest this is obscurantism ( falsifying the truth ). I am against war to I, believe light the candle when you fight darkness. But then if the obscurantists blow out the candle and think they have a monopoly on violence and the state should be prevented from protecting its citizens, then I am afraid at some stage you will have to unsheath your sword. But agreed you have to first take the moral high ground to show this ideology is twisted wrong and not according to a great religion. The concern is , are PTI and Imran who I support, on the same platform or are they simply spokesmen for this twisted philosophy , I believe the jury is out and time will tell. But I hope and pray that sanity prevails.

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Kanwal | 12 years ago | Reply I am sure he can bring peace. a lot of SSP people are seen in his rallies as well his men seen in DPC rallies. lol

Shakeel N | 12 years ago | Reply @Shahzad: Nice to read your response and surely it enlightened me. My point is: A liberal in true sense believe in freedom and liberty of people. But here in our society these so called liberals have radical ideas. Now you can give them any different name instead of liberal fascist. How can a liberal be supporter of a war? Probably we import western concepts and change these into our liking and disliking without getting into it's true essence.

Abhi | 12 years ago | Reply so the brave settlers are looking to move out, good for you guys. If you believe so much in hospitability why not invite some american soldiers as well. May be they will also chose to settle here and become your own!

Shahzad | 12 years ago | Reply @Shakeel N: Definition of classical liberal source Wikipedia :Classical liberalism is a political ideology, a branch of liberalism which advocates civil liberties and political freedom with representative government under the rule of law and emphasizes economic freedom. My question were these the core values of our prophet pbuh or are you suggesting he was a communist. Now let's use the correct words. That back word tribal society Arabs lived in where girls were murdered was liberated by Islam. Now please use words you know the meaning off. Fascist is a totalitarian , which is opposite of liberal since a classical liberal advocates amongst other things political freedom. Which totalitarian regimes like Nazi's in Germany and Stalian in Russia opposed because they were totalitarian. For Taliban extremists who believe it is good practise to kill a hypocrite ( monafique ) and mandatory to kill a apostate ( mur tad ) please use the word obscurantist and not fundamentalist . Because a fundamentalist Muslim cannot think so. I hope this clarification is accepted in the same spirit as it is given.

Zalim Singh | 12 years ago | Reply bring peace? he could not even go there.

Parvez | 12 years ago | Reply A fairly balanced article. The one point made clearly by Imran Khan was that this war can never be won by force alone and that is abundantly clear and correct.

Faraz | 12 years ago | Reply It is just political stunt... Drama... A person who can not say any thing in front of a huge crowd in karachi about the karachi killings how can he bring peace to war zone area...

Taimoor | 12 years ago | Reply IKs initiative to actually go there was unprecedented. This march had the potential to radically alter the discourse on drone strikes and the war on terror in the west. But the sad fact is that our own army stopped him from entering Waziristan when the sane thing wouldve been to provide support and assistance to the crew. It is a clear indication that the higher ups even in the army dont want peace in the region.

Sane | 12 years ago | Reply @Asif Fazlani: Agreed. The other side of Drone Attacks has been put in more light by PTI march.

Shakeel N | 12 years ago | Reply I agree with you. I feel extremists are biggest threat to Pakistan, both the religious extremists and liberal fascists. And we must deal with these both wisely.

ikhlaas | 12 years ago | Reply like khan said military operation can be a small part of a large political process.

Asif Fazlani | 12 years ago | Reply Yes absolutely... drone issuwe has been widely avoided issue since long time.. Imran Khan brought attention of western madia and made them aware of colletral damages of DRONE STRIKE...

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