I am convinced that even if there are peace talks they will not end the suicide attacks.
LAHORE: When the idea of peace talks was put forward, I was somewhat convinced that it could bring much-needed peace in the region. Thinking about it now, with all the recent attacks that have taken place, I know this is wishful thinking.
Let’s take a step back and look at things from the point of view of the TTP or those who support it.
They will say that people turn to a life of militancy because they have lost family members in drone strikes and that attacks on the US are a natural response arising out of that. Such people will also, perhaps, think that they have, in any case, lost a lot and now there isn’t that much to lose. They will reason that their best option, in fact, is to try and extract revenge in whatever way they can. Those who know a bit about history will also say that it is the US that has created the Taliban, since they funded their precursors, the Mujahideen, to fight the Soviets.
This is the way of thinking of the Taliban sympathisers. However, I am not one of them. I am convinced that even if there are peace talks they will not end the suicide attacks. We need to first track down all those who think others are kafirs and prosecute them under the relevant laws. Even if talks have to be initiated with the militants, the government must ensure that the military, paramilitary and police forces are not moved from the areas where militancy is rife.
Furthermore, the government should also try and analyse the psychological element in all of this, i.e., bring in psychologists and make them talk to the captured militants. This way the state can try and understand why people turn to militancy and what it is that makes them do such things.
Ali Ibrahim
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2013.
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