Fata’s predicament

FAISALABAD: This is with reference to Ayaz Wazir’s article ‘Make Fata a province, too’ (April 30). The people of Fata have since long been deprived of their legal and constitutional rights and it is mainly this which has allowed the Taliban to gather recruits.

Literacy levels are abysmally low and much of what passes of as ‘knowledge’ is disseminated by half-literate mullahs and madressahs. The latter churn out indoctrinated students who are prone to becoming suicide bombers and who, at the very least, embody intolerance. While military operations may be unavoidable to dislodge and eliminate the Taliban, nothing will change until the root causes are addressed by the state.