From the horse’s mouth: Former militants see error of old ways

Victims of their own lack of knowledge, young Swati men now breaking free from shackles of Taliban propaganda.

SWAT: “They would translate the Holy Quran to their own advantage, to say, ‘O, Atheist army of Pakistan...’,” Naeem, a former Swat Taliban collaborator who is being rehabilitated by the Pakistan Army, tells The Express Tribune.

“We were misled by Taliban. They would also often translate [Quranic verses] to say ‘O, People of Swat...,” Naeem, a resident of Battkhel, says. “It was our lack of knowledge that allowed them to mislead us. When we learnt the real Quran, we found nothing like it and realised that they were liars and hypocrites.”

Naeem is being imparted vocational training and education and feels proud of the army. “Now with the help of the Pakistan Army, not only have we learnt different crafts (and trades) but also the translation of the Holy Quran. We (now) know what is right and what is wrong. The Pakistan Army is from among us and for us, and we will always support our country and army.”

Naeem believes that Taliban just wanted was to establish their hold in the area. “They used fear to reinforce their hold on power. They hanged innocent people and beheaded them. Their core mission was to set up their own rule and nothing else.”

Rasheed Ali, a resident of Barikot, agrees with Naeem. “We have collectively decided that they are our enemy and want to harm our country. We will never let them do it again,” he says.

Speaking about how he joined the militants, Ali says according to the Taliban’s interpretation of the Quran, everyone except for them was an apostate. “They only repeated the verses on Jihad. They moulded it in a completely distorted manner and we believed them because we had no knowledge.”

Ali admits that the emotional sermons did have an incredible effect on the people. “They guaranteed us that (if we do their bidding) 70 members of our families will go to paradise,” he said.

Explaining why a number of young men followed the Taliban’s lead, he said they were frustrated because of unemployment and illiteracy. “Most people [in the area] were poor and neglected and (this was why) Taliban had so many followers.”

He also has some suggestions to tackle militancy. “Modern education and employment can help tackle anti-state activities. The government should seriously work for the betterment of the youth of this area,” he says.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2011.