New avatar, same goals

Under the less menacing avatar of a peace committee, the Taliban seem to have made a sudden reappearance in Wana, the largest town of South Waziristan tribal agency, several years after being evicted from the area by the security forces. As soon as the Taliban faction showed up, restrictions were imposed on cultural and social activities as well as the movement of women. Apparently prior notice had been given by the so-called peace committee to the inhabitants of Wana under a set of sweeping regulations. It is anybody’s guess how social and cultural events or for that matter women travelling without a male escort could come under the domain of a peace committee. Pamphlets circulated by the group said that women would not be allowed to visit clinics or venture into the market without male members of their family. Male residents have been forced to adhere to a kind of night curfew all in the interest of discouraging vice.

The committee appears to have bitten a whole lot more than it can chew, outlawing the playing of music and the traditional atan which is performed at weddings and other festive occasions. Violators have been warned of dire consequences if they don’t abide by the regulations — hardly the kind of tactics that a peace committee is expected to employ. Committee members claim that many tribal elders have endorsed their regulations.

Despite the harshness of their measures, the group has met with virtually no resistance from the political agents or the local authorities. The Taliban thrived here before 2009 because few dared to stand up to them. When important segments of society neglect their duties the writ of the state can only crumble. To ensure things don’t deteriorate at warp speed and Taliban-style laws are not imposed upon the people of Wana and elsewhere, the state will have to confront the committee, not embolden it.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2017.

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