The chief of the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) has proposed that all ‘foreign nationals’ living in the lawless tribal regions should be given permanent residence in Pakistan, if they aren’t willing to return to the countries of their origin.
Mehmood Khan Achakzai, a Pashtoon nationalist leader from Balochistan, did not use the word militant for the foreign fighters and instead called them ‘guests’ – a clear taunt to those who had brought these foreigners into the tribal areas and Afghanistan to serve their own interests.
Achakzai floated this idea in an article that he distributed at a recent seminar in Islamabad on ‘Afghanistan issue and its solutions’. Achakzai and former ISI chief Lt-Gen (retd) Hamid Gul were among the speakers at the seminar organised by Afghan students.
Before giving such a concession to these foreign militants, Achakzai said, “We should tell these ‘guests’ to stop fighting in Afghanistan and Fata because we want peace in this region.”
He added that it would be better to talk to these guests on this issue in the presence of those tribal elders who were sheltering them.
Achakzai also proposed that all foreign militants should be disarmed before giving them permanent residence in Pakistan. He suggested that the Pakistani government should persuade the United States and rulers of those countries whose nationals are sheltering in Fata to let them return to the countries of their origin. “These countries should announce a general amnesty for these militants (if they renounce violence),” he said.
Achakzai said it was a bitter fact that foreign fighters – including Chechens, Arabs, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Chinese and Iranians – either sneaked into the tribal areas or were brought here to fight a ‘jihad’.
Without naming anyone, the Pakhtun nationalist leader strongly criticised those who are responsible for bringing these foreign militants in the region.
“It’s not known as to why these foreigners and their collaborators killed over 1,000 tribal elders and religious scholars,” he wrote in the article. “The killers were never identified, let alone taken to task.”
He said it was not understandable that these militants managed to settle in the tribal areas where even local tribesmen could not take daily-use items without the prior permission of the local political administration.
“How they managed to become so strong that they are wantonly killing respected tribal elders without any accountability,” he questioned.
Achakzai also regretted that Fata was being used as a springboard for launching attacks in Afghanistan. And the United States, in retaliation, was using the tribal regions to test its pilot-less drone aircraft.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2012.
COMMENTS (39)
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Both Gul and Achakazi are a phonies and liars. With the killing of bin Laden and confiscation of his contacts and information all the vermin who've been murdering and deceiving the people of Pakistan since the Partition of 1947 are on the verge of being exposed for the frauds that they are. All those 'people' they speak of are in Pakistan because of people like Gul and Achakazi.
@Afghan Karachiete You are well come in pakistan allways and all others muslims from around the world too and u are as much pakistani like any other and pakistan is land of muslim immogrants for many centuries and i tell u when i was in school i had many afgan friend who born and raised in karachi pakistan.
We are not even able to feed our own people. Still we are bearing burden of world largest number of refugees. Birth rate is high. No active family planning program any more as it was 10-12 years back. Instead of going toward two child policy like China to secure the resources for our future generations, we are inviting the birth machines in our country. God save our future generation.
Good suggestion in general. Most of them are here for 3 decades now. And many have children born here. However hard part is to convince them not to attack US interests. They were brought here with the help of CIA and ISI with an ideology to fight foreign invaders of Afghanistan. They will insist on fighting till there are foreign invaders in Afghanistan (Soviets or US alike) For people suggesting bringing Bihari’s. Yes they left their homeland for Pakistan and moved to what is now Bangladesh. Pakistan should bring them on humanitarian grounds (as well not INSTEAD). However fact remains that most of the “BIHARI’s” now living there are ones that are born and raised in Bangladesh, gov of Pakistan’s point of view is that only people born before creation of Bangladesh qualify to come over. Chances are lot of them will not come considering their children and grandchildren were born and raised there. Other option is for Pakistan should offer a trade of Illegal Bengalis (numbering more than Bihari decent people in Bangladesh) for People of Bihari origin(regardless of their age and where they were born) who would now want to come here. For Pakistan haters. Despite of our shortcomings we are welcoming people. I am friends with 2nd generation Afghans and Iranian Baha’i’s and 3rd generation Chinese all Pakistani citizens and born here, who live and work in Lahore. People born in Pakistan or who have lived here long enough (3 decades in many cases) should be given citizenship and brought in to the system.
Feel sorry for most of the commentators who have just read the headline of the article and not the whole article even the very first para clears the intention of Mr. Achakzai which is to taunt all those like Hameed Gul who have brought this upon Pakistan, "Mehmood Khan Achakzai, a Pashtoon nationalist leader from Balochistan, did not use the word militant for the foreign fighters and instead called them ‘guests’ – a clear taunt to those who had brought these foreigners into the tribal areas and Afghanistan to serve their own interests". When he said to give them Pakistani citizenship he tried to point out the shere helplessnes of the Pakistani establishment to have not been able ot vacate them or does not want to vacate them. He said Paksitan should talk to their native countries to take them back if they decide to lay down their arms. Try to read the articles instead of headlines and comments and then following the comments without knowing the article itself.
Vienna,March 5,2012 My 21 gun salute to Bachcha,meaning Badshah Achakzai. But he should have used the three words "volutarily lay down" arms instead a single word "disarmed".Readers, I point out should note he has suggested giving "permanent residence" that is shelter/refuge not citizenship of Pakistan. Bachcha Achakzai indeed has leadership qualities even though Gen.Hamid Gul may not appreciate it.Afghan Students in Pakistan have wisely invited two opposite poles to the seminar. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
Mahmud Achakzai's credibility is being tarnished by hanging out with the likes of Hamid Gul.
@ZYX: maybe Pakistan should make a small start by not discriminating against other Pakistanis. If your system can't even treat Pakistani citizens without discrimination, how is it going to treat the foreigners? You are correct in one sense that Pakistan is an experiment. The state of this experiment is there for the whole world to see.
@Afghan Karachiti:
Brother, you are as Pakistani as the rest of us in my book. Pakistan is the 'Great Experiment' of the Muslim world and we must always be willing to accept anyone from any part of the world regardless of race, language or even religion. As long as you accept this as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and follow the rules, you are welcome to migrate to Pakistan and live here like any of us.
@Afghan Karachiti: On what basis they should be granted residency? Is it just because they illegally obtained the documents with bribery? .. Shouldn't they use their education and money to rebuild their country?. They are refugees .. not other type of migrant .. and they are not just few thousands but in millions .. at one point (according to official figures) has crossed over 5 Million .. All of them non taxpayers .. and all of them burden on our infrastructure (education system, healthcare, roads, and other commodities, housing demand etc). All this adds up to inflation and higher demand in a country which is over populated. Afghan border must be sealed and refugees sent back .. then any one coming for education should be charged just like we are being charged in the West, US and other foreign countries. I live in Europe and studied here after paying three times more than native people every year just in fees ... and I bet I pay more tax in a single year than all millions of Afghan refugees would have paid in 4 decades.
Being a resident of tribal region achak zai sahib has well said tribes has such a strong culture dt even the outsider cant even stay or buy them selves property or house in tribal regions,, and the tribal people are strongly influenced by the elders and the political system and cant do anything with out their consultation. i hope who ever is backing these extremists shud understand the tribal culture dt in tribal culture der is always revenge and if des extremists are not being killed or taken out from tribal regions once this game is over, it will for sure leads to massive civil war. i wish those people understand dt there is a culture and traditions and when someone play, it ends up with catastrophic consequence.so totally agreed with achakzai sahib below statement.
["He said it was not understandable that these militants managed to settle in the tribal areas where even local tribesmen could not take daily-use items without the prior permission of the local political administration. “How they managed to become so strong that they are wantonly killing respected tribal elders without any accountability,” he questioned.]
foreigners or militants,it was an old idea and did not succeeded in south waziristan because they were not ready to register themselves with the political authorities.
@GhostRider:
They are already staying where they are supposed to stay and will feed themselves like they have been doing for the past three decades.
@Those who oppose Achakzai's suggestion:
According to NADRA unofficial estimates; more then fifty thousand Afghan refugees (that includes me too!) have somehow managed to get valid Pakistani National Identity Cards from NADRA. These are mostly the Afghans who's parents had enlisted for the manual NICs back in 80s. The Afghans with valid NICs which only make 2.5% of the total Pakistani population should be the first preference for granting them permanent residence status. Because these are the elite class of the Afghan refugees who have graduated from higher education institutes in Pak, do jobs at prominent posts in private sector and run booming businesses which add to the economy of Pakistan. I am not speaking for my self but for all those Afghans who are ethically eligible to have permanent stay in Pakistan.
Now don't ask me why don't I go back to my country. That's not because I hate Americans or the Afghan government or I am so frightened due to security situation there.. It's the business I have and my siblings studying in here- and also my unmovable property.
@Achakzai How on earth is that going to solve the problem sir? Since when people in FATA have started to care for NICs? These people came here from other countries with or without our permission and they can roam around freely at their will. What do we call 'Pakistan residence'? Is it a NIC & Passport which any one can obtain with little money? Do we not know how millions of "Afghan refugees" have all legal documents to buy their properties and go in and out of this hapless country at will ? All of our businesses and properties in posh areas of KPK and ISL are owned by these refugees without even having residence. We have made this country a lady beggar in the street, any one can disrespect her at will, some are looting her begged money, some are selling her for filling their pockets and her protectors are too busy in their businesses.
Where are they going to stay?? in your home?...who is going to feed them? your kids?
How many of these "foreign guests" have ever attacked Pakistani Security Forces so far? None. The leader of these "foreign guests" has even asked the "hosts" not to engage Pak SF in their attacks and converge their fighting potentials into attacking across the border- killing Afghan Security Forces and their American allies.
The militants in FATA and KPK are those of Pakistanis who have been inspired by the Afghan Taliban ideology and driven by the Pakistan's relationship with the US.
First provide Pakistani citizenship all the Biharis living in Bangladesh.
@ZYX Valid points..
Achakzai is a very sensible leader, i value him a lot, whether he is being sarcastic of he is serious in his assumptions but this solution is better, cost effective and peaceful.
Why not, let the militants live in Pakistan and while the rest of us should go and live in some other country. What a tool, we don't need nationalists "leaders" like him or any for that matter.
Hang on guys. The OBL mansion at Abbotabad has been demolished already. Once the luxury condominiums are constructed fully there, then visas will be given and guests will be accommodated/
Is he serious ?????
A very sensible proposal, these guys already been living here for yrs, why not bring them under the law.
This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Does a leopard change its spots? The armed forces should find, detain and/or kill these "guests". The afghan refugees should be deported enmasse.
Achakzai was briliant on this account. He in fact talked to General Gul, and offered him a solution. Eveyr one knows that these people are well armed and used by people like General Gul for their Jihadist agenda. Once these people are given option to become peacefull citizen of this country or move back to their own country of origin, the Jihadi drama would come to an end. I believe civil socity should give it a serious thought.
@MAD: Your name says it all.
Fantastic idea, it would help move things forward and bring those territories into the writ of the state. They're not going anywhere and we're not going to fight them, the only way its going to work is if we bring them into the system and disarm them. Pakistan must extend nationality to their children and our demographic pool would widen to include uzbeks, arabs, chechens, albanians, somali, sudani, and others. If they follow the rules, there is no reason to exclude them except maybe prejudice.
Although the idea is good but it is not implementable in the present situation. They will become ready to disarm when US & NATO will leave this region. As long as US forces are there, youngsters will join this movement and voilence will continue. This is the key point which they are using to get manpower for their movement.
@gw: Achakzai is based in Balochistan not KPK
@khalid pathan The problem is that it's very difficult to get them out of Pakistan. Like how so many afghans are still in Pak since the soviet war
This guy is actually quite sensible. he just gave you a solution. im not saying that it should be accepted but dont reject it without going into details. cleaning up FATA is almost impossible without giving incentives
Why cant we get rid of all these relics of the cold war. I think Achakzai is being sarcastic
Its an admission I can't manage my SUBA. Make 10 SUBAS of KP. He may mange 5/10 better.
Afghan Gov. should play its role to bring back their senior citizens
These old guns are nearing the end of their lives and do not care what becomes of Pakistan because they will depart from this world soon. They want to take Pakistan down with them. All of these foreigners should be kept in jails for years and then deported so that they don't even think of returning to Pakistan to pollute it further.
And what if these guests refuse to disarm, and refuse to renounce violence, just like they have been doing all these years, what are your options the Mr. Achakzai ?
You are not talking about some pity criminals holed up in a hopeless situation, but networks of motivated individuals who feel to be stronger than you both ideologically and militarily.
For the first time, you seem to out be sync with the reality on the ground. Sounded like a call in desperation. Disappointed !
Country with the largest population of refugees in the world....and we want to invite more in...this ladies and gentlement is why we should be officially called the dumbed nation on earth. Invite all of them in....but atleast be able to take care of your own first....