Editorial

Operation in Tirah

Ripples of the military offensive have been felt in parts of Peshawar, particularly Hayatabad.

Editorial April 12, 2013

Not only does the military have to deal with another operation, Pakistan has to prepare itself for another mass exodus. PHOTO: IRIN

The military operation in Tirah Valley has opened up a new war zone. Officials say that 23 soldiers and more than 100 militants have been killed in the operation launched on April 5. But, according to unofficial estimates, the death toll is much higher, indicating intense clashes between militants and security forces.

Ripples of the military offensive have been felt in parts of Peshawar, particularly Hayatabad, which neighbours Bara Tehsil, Khyber Agency. This area seems to be the first to bear the brunt of this fighting. In what seem to be retaliatory attacks, mortar shells have been fired in the Hayatabad residential area, injuring nearly 30 people, some as young as two years old. Many people have been forced to leave their homes. Peshawar has given refuge to people displaced from the tribal areas, but now its residents too, are in need of safer ground.

Once again, the country is facing a crisis on several fronts. Not only does the military have to deal with another operation, Pakistan has to prepare itself for another mass exodus. This time, it will only be more difficult as the government has understandably stopped the registration of internally displaced persons (IDP) in Peshawar and they have been restricted to Kohat and Orakzai Agency. Allowing the IDPs into the provincial capital is considered another security threat. If the fighting escalates, there may be casualties elsewhere too.

There are few places left in the country where the Taliban’s presence has not been felt. A former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA was killed in Hyderabad on April 11, for which the Taliban took responsibility. As elections near, three mainstream parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party, the Awami National Party and the MQM, find themselves increasingly vulnerable. Tirah has been made an informational black hole. Officials remain tight-lipped about the developments in the operation, which is only creating more panic and fear, something we can do without just a month before the polls. It would help perhaps, if the military were to let the people know just what the situation in Tirah is, so both the political parties and citizens are better prepared for the challenges ahead.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2013.