An old photo of Taliban militants in Swat. PHOTO: REUTERS
Awami National Party (ANP) has claimed that Taliban have made their comeback to Swat and Malakand Division during the last three months of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and the killing of senior military officers on Sunday is the outcome of this re-grouping.
Talking to The Express Tribune, ANP spokesperson Senator Zahid Khan said that soon after PTI took charge of K-P, reports are emerging that militants have returned to the province and reinforced their position by taking advantage of PTI’s “lenient” policy.
“We have information that Taliban have returned to their old strategic stronghold areas, including Swat and Malakand division and have started to re-group,” said Khan, adding that neither the government nor the media has highlighted this issue.“Tell the nation who is attacking the security forces and with whom the negotiations are taking place,” Zahid Khan questioned.
“The killing of Major General Sanaullah and Lieutenant Colonel Tauseef along with a soldier in Upper Dir on Sunday proves not only the regrouping of militants but also their double standards after the government’s decision to negotiate,” Khan said. Zahid also held the government’s ambiguous policy responsible for providing opportunity to the militants to operate in the province.
“Why don’t they (PTI) make their strategy public if they hold talks with the militants as to how and with whom the dialogue is to be initiated,” ANP Senator maintained.
He alleged that the K-P police did not take any action against the militants due to unclear policy of the provincial government. He also lambasted the K-P government for announcing a unilateral decision to pull out military.
When contacted, the spokesperson for K-P chief minister Sheraz Piracha explained that PTI will neither pull out the forces abruptly nor adopt any tolerant approach towards the militants.
The spokesperson said that all stakeholders, including the federal government, army and people of the area would be taken on board before any major decision.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 16th, 2013.
COMMENTS (10)
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PTI is actually Gandhi of Pakistan. Let the enemy kill we will not resort to violence. I wished PTI had ever talked to a family who was the victim of terrorist attack and listen their views on their so-called negotiations policy.
Army withdrawl from Malakand, Swat, Dir and adjacent areas will be a big mistake. I am a PTI supporter but i will oppose any decision of Army withdrawl from Afghan border areas. Afghanistan is now more hostile to Pakistan.
Talks are being done by federal govt not provincial. the strategy has been disclosed in the All Parties Conference that was attended by ANP's acting Chairman Haji Adeel who also signed the declaration. Go ask him about it.
but security of malakand and Swat is still under control of army which was handed over to them by ANP govt in 2009 ... what PTI have to do with that?
The policy adopted by ANP and PPP clearly failed in last 5 years.
This was very much expected as terrorists always retreat tactically before any so called operation and then they creep back into that areas once the heat is over.
What else the political branch of TTP came into being for.?To help them return to their sanctuaries.