Soldiering on
The military alone cannot be responsible for all that happens or for keeping militancy at bay in the future.
We have all but forgotten the war continuing in our northern areas amidst all the political turmoil we have recently been facing. But this war of course is a crucial one, vital to the future of our country and all that it stands for. We should be watching developments within it at closer range.
A recent ISPR statement gives us some idea of what is going on. The news is good. The statement says that more than 900 militants have been killed in action since operation Zarb-e-Azb began in June, most of them in North Waziristan. This agency is of course the centre of turmoil in the current war. In exchange for the large number of militants, 82 soldiers lost their lives. They deserve to be hailed as heroes for what they have done for us and for the generations yet to come. Although the militants are not ready to admit this, and groups within them have been speaking of only scores rather than hundreds of deaths, the reality appears to be they are suffering very big blows as the fighting continues. At the same time, crucial development work is also being undertaken by the military, according to the ISPR release, with major roads put in place and towns connected to one another.
The key need now is for the government to build on these successes. The military alone cannot be responsible for all that happens or for keeping militancy at bay in the future. Alongside the military operation, other measures have to be taken to win people away from militant hands and persuade them of the need to stand with State forces. This can best be done by undertaking development works in all areas afflicted by conflict and putting in place schemes to rehabilitate those who have been brainwashed over many years by the Taliban. We have seen such efforts at rehabilitation in Swat and other places. They must be backed by other initiatives to provide employment and opportunity to people in these most deprived parts of our country so that there can be no resurgence of militancy after the current operation is finally over.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2014.
A recent ISPR statement gives us some idea of what is going on. The news is good. The statement says that more than 900 militants have been killed in action since operation Zarb-e-Azb began in June, most of them in North Waziristan. This agency is of course the centre of turmoil in the current war. In exchange for the large number of militants, 82 soldiers lost their lives. They deserve to be hailed as heroes for what they have done for us and for the generations yet to come. Although the militants are not ready to admit this, and groups within them have been speaking of only scores rather than hundreds of deaths, the reality appears to be they are suffering very big blows as the fighting continues. At the same time, crucial development work is also being undertaken by the military, according to the ISPR release, with major roads put in place and towns connected to one another.
The key need now is for the government to build on these successes. The military alone cannot be responsible for all that happens or for keeping militancy at bay in the future. Alongside the military operation, other measures have to be taken to win people away from militant hands and persuade them of the need to stand with State forces. This can best be done by undertaking development works in all areas afflicted by conflict and putting in place schemes to rehabilitate those who have been brainwashed over many years by the Taliban. We have seen such efforts at rehabilitation in Swat and other places. They must be backed by other initiatives to provide employment and opportunity to people in these most deprived parts of our country so that there can be no resurgence of militancy after the current operation is finally over.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 5th, 2014.