A wake-up call

Nevertheless, closing one's eyes to a crisis or lacking courage to see it inside out is to allow it to blow up on one's face. For example, there are five aspects to the crisis in FATA: first, Afghanistan under occupation and the news of its decimation, pollution of its water resources, large-scale maiming of people's bodies that continually instigates the FATA residents and the rest of Pakistan from annoyance to frustration. Second, the alleged presence of the so-called remnants of Al-Qaeda in the region that bothers the NATO forces, though the FATA residents deny it. Third, the criminal fringe, which while making use of the descending chaos have stepped up their acts of abductions for ransom. Fourth, the presence of foreign agents' provocateurs that have the scripted role of large scale sabotage, highhanded killings, and destruction of economic infrastructure. These are mostly from the Northern Alliance and said to be trained by our "friendly" neighbouring India. Fifth, the indigenous Taliban movement that has started replacing the colonial decadent judicial system by the shariah courts. All the five ingredients in the brew are different and identifiable, calling for tailor-made policy responses.

Leaving aside the NATO's presence in Afghanistan, which needs a separate treatment, we should ask the alleged remnants of Al-Qaeda, if any, to negotiate their peace stay in Pakistan or leave our soil. This can be done through the jirga. The third, and fourth - once separated from each other - should be dealt with ruthlessly as the Chinese did at the Tiananmen Square (1989).

The pro-shariah local Taliban are sons of the soil. They are not separatists and are the upholders of the integrity of Pakistan. They may be ultra conservatives but when they call for the shariah implementation, they are in line with the nation's constitution, which visualises an Islamic Pakistan.