Tackling extremism

NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti in an interview with this paper has said that Pukhtoons are peace-loving, and making peace deals was part and parcel of their tradition and culture. There is no denying his claim and hopefully these deals would soon bear fruit. Since the new government took over, which wants to find a political solution to the problem of insurgency in the tribal areas, there has been a significant decline in the rate of suicide bombing incidents and other terror attacks. The government's peace deal with the TNSM, in which Maulana Sufi Muhammad was released has been very helpful. The organization vowed to end its offensive and support the government. A few days back, the government of NWFP signed a peace pact with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The outfit agreed to submit to the writ of the state and renounce all subversive activities. By all accounts, such a course of things is making a difference. This peaceful course has been endorsed by the UK, whose Foreign Minister David Miliband said on Wednesday that the UK was in favour of the resolution of problem of militancy through talks. He said that it was useless to solve the crisis of extremism through the use of force, either in Afghanistan or in Pakistan.