Zardari blames dictators for increased militancy

He said that FATA was extremely backward and stressed the urgent need to integrate it in the mainstream politics without affecting the traditions and customs of its people.

Putting the blame of the growth of militancy in these areas on successive dictatorial rule in the country, Asif Ali Zardari said that during the Afghan war against the erstwhile Soviet Union some elements in the intelligence apparatus had developed linkages with the militant elements, resulting now in the ensuing unrest in these areas.

He recalled the words of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto a few days before returning to Pakistan, saying in a newspaper article, “If elected Prime Minister of Pakistan in the election to be held later this year, I will end that protection of the Taliban and Al Qaida immediately”.

He said that in order to bring FATA into the mainstream politics Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had moved the Supreme Court to extend the Political Parties Act to the tribal areas. This he said was necessary as the religious parties used mosque and pulpit to spread their political message but the mainstream democratic parties were barred from presenting the alternative view due to the non-application of the Political Parties Act in the tribal areas.

He said that Pakistan was manipulated as a tool of Cold War intrigue and it was made into a surrogate for a war against the Soviets in Afghanistan. After the war was won both Pakistan and Afghanistan were abandoned to the forces of extremism and fanaticism, he said.

“The West invested in our weapons and our military but not in our people and for building prosperity,” he said.