On February 25, 2009, the University of Peshawar and the think-tank Citizens’ Voice jointly organized a seminar on the prevailing law and order situation in the FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) and the NWFP (North-West Frontier Province).

Atif Hanif, Secretary General of the Citizens’ Voice, explained that the forum seeks to educate people on contemporary national issues. Omer Khan Afridi, Chairman of the Citizens’ Voice, said in his address that the country is facing the most serious situation since its independence and that if good people will do nothing, the criminals will succeed. Law and order in the FATA and NWFP is in a dismal state and other provinces are ignorant about the state of affairs in these areas. Pakistan has been a frontline state for the last three decades,  has received 3 million refugees and, as a frontline state in the “war on terror”, another 1,5 million IDPs. There is no writ of Government in the FATA and the Swat valley is on fire. Criminal activities have increased and there is a drift from the previously honored values of Pukhtoonwali (Pukhtoon code of life) and religion.

Lt. Gen. Mumtaz Gul highlighted in his keynote address that law and order is turning from bad to worse. He analyzed the issue in a historical context, stating that the FATA was a base for jihad during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and that in the confrontation between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance, Pakistan supported the Taliban. After the events of 9/11, the U.S. supported the Northern Alliance and defeated the Taliban. Pakistan’s army moved into the FATA in support of NATO and captured many people who were handed over to the U.S. and also took action against the Madaris (Religious seminaries). He said that Pakistan should define its national interests in the light of ground realities and that the government lacks the capability to deliver, while demands from allies have increased the suffering of the people. He considered the primary source of the problem to originate in Afghanistan.

Law abiding citizens are insecure and have left the troubled area, while Taliban influence is increasing and even extending to settled districts of the NWFP. The government is ineffective and reactive, lacking strategic thinking, while government forces are slow and rely on destruction. It is a mistake to consider Al Queda and the Taliban as one and the policy of confrontation with local Taliban is not likely to succeed. The role of the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is reduced and foreign agencies have successfully infiltrated the area. The existing local government system, which was introduced in haste, further harmed law and order. The ISI, the Frontier Corps and the police should be strengthened to cope with the crime threat.

He further added that a unified vision is needed and stressed the need for cooperation between the private and public sectors. Development projects particularly in physical infrastructure, hydro power, minerals, and small scale industries should be launched. Raising local tribal lashkar (civilian tribal force) to counter the Taliban is risky and lashkars lack competent leadership. The insurgency cannot survive without local support and the way out is reconciliation. In order to approach a viable solution, an immediate ceasefire is needed, meetings of tribal loya Jirga (tribal leaders) must be convened and the planned withdrawal of Pakistan’s army from FATA must be implemented. If Shari’a (Islamic religious law) brings peace, then we should not hesitate to implement it and allies should be convinced of this.

Dr Azmat Hayat Khan, Vice Chancellor of the University of Peshawar who was the main Guest argued that the people of Malakand want justice, honesty and efficiency. He stated that the Maulana Sufi Muhammad movement is a reaction to rampant corruption and pervasive inefficiency and reiterated that the Taliban is a misunderstood phenomenon. There is a common perception here that there will be no peace in FATA and Afghanistan until the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.

In the question & answer session, it was highlighted that the FATA system was corrupt and in the past progress was possible for a handful of people, while the majority remained backward. Many Maliks (local tribal leaders) of FATA have left the area and in their absence Mullahs (local religious leaders) are calling the shots. State and non-state actors are posing threats to the sovereignty of the country and in the drone attacks collateral damage was small and the targets were mostly foreigners. It was also said that the government should seek to destroy FM radio stations. Participants underscored that the people of Pakistan have amazing resilience to solve their problems.