Adil Najam
As the politics of intrigue and rumor heats up, even more, in Pakistan and after the recent dramatic political events, the news of Pakistan’s most important existential battle – against the extremism of the Taliban and their ilk – seems to have slid off the front pages.
Yet, a news item in The News reminds us that the murderous militants are now setting their eyes towards District Dir, after gaining control of Swat. One got a better glimpse into the mind of one of the key players in the Swat saga, Sufi Mohammed, in an interview given to Daily Times’ Peshawar Bureau Chief Iqbal Khattak. Speaking in Mingora, the 74 year-old father-in-law of militant leader Fazlulah gives many important glimpses into his own thinking and priorities.
Here is the interview published in Daily Times:
You said in a 2005 interview with us that what Al Qaeda and the Taliban are doing in Pakistan is haram. Are Fazlullah’s activities over the last sixteen months also haram?
Sufi Muhammad: Yes, I said that about Al Qaeda, but not about the Taliban. Let me say…that debate on past happenings is disallowed in Islam. A hadith sharif says, what has happened in the past should not be discussed.
But how can we proceed without debating the past?
The hadith sharif says a Muslim should not discuss past happenings because he may not remember all the [details] and, therefore, he may…sin by not speaking the truth.A majority of Swat residents do not think the peace deal recently signed between the TNSM and the NWFP government will last long.
God Almighty does everything; he builds and destroys countries.Residents also doubt whether peace is possible in the presence of armed Taliban.
Everyone keeps weapons. People in Peshawar have weapons with them.You support keeping weapons?
Yes, you can keep weapons with you.Did you ask Fazlullah to surrender weapons after the sharia law deal?
Keeping weapons is halal in Islam.President Zardari said recently that force would be used if the Taliban do not surrender weapons in Swat.
His statement is childish…immature.With sharia law in Swat, there will be a complete ban on music and girls’ education, and people will be forced to grow beards?
There are five subjects — judiciary, politics, economics, education and the executive. The judicial subject will be with us, the rest is beyond our control.The Taliban are kidnapping government officials and killing soldiers, yet you still hold the army responsible for ceasefire violations.
Kidnapping cases are taking place all over the world. The military violated the ceasefire.The military says some of its soldiers were shot dead while bringing water.
No. This is not the case. The soldiers were not killed near any stream.Are soldiers moving freely in Swat after the peace deal?
No. The military cannot move freely unless peace is restored.After peace is restored, will the army leave Swat?
This is Pakistan’s army and Swat is within Pakistan’s borders. I will have no objection if a military cantonment is established here.Locals say innocent people have been killed. Will the aggrieved families be able to get justice?
I have told you already: we will not discuss what has happened in the past. Sharia law does not allow this.If a court summons a key Taliban commander, will he appear before the court?
If Caliph Umar (RA) can appear before a court, then why can’t others?So Fazlullah will also appear in court if summoned?
If he does not… he will be acting against the sharia law.What you did in Malakand in the 1990s and then in Afghanistan in 2001 you called ‘jihad’. Are Fazlullah’s activities over the last 16 months in Swat also jihad?
I do not want to speak on this.What are Fazlullah’s plans after the peace deal?
He will support imposition of sharia law.You have termed democracy ‘infidelity’. But Maulana Sami-ul Haq, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Qazi Hussain Ahmad are taking part in the democratic process.
Democracy is not permissible in sharia law. I will not name [these leaders] but they are taking part in infidelity. I will not offer prayers if one of [these leaders] is leading those prayers.Do you intend to export sharia law to other parts of Pakistan?
If people help me, I will. Otherwise, no.
Faisal, what convoluted logic. The army and the state have given every impression of utter impotence and total lack of will for the last two years. They abandon the people of Swat to the Taliban. Left at their mercy, with no sign that we will ever stand up for them, fight for them, and along side them. Yet we want them to stand up to the Taliban! So they can be slaughtered, whole sale. Why do you think the Taliban have been slaughtering them for the last two years? Find out about the brave stands all these unarmed civilians have taken. Look at everything that Afzal Khan is going through. He refused to leave his village even to get hospital treatment for bullet wounds – both times when he was shot. He keeps burrying his kith and kin, killed by the Taliban. So do the rest of his people. Swatis are and have always been an unarmed people. This is NOT FATA. While the Army of 587,000 stand and watch. In fact, look away. So does Islamabad. For the media to say that half a million girls paying the price for this ‘peace’ with their lives and every human freedom, is fair, is cruelty and cowardice of the worst kind. To suggest that it’s the Swatis own fault shows some gall. To suggest that it is their own choice, is to shamelessly dishonour all the Swatis killed in the last two years.
These men are unwilling to ever let go of the gun. The new ‘Amir-ul-Momineen’ of Swat is willing to ‘let’ the Army have a cantonment in Swat for they know they have nothing to fear from the army! He considers Qazi Hussain, Fazlurrehman, Sami-ul-Haq to be infidels. They, and NS and Imran Khan better wake up to the fact that these people will never let go of their weapons. So there can be no negotiations.. no ‘partnership’. Except Fazlurrehman and Qazi Hussain have no qualms about picking up arms and stand alongside Sufi and Fazlullah, when the time is right. They ‘participate’ in democracy extremely reluctantly.
Sikander H, All Sufi means by saying he only has control over justice is that he is not responsible for law and order or creating jobs and economic opportunities. Yet, he will make sure that anybody daring to send his daughter to school is flogged, any one doing anything Sufi and his men don’t like would be beheaded. The ‘due process’ will be before Qazis hand picked by him, who themselves can end up being beheaded, and the only legal authority admissible in court will be the Quran and Hadith. Seeing that he takes a hadith to mean that the past is haram… hold on to your seats (or ‘infidel’ heads). If Green Chowk can turn in to Zibahkhana Chowk, so can China Chowk, Kalma Chowk, Teen Talwar. Given our present state of apathy and confusion, it’s only a matter of time.
rightly said. this man is very very dangerous. He has no idea what he is saying. he is making up hadith and religious injunctions. and he absolutely believes that he is not only right but doing his duty to God. The nonsense about past cannot be talked about. What the hell does that mean? Does that mean we can’t also talk about the time of the Prophet? Give me a break.
I read this nonsense and remember the earlier post here on how do you become a Maulana?????
A very good insight into a mind which is playing an increasingly important role in shaping future of Pakistan. He has said in his interview that he is only concerned with the judicial matters and other pillars of state will not be touched. As long as he stays true to his word, I do not have any qualms.
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@ banjara286
You sir fail to see that insurgency can not be defeated without the local support. We have seen that in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and then Afghanistan again and now in our midst.
On top of that when the military intensify the operation our media and politicians start crying “oh but these are our people.”
Unless people of Swat rise up against these very barbaric people and help the Govt., you can not do anything.
i am really amazed at some of the comments on this blog. the state which is responsible for protecting life and property and rights of its citizens has abandoned the people of swat and nwfp. the national army will not fight the militants. but the blame for making deal with the militants is all with anp. what the hell are they supposed to do when the rest of the nation has failed them. stilol we sit and scream treason and shame on this and shame on that. i tell what. shame on u and shame on us all.