Adil Najam
This photograph from the Swat region needs little commentary, but deserves much thought.
The caption from Associated Press (photograph by Sherin Zada), reads in part:
A youngster sits beside his belongings as he waits for his parents to cross a river as they flee from a troubled area in Imam Dheri near Mingora, the main town of Pakistan’s Swat Valley, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009.
One wonders what is going through the child’s head. With the Taliban after his body and soul, with civilian casualties in the military operation in Swat mounting, with American drone attacks in the tribal belt further away, and with a polity in chaos in the rest of the country, it is not as if he has too many options to fall back on. He seems to be looking pensively (possibly across the river); but to what?
I think Swat has been mishandled since 1993 when the first “Sharia” (TNSM) uprising started. Of course, the war on terror only made things worse. But “restoring the writ of the government” does not mean that people have to seek permission from Emperor Mohiuddin Aurangzeb before digging a well.
The neo-Taliban of Swat ( unlike the Taliban of FATA and Qandahar are open to negotiation and the government should give parleys a chance. The government must also respect local customs and values, instead of fighting a war for “liberal ” NGOs and barging in like George W Bush—–who I will note, is no longer in office.
I am heartened by the recent comments of both Rehman Malik and General Kayani… lets hope we are, at long last, moving in for the kill, and rescuing the people of Swat from the clutches of the Taliban, with as few civilian deaths as possible…
Adil Bhai,
IS SWAT STILL IN PAKISTAN?
Just consider this question for a moment and I am sure it will make you shudder.
Swat is the big issue and needs the attention of all the masses so we can save Pakistan
@ Jam Shahid advocate….
Once again….you have proved by your confused comments that Allah SWT will not help a people who cannot be bothered to help themselves….
and if you are happy that your brothers children cannot go to school because someone has burnt it down…I pray to Allah SWT that you find yourself in the same situation….
i am wonder at this that taliban are pure islamic minds how its possible that they kill innocent persons ,child or demolished school which called mother lap.i think that’s are not real taliban.these are terrest disguised in taliban.newspapers are requested to give chance taliban to spread their views.may Allah protect sweet pakistan .