Beyond the use of power

Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri

The fourth phase of return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Swat
and Malakand division is successfully on its way towards completion. It
should be a matter of immense satisfaction for both government and
people alike that thousands of families, which got displaced from their
homes following the initiation of military operation against terrorists, are
finally able to travel back. The successful rehabilitation of IDPs and
resumption of normal life in the affected areas would be instrumental in
restoring the confidence of people in the government and state
structures. While the immediate task of securing the areas and purging
them of militants has been accomplished, it is time for policy makers to
fathom the crux of problem and evolve a dynamic and comprehensive
strategy to turn this tactical gain into strategic success. The following
points are instructive in this regard:
For any long-term strategic policy to be successful and result-oriented, it
is important to understand the ins and outs of the problem and identify
the factors which gave birth to the phenomenon of terrorism and
extremism in our own midst.
To begin with, the state’s sponsorship and patronage of particular
religious school of thought during Afghan Jihad sowed the seeds of
extremism in the country. The obsession of the Establishment with such
notion as ‘strategic depth’ coupled with its propensity to use these forces
for its narrow political agendas further complicated the problem in the
decade of 1990s. There was little realization of the deadly damage this
Frankenstein monster would cause in the event of turnaround in national
policy following change in regional and international political scene. The
lack of ‘exit strategy’ aimed at diluting the lethal effect of such extremist
forces proved detrimental in the end.
The mushroom growth of religious seminaries, which was made possible
due to unhindered and undocumented flow of foreign money, added to
the severity of the problem. With foreign money came the sectarian
influences, ideas and ideology. It caused the mass scale indoctrination of
people. Such notions as accommodation, respect for dissent, tolerance
and peaceful coexistence, which were the hallmark of the cosmopolitan
Pakistani society, were the first casualty. The state chose to be indifferent
to the ‘slow poisoning’ as some analysts have put it for it needed such
elements for protection of its interests at home and abroad.
Other factors such as lack of good governance & education, expensive
justice system, unemployment, and widening gaps between haves and
have-nots provided breeding ground for recruitment of the disgruntled
youth.
Thus the problem of homegrown extremism and terrorism turns out to be
complex and multi-faceted, not merely an administrative issue involving
the challenge to the writ of the state. It requires comprehensive and long-
term policy framework worked out in consultation with all the
stakeholders for complete elimination. While the military operation was
the first and foremost part of the long drawn out battle, turning the
military success into elimination of the factors which breed the scourge of
terrorism and extremism remains the key challenge requiring dynamism,
statesmanship, sustained engagement, emphasis on the use of soft power
and to top it all ‘out of box’ thinking as major policy planks for success.
The government needs to go beyond the policy of three Ds (Dialogue,
development and deterrence) to formulation of comprehensive reform
package aimed at winning the battle for ‘hearts & minds’. The policy of
three Ds is short-term in nature, which spells out the impression of
having been worked out as a reaction. More proactive response that goes
beyond the use of hard power is the need of the hour in an attempt to
find lasting solution. Consider the following:
To begin with, successful rehabilitation of IDPs and development of
infrastructure to their complete satisfaction is the first major and
immediate task before the government. Instilling the feeling of security is
of equal importance in regaining the confidence of people in the ability
and willingness of the government to protect its citizens, which was
battered by the emergence of the Taliban when there was virtually no writ
of the state in the region. The presidential announcement of building up
an army cantonment is a welcome step in this regard.
The state needs to invest in systems and structures aimed at correcting
the religious approach of people. Mind you it is battle of ideas and people
can only be won over if their mindsets are transformed. It is possible by
allowing people access to diverse ideas, opinions and viewpoints and
forgoing its previous practice of patronizing a particular school of thought
for vested interests. Instead of taking sides, the state should stay neutral
in religious affairs.
There is a need to register and document the religious seminaries. The
reform of their syllabi and structure is very important as this would
provide students an opportunity to look at other angles and develop
respect for dissent.
The establishment of good governance is a key to achieving stability and
securing the region against influences of terrorism and extremism. There
is a need to make arrangements for cheap and accessible justice system,
quality and job-oriented education, efficient & corruption-free
administration, creation of and access to economic opportunities through
job employment etc.
Federally Administered Tribal Areas needs to be integrated with
mainstream Pakistan in a phased manner through political reforms
because stability in FATA is closely linked with the stability of the settled
areas of NWFP, thanks to geography and uniformity of culture, history,
traditions, race and language etc.
To top it all, the state needs to regain the space it has gradually lost to
non-state forces. It is possible if it is able to assure its citizens that it is
there to take their care and mete out even-handed treatment. The state
should play a motherly role through implementation of welfare-oriented
policies. It calls for renewal of social contract between the state and its
citizens and the onus lies on the state and its institutions to take the
initiative this time round. This in return necessitates the continuation of
democracy & representative rule which ends the alienation of people and
includes them into the decision-making.