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.