Need for a comprehensive anti-terror strategy underlined
Policymakers need to revisit anti-terror strategy: PEW
The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Friday said flaws in anti-terrorism strategy is a hindrance in overcoming Taliban insurgents in NWFP and FATA.
Villagers who often are at the mercy of Taliban have complained about insensitivity and numbness of officials which has a great demoralising effect on those who don’t want accept Taliban as their masters, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.
He said that insurgents pose a serious threat to people but it is amazing that they aren’t offered required support to defend their life and property.
This he said while talking to Noor Malik, acting Chief of Adezai Qaumi Lashkar, the first grouping of volunteers to carry arms against Taliban, Lashkar-e-Islam and other insurgents.
“Adezai is the only village in the area offering resistance; rest have accepted supremacy of Taliban,” he said.
The failure of will help Taliban capture Mattani in no time and they would have full access to strategic Kohat Road.
At the occasion Noor Malik and others said that they are falling short of volunteers, arms, ammunition and finances while Taliban and other insurgents have superior manpower, weaponry, and vehicles etc.
They said that they are running out of resources as all the villagers who used to work in Darra Adam Khel and other areas have been forced to leave.
Taking care of the families of martyrs, fortifying our positions and repair of buildings following every attack is an additional expenditure.
“We are witnessing an increase in number of dead, dependents, injured and unemployed,” they said adding that we are dying for a cause but till day we have not received a single bullet from government.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that the aid received for anti-terror operations should reach those who deserve it otherwise commoners would be unable to sustain the cost of conflict in the long run.
Want of resources and increasing insecurity can force villagers to join Taliban or at least abandon government, he said.
He said that former commander of Lashkar Abdul Malik died last year defending his people and Peshawar from insurgents located in Fata and Frontier Region but it hasn’t moved government yet which proves that war strategy is less than perfect.
