Pakistan announced that it had arranged a peace pact with the Taliban is seen by many as an admission by the Pakistan Army of its inability to control the region by brute force methods it employs against opponents and having lost hundreds of soldiers. Apparently, the new Governor of the North West Frontier Province through a 45 member Grand Jirga
(council of tribal elders) in the strife-torn tribal agency to broker a deal to
avoid further losses in combats and ambushes. The
Taliban itself had offered a truce in June on specific terms and it looks like Pakistan was ready to deal with the group and call an end to the overwhelming force that it used in vain.
The Taliban controls many tribal areas of North Waziristan and administer those
areas through a warped interpretation of Islam often using medieval means to
enforce their rule. It appears that this is not the Taliban that was once ruling
Afghanistan and forced out by an US-led coalition and now fighting coalition
forces in Southern part of the country. This is the
new Taliban, with apparent large public support because of Islamabad ’s Administrative failure, and scorching the Army with their hit and run tactics.
Every bit of the agreement read like a punishment for a defeated Army:
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There will be a cessation of all land and air operations against the Taliban
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All Taliban prisoners arrested during operations will be freed and a clemency granted for all terrorists irrespective of crimes
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The Taliban will have to turn in heavy weaponry but will be allowed to carry small arms
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Pakistan will pay reparations to the Taliban and tribes for losses during the operation
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The Army will withdraw from all check posts and a paramilitary force will assume control
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Tribal leaders and Ulema will assume responsibility to ensure that there will be no more attacks on security forces and government property
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Disputes will be settled through the draconian and archaic Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) instituted during colonial times and the Taliban would dismantle other kangaroo courts
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Pakistan will restore all privileges and rights of tribals
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All foreigners will either leave North Waziristan or respect local laws
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All movement through the mountains into Afghanistan will be stopped
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The Taliban and Ulema will return stolen government property such as vehicles, wireless sets, and arms
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A 10-member committee will monitor adherence to the agreement and will include political administrators and tribal elders.
India has already expressed suspicion on this agreement as it looks like the Pakistan Army is taking a short-cut to withdrawing the forces for other duties. There are reports that Pakistan is repositioning several regiments in a Kargil-like operation to deflect pain and strings of blunders in Baloachistan. Analysts say that President Pervez Musharraf may attempt at something spectacular to deflect attention from his failure on economic, military, and political fronts.
