The new government’s policy towards the NWFP has been to let the provincial government, led by the ANP, devise and lead a conflict reduction strategy comprising talks with militant groups combined with a social development plan for the tribal areas. The talks came close to agreement, with the FATA based Tehrik- e-Taliban Pakistan announcing a cease-fire. Tehrik commander Betullah Mehsud, who is linked to the Taliban’s Al Zarkawi in Iraq and allegedly Al Qaeda, has since halted talks saying the ANP government refuses to withdraw troops from North and South Waziristan, which he says is the quid pro quo.

If the ANP had agreed to withdraw troops, it would have been a repeat of the Musharraf government’s peace deals in tribal areas that allowed militants to regroup. That they have not holds out hopes that they might work towards a more detailed agreement on demilitarisation with the tribal elders, in which troop withdrawals would take place only after there is a verified surrender of arms by militants, as happened in Northern Ireland.

While a peace process in the tribal areas is essential for both Pakistan and Afghanistan, it will not address the Kashmir mujahideen, who have bases and support across the country, and the strongest in Punjab. An unspoken India-Pakistan policy had emerged under Musharraf, to attempt to bring the native Kashmiri mujahideen into the peace process, while cutting off groups such as the Lashkar and Jaish. It got little purchase then, but it could get more purchase now. It is certainly an issue for our government to raise, given that the Pakistani government is in the throes of framing policies to deal with the armed groups.

... contd.