NOVANEWS
By Sajjad Shaukat
On June 15, this year, Pakistan’s armed forces started a full scale operation “Zarb-e-Azb” against
terrorists in North Wazirastan Agency.
In this regard, DG, ISPR, Gen. Asim Saleem Bajwa said: “On the directions of the Government,
Armed forces of Pakistan have launched a comprehensive operation against foreign and local
terrorists who are hiding in sanctuaries in North Wazirastan Agency. He elaborated, “These
terrorists had been waging a war against the state of Pakistan by disrupting our national life
in all its dimensions, stunting our economic growth and causing enormous loss of life and
property…with the support of the entire nation, these enemies will be denied space across the
country.” He added, “These militants had perpetually terrorized the entire peace loving locals.”
Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif also expressed similar views on June 16, saying that
that military operation was aimed to eliminate all terrorists in North Wazirastan to get rid of the
menace of terrorism.
On the one side, Pakistani jets has been bombing militants’ hideouts in North Waziristan, and
killed more than 250 insurgents including foreign militants, while, on the other, an increase
has been observed in the efforts of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to motivate functionaries
and the locals by misguiding them against the armed forces. In this respect, the so-called TTP
affiliated religious scholars have been issuing Fatwas (Religious verdict), calling for Jihad
against Pakistani security forces, by using their traditional propaganda tools like FM Radios,
repeaters, pamphlets, Mosque Khutbas etc. They are inciting the innocent Muslims for Jihad
against Pak Army and by misinterpretation various incidents and developments like hanging
over of Arab/Ajam Mujahideen, handing over of Dr Aafia Siddiqui by Inter-Services Intelligence
agency (ISI) to the US, killing of several children and women in Lal Masjid operation including
religious scholars like Mufti Nizam-ud-Din Shamzai, Ghazi Abdul Rashid, Maulana Naseeb
Khan, Maulana Yousaf Ludhyani, Maulana Hassan Jan, Haq Nawaz Jhangvi etc. and killing of
more than 100 people and destruction of several mosques in North Wazirastan in security forces’
bombardment on 23 May 2014.
They propagate that military operations are being conducted in FATA on US dictations;
therefore, Jihad against Pak security forces is justified and is compulsory—locals should
dedicate their children for Jihad and financially support “Mujahideen.”
It is notable that since the present government had started the peace dialogue with the Taliban,
the TTP had been acting upon a dual strategy, as sometimes, it accepted responsibility for its
terror-attacks, but sometimes, it denied the same. In this context, TTP has refused that it was
behind the some attacks, but it accepted responsibility when Taliban insurgents targeted the
Rangers, Police and anti-polio workers in Karachi in wake of the peace talks. Similarly, Taliban
had claimed responsibility for the brutal massacre of 23 personnel of the Frontier Constabulary
who were abducted from Mohmand Agency, four years ago and later shifted to Afghanistan.
Similarly, TTP had condemned the brutal assault on the church in Peshawar. But, afterwards, its
spokesman had remarked that it was in accordance with Sharia (Islamic Jurisprudence) which
indicated that the group was behind that ruthless attack.
Notably, terror attack at the Karachi airport terminal on June 8, 2013 which martyred more
than 35 persons including those of the Ranger, police and the Civil Aviation Authority, came
as a blow from the sky. After a gunbattle of several hours in which Pak Army also participated,
10 militants were killed, and the area was controlled successfully without any major damage.
Weapons and explosive-material of the Indian origin were also recovered, which indicated
foreign hands behind the episode. However, TTP and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
accepted responsibility for this attack.
Taking note of the Karachi airport attack, the government which was following a policy of
appeasement toward the TTP and released many militants of the outfit decided to launch a
military action against them.
Nevertheless, the victims of terror-attacks in Pakistan have been innocent men, women, and
children. While, ruthless beheadings of the people, assaults on security personnel and prominent
religious figures—blowing children schools and attacking the female teachers in order to deny
education to girls, the militants also targeted cinemas and the places of worships. Their nefarious
acts resulted into martyrdom of more than sixty thousand Pakistanis including security forces’
personnel. Besides, they also criticized the developmental projects carried out by Pak Army.
In some tribal areas and Swat, the Taliban leaders had created states within the state, and had
been involved in a number of crimes such as drug-smuggling, forced marriages, hostage-takings
for ransom and even car-snatching. In the Khyber agency, they are also indulged in murdering
and torturing Shias in their majority areas, forcing them to flee. It was due to Taliban’s inhuman
activities that in 2009, Pak Army ejected them from these regions through military operations.
As part of their atrocities, TTP also killed of Ulema (Religious scholars) like Maulana Hassan
Jan who declared its activities as un-Islamic. TTP militants have been using suicide bombing as
their main weapon against their own country by calling suicide bombers-the followers of Islam.
In this context, Imam-e-Kaaba, Sheikh Abdul Rahman during his visit to Pakistan and during
his Khateeb-e-Hajj had clearly stated that suicide attacks are illegal (Haram). He explained,
“Such acts fall under the category of crime and suicide bombers or attackers are destined to go
to Hell…they represent enemy of Muslims and they commit crimes against humanity, while
misguiding other Muslims.” Denouncing terrorism as un-Islamic, he pointed out that terrorists’
activities are part of a conspiracy to defame Islam and destroy Muslims.
In fact, background of TTP leaders is that they have neither attended any Madrassah, nor have
attained religious education. Unfortunately, terrorists led by the TTP use Islam as their most
effective mask. Their main demands include enforcement of Islamic system of governance by
imposing Shariah laws in the country, ending diplomatic relations with US and western world
and undertaking Jihad against the non-Muslims. They have become self-proclaimed campaigners
of Islam, rejecting all dissenting views.
While Islam is a religion of universal application, as it emphasizes peace, democracy,
moderation and human rights including tolerance of political groups, religious communities and
sects which are in minority in a country.
The Constitution of 1973 which was unanimously adopted, clearly states that Pakistan is
basically a democracy guided by the Islamic principles and values—no law would be made
contrary to Quran and Sunnah.
Besides, addressing the Constituent Assembly on August, 11 1947, Quaid-i-Azam who wanted
Pakistan as a democratic state, said that he did not want Pakistan to be a theocratic state. He
wanted Pakistan to be a liberal, secular and progressive state where both Muslims and non-
Muslims were treated as citizens of equal status.
Having co-relationship with each other, Islam respects women, while democracy also advocates
the same. Democratic system does not prohibit the religious parties or tribesmen to participate in
elections. Laws of Sharia can best be put to practice through democratic system which does not
make us un-Islamic or anti-Sharia.
Pakistan has to move along with the demands of modern time. Therefore, periodic
reinterpretation of Islamic teachings, which is called Ijtihad is essential, as it could provide new
perceptions to Islam in accordance with the changed world vision.
However, Jihad is a sacred obligation, but its real spirit needs to be understood clearly, as
murdering innocent women and children is not Jihad. In fact, by implementing the instructions
of their external masters, these Taliban and their banned affiliated groups are defaming Islam,
concept of Jihad, and are weakening Pakistan.
It is mentionable that the TTP Chief Maulana Fazlullah had dismissed the proposed peace
negotiations with the government as a “waste of time”, and vowed to target the prime minister,
chief minister, chief of army staff and corpse commanders. Well-established in Afghanistan,
with the tactical support of the US, in connivance with Indian RAW and Afghan spy service, the
National Directorate of Security and Pakistani Taliban, Maulana Fazlullah—and these foreign
agencies have been conducting various sorts of terrorist acts including ethnic and sectarian
violence in Pakistan.
Nonetheless, true teachings of Islam, especially the Islamic history prove that the insurgents
were suppressed and eliminated by the Islamic governments. As the TTP-led terrorists had
accelerated their anti-social, undemocratic and un-Islamic practices, therefore, people from all
segments of life wanted that a handful of terrorist elements must not be allowed to dictate their
agenda and to impose their self-perceived ideology on the majority of Pakistanis. So, the right
hour has come that Pakistan’s media, politicians and leaders of religious parties must show
solidarity with the armed forces by also rejecting the propaganda of these zealots against the
security forces in relation to the ongoing military operation in North Wazistan.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
