The differences between the senior administration of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas Fata secretariat and the governor NWFP still persists even after the release of 300 army troops from the captivity of Pakistani Taliban in North Waziristan Agency against the release of 20 hardened criminals after Tiargah agreement among the government and the Taliban leaders was signed.
Due to the rift, the senior administration of the Fata secretariat and the governor both have reportedly refused to work with rival parties and applied for long leave from their offices. Though the spokesperson of the Governor House, Peshawar has denied any differences between the senior administration of FATA secretariat and governor NWFP, but the absence of the governor from his office during such important days, when election campaign is on its peak, raises eye brows of all those concerned sections, who are the policy makers for FATA.
The absence of senior administration of FATA secretariat was also strange for every body, since the tribal area is still passing through worse law and order situation, as during the last week two incidents of attacks on law enforcement personnels were reported. “There absence has created doubts everywhere and benefit will ultimately go to the troublemakers,” said a source in the Governor House, Peshawar.
The leave applications from Additional Chief Secretary Javed Iqbal, Secretary Admin Sikandar Qayyum and Secretary Law and Order (FATA) Arbab Arif clearly spoke that they refused to work under the present policy of FATA secretariat.
The differences between the governor and the officials of FATA secretariat mounted after local Talibans in South Waziristan Agency kidnapped more then 300 troops while they were being transported from one camp to another.
Since the incident brought bad name to the NWFP government and especially for the governor himself, it had been decided to negotiate with the Taliban for the release of Pak-army troops.
Additional Chief Secretary Javed Iqbal, Secretary Admin Sikandar Qayyum and Secretary Security FATA Arbab Mohammad Arif were given the task by the governor to negotiate with the kidnappers for the release of the troops.
Initially, the Taliban have demanded the release of over 40 relatives and companions, but the demand reduced to 20 after the talks. The governor also agreed to release their 20 men, who were involved in attacking the law enforcers and creating law and order situation in the tribal belt. As the government agreed to the Taliban demand, the names of five more accused, who were said to be the hardened criminals and posed great danger to the government and the people in past, were handed over to the negotiating team for release.
Sources said that the team, which was headed by Javed Iqbal, Additional Chief Secretary, agreed to release five more accused. It is learnt that as soon as the governor learnt about another demand of the Taliban, which was accepted by the negotiating team, he refused and asked the team that it was out of his power to release such criminals.
He told the negotiating team that at first to negotiate with the criminals for maintaining peace is not an appreciable strategy, but they were compelled to do so after the kidnapping of more then 300 troops, the government could negotiate on limited terms and condition. He said the government agreed to release the 20 accused only because it wanted the security of its people and further demands will not be acceptable to the government.
The refusal by the governor to release five more accused had agitated the negotiating team. They first tried to convince the governor to accept the demand as they had made promises with heads of Taliban against the release of troops, but when they found that the governor is strict to his words, they decided to refuse to work with him and applied for a long leave. Though the security personal have been released from Taliban captivity, but problem at governor secretariat still persists.
Chief Secretary Riaz Noor who at present is already in conflict with the caretaker chief minister over issue of some appointments, is trying to persuade the negotiating team to come back to their offices. Azmat Hanif Orakzai has been given the charge of FATA secretariat.
Since the law and order situation was out of control with the existing policy of the government despite the huge loss to law enforcers and innocent people, the NWFP government with the consultation of the elders of the troubled tribal agencies formed a policy to accommodate even the troublemakers just to maintain the writ of the government. The governor approved the plan with the consultation of the senior officials of the FATA secretariat and the tribal elders. It was a sudden decision by the governor, which forced the senior officials to leave their offices.