The increasing militancy in Swat, Khyber, Bara, Jandola, Darra Adamkhel and unrepressed anarchy in the Federal Administrative Tribal Areas (Fata) due to the continuity of radical groups’ presence and activities, forced the government to rectify its approach towards the Tehrik-i-Taliban. It not only caused suspension in the peace talks, but also ravaged the hope to restore the writ of the government through a dialogue process. It reconfirmed the assertions that these radical militants’ illegitimate operations would only be prevented by use of military force rather than dialogue process, which is the priority of the present government.      
The radical militants once again defied government’s writ in Swat valley and Bara, which compelled law enforcement agencies to act in response. Six people and two security personnel were killed during the recent violence in the valley. Baitullah Mehsud, the chief of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had suspended peace negotiations with the government in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Fata on June 29, 2008. The TTP spokesperson alleged that the government despite the agreements had launched operations against the latter in Swat, Khyber Agency, Jandola and Darra Adamkhel.
The government seems convinced that foreign militants should leave the area. Otherwise they ought to be captured and eliminated. The presence of foreign militants in Fata and the NWFP has serious repercussions for Pakistani state and society in particular and global security in general. While commenting on the situation in Fata, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani referred to the involvement of a foreign hand in aggravating the law and order situation in the tribal areas. He added, public executions, kidnapping of minorities, razing of girls’ schools and bombing barber shops were acts that were tantamount to establishing a state-within-a-state and it was not acceptable to the government. PM Gilani also reiterated his earlier stance that government would only negotiate with those tribesmen who had opted to lay down weapons. On June 30, he said, “We will, however, never negotiate with militants nor allow foreigners to use our soil against another country.” It manifests that the government would continue its military operations against the foreigners and their local associates and also dispels the United States and it like-minded states’ apprehensions that Islamabad had changed its strategy on war on terrorism or was not doing enough.   
On June 30, 2008 the United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher had once again conveyed the concerns of Washington over the deteriorating law and order situation in Fata during his meeting with Prime Minister Gilani. In fact, the Americans and Europeans have consensus that Pakistan’s Fata provides sanctuary to local and foreign Taliban, al-Qaeda’s central leadership and the Islamic Jihad Union.  The Western intelligence agencies claim that since the demise of Taliban government in Afghanistan, much of the command, control and inspiration for planning attacks came from al Qaeda’s remaining core leadership residing in the tribal areas of Pakistan. On May 10, 2008 Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff United States Armed Forces claimed, “I believe fundamentally if the United States is going to get hit, it is going to come out of the planning of the leadership in Fata -- al Qaeda specifically.”  The foiled attacks in Germany and Denmark in 2007 and London terrorists’ acts in July 2005 manifested that presence of al Qaeda-affiliated groups, which has been fanning extremism in Pakistan-Afghanistan adjacent region are not a threat for Pakistan alone, but equally undermine the security of the Western countries.
The TTP spokesperson had threatened that if the government did not call off the operation, the Tehrik would announce its action plan in a couple of days. The pre-election 2008 terrorists’ acts in major cities of the country authenticate lethality of the reaction of these extremists. The need of the hour is that concerned government agencies should take this announcement seriously and act before they kill innocent people and generate mayhem in the society.   
On June 29, 2008 paramilitary forces had destroyed four hideouts of Lashkar-i-Islam and Ansarul Islam and an FM radio station in the Bara tehsil of the Khyber Agency. This action was viewed with scepticism in the area because only one militant was killed by the forces. The general perception was that the militants received the information prior to the operations and moved out of the area. The operations in which government failed to arrest the criminals or kill a few of them should be reviewed properly and the militants’ agents in the law enforcement agencies ought to be identified and punished. Without such an action the future government operations would only demoralise the people and encourage the criminals. Simple destruction of houses is not enough for winning the war against extremists’ militants.   
Ironically, these radical extremists use Islamic doctrines for justifying their illegitimate acts. The extremists’ strategy is not limited by theological moral scruples -- inhibition of killing of the innocent, unarmed, civilians and non-combatants. There is no compunction against killing of the innocent, women, children and the unarmed civilians.
The previous government’s military strategy and the present government’s dialogue approach dint help achieve all the desired objectives because their actions were not popular among the locals. Hence, the deplorable situation in Fata and the NWFP necessitate that government should ensure the support of locals to its strategy prior to the launch of military operations against the radical extremists. More precisely, elimination of popular sanctuaries of the militants is prerequisite for establishing writ of the government in restive areas.