Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Amir Jamaat-i-Islami, has alleged that the government is inviting US to interfere in Pakistan’s internal matters by saying that Taliban can get control of Peshawar metropolis. He said neither Peshawar is facing any danger nor Taliban has the potential to grab big cities like Peshawar. “It’s the government, which is creating panic and fear among the people. There is nothing on ground,” he told a press conference in Peshawar.
Peshawar’s police chief Dr Mohammad Suleman has said that the city is secure from militants and the police will not tolerate any militant incursion.
He said that security has been put on high alert after the paramilitary forces launched an operation against militants in the Khyber Agency.
“Around 44 sensitive points have been identified in the city and well-armed police, Quick Response Force (QRF) and Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel have been deployed at these points,” he said.
He added that around 37 platoons of FC and QRF have been deployed in sensitive areas, and around 25 have been deployed in the Hayatabad locality. He said force had been deployed at around 30 places in Hayatabad locality of the city, which border Khyber Agency.
The wave of insecurity gripped the Peshawarites when Inspector General of Police Malik Mohammad Naveed in an interview asked for the federal government’s help against Taliban, who were according to him knocking on the door of Peshawar and could enter the city areas any time. In the follow-up of his interview, the adviser to prime minister on interior, Rehman Malik, told reporters in Islamabad that the government would launch a massive operation against those who were planning to get hold of Peshawar. He told the reporters that Peshawar is facing threat mostly from Taliban who are active in Khyber Agency and Darra Adam Khel.
Always in the past, when such operations were launched against militants, these were without any publicity. Deployments had been made after sunsets and operation launched before the dawn. But, the Khyber Agency operation was so publicised that even the school-going children were worried and asking their parents about its results.
Observers believed that through a pre-planned conspiracy a situation of fear and terror was created among the people of Peshawar. The motive behind this move has not been ascertained so far. But it has been clear to almost everyone that Peshawar is safe as it was earlier. Through his fearful interview, the IGP NWFP has at least managed for his force the new patrolling vehicles, modern arms and ammunition and communication system, which earlier were possessed by militants and criminals. The local police always failed to yield results due to scarcity of modern equipment.
In the backdrop of the ongoing operation in Khyber Agency, a Shura of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) endorsed Baitullah Mehsud’s announcement of suspending all peace agreements and negotiations with the government in Fata and the NWFP. Maulvi Omar, spokesman for Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan said the Shura at a meeting held at an unspecified place endorsed Mehsud’s announcement that all agreements reached with the provincial and federal governments would stand suspended and talks would be discontinued.
Citing reasons for suspending the peace deals, the spokesman said despite agreements the government had launched operations against Taliban in Swat, Khyber Agency, Jandola and Darra Adamkhel. Maulvi Omar said if the government did not call off the operation the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan would announce its action plan in a couple of days.
NWFP’s senior minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour refuted the rumours of a deadlock in the peace agreement with Swat Taliban, saying that the agreement was being honoured by both sides while there was also close contacts between the two sides.
During his speech in the provincial assembly, Bashir Bilour, said the provincial government was still pursuing the policy of maintaining peace through dialogue while there was complete harmony and writ of the government all over the province, wherein no hurdle will be tolerated in this regard.
There is also a feeling among the masses that recent aid announced by the United States for the development of Fata areas, was one of the factor of launching operation in Khyber Agency. The government wanted to show the US and other European countries that with signing of peace accords, the government was also taking steps of curbing those who were still challenging the writ of the government.
It is said that the idea behind the publicity of launching operation in Khyber Agency was to alert the militants so that they could leave their present position and during the operation loss of life should be least not more. This was like an unwritten agreement between the government and the militants.
Whatever may have been the idea behind launching an operation in Khyber Agency and publicity of Taliban threat to Peshawar city, one thing is clear to everyone that there must be reprisal of this exercise. Whether it is a real warning or just a ploy, but Baitullah Mehsud has announced to attack Punjab and Sindh after this operation.
It is clear to everyone that there must be retaliation to the present operation in Khyber Agency. Through the media reports, the militants have been informed that the government is scared of a reprisal in Peshawar city areas, particularly in Hayatabad residential society where most of the influential and government employees live. It is also adjacent to Shakas area of Khyber Agency and militants could easily move into this part of the area.