Monday, April 10, 2017

Farmers in Mohmand Agency FATA were stopped to grow maize crop.



Farmers in Mohmand Agency FATA have been instructed by Political Administration and security forces not to grow maize crop or fodder for cattle. This is only source of income of people of area in question. In most parts of the FATA security forces cut all types of herbs and shrubs and trees. This was exercised in an area where state has neither provided electricity nor gas facility to inmates. on one hand almost all leading and famous crossing points at Durand line with Afghanistan were closed by Pakistan across the FATA and other Pashtun areas. These crossing points were used for trade purposes by people of FATA. On other hand people of FATA were ordered not to grow maize crops on pretext of security though all terrorists are roaming freely in streets and roads of all big cities of Pakistan and their centers are also known. Racial profiling of people of Pakhtunkhwa province and FATA is also a continued process in almost all cities of Punjab and sindh alike. In own villages and home towns people of FATA are not allowed to grow crops. What people will do in such circumstances?. It means social and economic death of people is committed by state and its institutions. State must differentiate between terrorist and common people. We demand government to provide electricity, gas facility and internet so that people of FATA could be in contact with world out side of FATA. 
By Zar Ali Khan Afridi

Monday, April 3, 2017

A brief history of terrorism in FATA and future of region


By
Zar Ali Khan Afridi
There are reports that Chinese President is going to meet American President Donald Trump in Washington in first week of April. It is expected that they would discuss wide range of international politics around the globe. Hopefully they will also talk on politics and conflicts going on in an area situated between Afghanistan and Pakistan called Pashtun and Baluch region both sides of Durand line and FATA in particular.
For last 17 year the region in question is in conflict. Hundred of thousand innocent civilian were brutally killed in war against terror. More than 4000 tribal elders, political and social workers and Human Rights Defenders were assassinated. In 2001 when American towers were hit by terrorists under command of Osama Bin Laden entire free world and humanity were shocked to hear and watched that innocent civilian were martyred for no crime they ever had committed. This was indeed a shocking time and we all shed tears over dead and littered bodies. Then American President Bush declared war on terrorists and his forces perched in Afghanistan where terrorist Taliban and Alqaeda were stationed for last several year after so called Mujahideen were abdicated in 1992. Taliban were strongly supported by Pakistan and only two more countries ie Saudia Arab and United Arab Emirate recognized them along with Pakistan. Now it is not secret any more what happened by that time and who supported Taliban proxy and Alqaeda.
Subsequently a Loya Jirga was held where Hamid Karzai was chosen or elected as President of Afghanistan. Few year of his government were quite silent but slowly and gradually situations started bad and with passage of time got worst. In areas adjacent with Afghanistan this side of Durand line towards Pakistan Islamic groups re-emerged under umbrella of Mutahidda Majlis Amal MMA or a coalition of politico religious and Jehadist parties and out fits of Pakistan. This alliance ruled for 5 year and during this time Jehadist accumulated weapon, recruited fighters and got wealth and pelf.
In year 2007 Pakistan former PM Benazir Bhutto was assassinated who was committed to eliminate terrorism from FATA. Elections were postponed in Pakistan under then Army Dictator Pervaiz Musharraf and next year in 2008 elections were announced. Pakistan People’s Party and coalition formed government in center and in provinces except Punjab. Yousaf Reza Gillani of PPP was appointed as PM of Pakistan and after some time Party Co Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was declared as President of Pakistan. In province of then NWFP now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa coalition government of PPP and ANP was formed and Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of ANP was posted as Chief Minister of the province.
Soon Pakhtunkhwa province witnessed an abrupt increase in terrorism by so called religious Taliban. More than 3 million people were forced to leave Swat and resided in camps in Peshawar valley as Internally Displaced Persons or IDPs. Terrorists under command of Fazlullah a religious cleric and son in law of Chief of a religious out fit  Tehreek Nifazi Sharia Muhammadi Sufi Muhammad. Sufi Muhammad was the same person who just after American forces came to Afghanistan along with NATO declared Jehad and took hundreds of thousand of Jehadists to Afghanistan to fight against allied forces. Many got killed in Afghanistan and Sufi Muhammad and few of his colleagues crossed over to Pakistan through Kurram Agency where this man was arrested by Pakistan security forces and was kept behind bar for several year for reasons many  know better.
Almost all population of FATA was forced by security forces to leave their homes so that Pakistan military could launch a war against terrorist Taliban to eliminate them who happened to be 3000 latter on increased to 5000 and as time passed their number was shown more and more by Pakistan. Then American administration started assistance to Pakistan military to eliminate terrorism in Pakistan in general and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA in particular. Though terrorists’ networks, seminaries and centers were situated away from FATA in Punjab and other parts of Pakistan but security forces started fight against them in FATA. Out come of entire military exercise in FATA yielded no better results and goal was never achieved.  
In year 2011 Osama Bin Laden was tracked down in Abbott bad a garrison city of Pakistan. American forces which came to attack and kill Osama bin Laden turned back to Afghanistan and Pakistan got arrested a Pakhtun Doctor of Khyber Agency in FATA Dr Shakil Afridi on suspicion of helping American in tracking down Osama bin Laden. Dr Shakil was questioned for years and then he was appeared and latter on put in central jail Peshawar where he still has been languishing there.
During election campaign incumbent President Donald Trump claimed that he would get Dr Shakil Afridi in two minutes time after he takes oath of President of US. 
In recent past situations were changed when Pakistan and Chinese came closer after China Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC was announced. Known Jehadist organization Jesh Muhammad and its leader was supported by China and China vetoed resolution of India in UN.
A tripartite summit Conference was held in Moscow Russia on future plan for peace in Afghanistan but ironically Afghanistan was not invited there. Russians supported Afghan Taliban and called them National force which encouraged religious terrorism in region once again and democratic government of Afghanistan was also hit hard.
Russian forces generals visited Miran shah and Wana both North and South Waziristan and inspected area. This also created fears for future in region.
The region and its inmates in question once again is going in turmoil and big powers are in conflict like situations. In Pashtu language a very famous proverb says that frogs are crashed in fight of elephants.
Regards
Written by
Zar Ali Khan Afridi
Chairman
FATA Commission of Human Rights

FATA. Writer can be reached at fatacommissionofhumanrights@gmail.com