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Taliban killed 150 pro-govt Maliks

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: Taliban forces have so far killed 150 pro-government tribal Maliks in the North and South Waziristan Agencies and are openly challenging the writ of the government by engaging a number of security forces’ personnel in the area, the federal cabinet was told on Wednesday, sources told Daily Times.

Briefing the cabinet on the law and order situation in FATA, Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao told the cabinet that the presence of the Taliban in FATA was a threat to national security and Pakistan’s economic development. “Religious extremism, militancy and terrorism are continuously undermining Pakistan’s image in the international community” he was as quoted saying.

He said that the ‘Talibnisation’ of Waziristan was damaging other parts of the NWFP and that the local ‘Maliks’ and political administration had been limited to their houses and offices, sources said.

“The Taliban’s sphere of influence has expanded to DI Khan, Tank and the Khyber Agency, where clerks of the area have started to join them. There has been a sharp increase in attacks on heavily-defended military targets in these areas as well,” Sherpao was quoted as saying.

According to sources, he admitted before the cabinet that the situation remained volatile in the North and South Waziristan agencies, despite the deployment of a heavy contingent of armed forces. “The other concern of the government is the presence of Indian consulates in the Afghan cities, which are near the Pakistani border,” the minister said.

Sources said that Sherpao deemed the restoration of order in all districts of the NWFP and eliminating militancy and Talibnisation as the top priorities, saying that the people were being fooled in the name of nationalism and jihad.

He told the cabinet that the government had adopted a two-pronged strategy to control the situation. “The government, on one hand, is focusing on socio-economic development and political dialogue while, on the other hand, it is utilising its military options as well,” he said.

He said that the towns and major markets of the area had been declared weapon-free zones; political administration would take punitive action against defiant tribes; position of tribal elders and Maliks would be restored; the institution of ‘political agent’ would be reinforced; and new ‘levies’ forces would be sent to North and South Waziristan Agencies.

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