Behind the press conference of the DG ISPR lies the sort of harsh reality that made him speak so firmly against the ‘massive illegal, political mafia’ which he says is opposing Azm-i-Istehkam, for personal gain. Though Lt Gen Muhammad Sharif named no names in his press conference at Rawalpindi on Monday, he was clearly referring to the PTI, the JUI(F) and the ANP, as well as other parties which have expressed opposition to Azam-i-Istehkam. The harsh reality is that KP is spiralling out of control, and it is the Army that is bearing the brunt, whether it be the direct attack on the Cantonment, or the recent firing on a peace march which led to protesters being killed.
General Sharif put his hand on the proverbial nettle when he said that there was a need to ensure that all of the components of the National Action Plan be implemented, such as the registration of madressas. He noted that 16,000 were registered, leaving about 50 percent still illegal. This is a key demand of the JUI (F), which champions the cause of the madressas, and has been a bulwark against their even being registered. Many were set up during the Afghan jihad of the 1980s, and remain outside the educational system. They are seen as a source of sectarianism and extremism, and because they are not part of the education system, their graduates may have no alternative to unemployment except terrorism. However, the JUI(F) prides itself on being the spokesman of those who operate these madressas.
However, no matter what the monetary angle, it must be realized that the country is running out of options. The situation in KP is such that matters are no longer in anyone’s control. What might be revealed about the last decade of PTI rule will not concern anyone trying to get the situation under control. There is a particular patch of KP which is affected, the former tribal areas and their environs. Unfortunately, it has become a large patch. It also includes the home constituencies of both the current CM, Ali Amin Gandapur and JUI(F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Their personal interests cannot be allowed to turn into a licence for these areas to be turned into a free-for-all.
