04/19/10
More needs to be done
dawn.com.pk, Editorial, Monday, 19 Apr, 2010
Now that Swat has been more or less cleared of militancy, there is an urgent need to create the conditions necessary for the return of normalcy. It is true that many gains have been made by the state in this context: just a year ago, the region was under the sway of TTP-led militants and the government had been forced to accede to the Nizam-i-Adl agreement.
Chances for the relative peace that Swat enjoys today had then looked dim. Nevertheless, much remains to be done in the post-conflict era.
Follow up:
Participants at a seminar organised recently in Islamabad pointed out that the government needs to establish its presence effectively in the area, not just in terms of law and order but also in the context of the development of infrastructure, the even-handed distribution of aid and the promotion of agricultural and tourism activities. The latter constitutes the region’s main sources of income.
Of seminal importance is the judicial system which has been notoriously slow-moving and corrupt for nearly four decades. The consequent erosion of the people’s faith in the state and government was in large measure responsible for the support initially lent to the TTP’s 2009 promise of a ‘quick, Sharia-based’ justice system. The government must learn the lesson dictated by this experience: without the timely provision of credible justice, it is not possible to win the population’s support for the state and its machinery. In this context, efforts such as last month’s decision to employ new judges and create new courts in Swat are commendable and must be offered the requisite political, financial and administrative support.
There are a host of other issues too: schools and hospitals have to be rebuilt, the tourism and agricultural industries resuscitated and aid provided to thousands of people traumatised by conflict and displacement. Clearing the area of militants constitutes just half the task of rehabilitating Swat. Efficient and inexpensive judicial, medical and educational systems will work wonders for the Swati people’s confidence in the state and government, which is crucial to the project of preventing the Taliban or any other anarchist elements from regaining influence in the area.
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