That the negotiations between emissaries of the government and Tehreek- i- Taliban Pakistan (TTP) would be arduous and prone to frequent disruptions was expected. It was also expected that the TTP would put the government in a quandary by making ‘unreasonable’ demands, like seeking the release of its fighters who have been found guilty of involvement in terrorist activities and convicted for the same. However, though the TTP has sought such a release, the demand is not for setting its apprehended cadres free, but the release of about 400 women and children who as per the TTP are ‘non combatants’, but have still been imprisoned by the security agencies solely because they happen to be the family members of TTP fighters. While this demand certainly does not appear to be ‘unreasonable’ at all, there seems to be a major problem in its implementation- while the TTP is certain that these ‘non combatants’ are in custody of security forces and adamant that this demand be expeditiously met, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawja Asif has categorically denied these allegations!
With one side making an allegation and the other univocally rejecting the same, a state of complete confusion exists regarding the whereabouts of the ‘non combatants’ in question and this issue has the potential to precipitate a major crisis. While it may not be possible to clear the air and establish facts immediately, it is more than evident that if one party is telling the truth, then obviously the other one is certainly lying. So, there could be two possibilities – if it is the TTP which has conjured up this allegation merely as an excuse to pull-out of the talks, then there is nothing that Islamabad can do but to recommence military action. Should this happen, then Pakistan will slip back into the vicious cycle of violence with the military striking at the TTP, which in turn will take reprisal by targeting both the military and civilians alike. However, if the TTP accusations are correct, then Islamabad is not only guilty for illegally keeping ‘non- combatants’ in custody, but by denying their existence also culpable of engineering their ‘enforced’ disappearance!
The intriguing part is that as early as February this year, the ISPR spokesperson had rubbished these claims made by the TTP, terming them to be ‘false allegations’ and ‘baseless’ propaganda against the security forces. In March, when the TTP intermediary Professor Mohammad Ibrahim disclosed that a list of 300 ‘non-combatant’ women and children detainees had been provided to none other than Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan himself, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif put up a brave front and maintaining the stance taken by the ISPR dismissed the allegations and to reinforce his assertions, even offered a government probe to establish the facts. However, with the TTP claiming that it has credible evidence to prove that security forces had taken ‘non combatant’ family members of TTP fighters into custody and the chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council Maulana Tahir Asharfi now saying that the TTP has sought the setting up of a judicial commission to ascertain the conflicting claims regarding ‘non combatants’, the issue appears to have become really serious!
While it is not intended to side with the TTP, in the fitness of things and for the talks to progress, Islamabad should accede to the TTP demands for a judicial probe. While the allegations made by the TTP could well be false, its insistence on demanding a judicial probe does suggest that there well may be some substance in their claims. Therefore, before agreeing for a judicial inquiry, there is need for the government to first ascertain facts to avoid embarrassment later, as the army and security agencies in Pakistan are notorious for operating with such secrecy that at times, even the government of the day remains ignorant of many a things. In 1999, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was completely unaware that the Pakistan army had crossed over the LoC in Kargil till he heard the tape of an intercepted telephone conversation between his own army chief General Musharraf and another General. The government of Pakistan has also been rubbishing all reports by various human rights organisations that security forces in Balochistan were systematically indulging in extra-judicial executions on a large scale. However, the recent discovery of mass graves in Balochistan has come as a big embarrassment for the government. So, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his team will have to finds ways to penetrate the thick cloak of secrecy which shrouds military operations.
Being a responsible and democratically elected institution, the responsibility of disproving the TTP allegations squarely falls on the shoulders of the government. If it is able to convincingly demolish what the TTP claims to be credible evidence regarding ‘non combatants’ being in custody of security agencies, there is nothing to worry about. However, if the TTP allegations are proven to be fully or even partly true, then it would precipitate a crisis of humongous proportions besides creating a ‘catch 22’ situation. If the army subsequently concedes that the ‘non combatants’ whose release the TTP has been demanding, were all along in its custody, it would suffer severe embarrassment and considerable loss of credibility, which it cannot afford at a time when ‘army baiters’ are ruling the roost. However, if the army continues to remain in a state of denial, then it would mean not only the end of talks, but also put a big question- mark as to what would become of the ‘non combatant’ detainees whose presence in army custody has been ‘officially’ denied by them? Obviously, they cannot be held indefinitely and whenever released, they will surely spill the beans; nor can they be ‘silenced’ for good and buried secretly in mass graves-or can they be?
Tailpiece: One prays and sincerely hopes that the TTP claims regarding ‘non combatants’ being in the custody of security agencies is proven false. However, just in case it turns out to be otherwise, rather than attempt to conceal facts, it would be much better for Nawaz Sharif to take the bull by the horns and come out with the truth, even if it is unpalatable as this will at least save the ongoing negotiations from collapsing!