VIEW: Of apologies —Gulmina Bilal Ahmad
VIEW: Of apologies —Gulmina Bilal Ahmad
Courtesy to "Daily Times"
There is a need for close cooperation not just between the different
intelligence agencies and the security forces but, most importantly,
between the locals and the agencies. For there is no substitute for
local knowledge and information gathering
The army chief has
rendered an apology. The apology was made for the loss of 70 lives of
Kuki Khel tribe of Tirah Valley in Khyber Agency. The people of the
tribe were understandably upset when 70 innocent lives were lost when
the Pakistan Air Force fighter planes, on the directives of the
Pakistan Army, hit the civilians incorrectly believed to be extremist
elements. In addition to the tragic loss of 70 lives, dozens have been
injured too.
The army chief apologised but what is even more
important is that this apology was accepted. During this week, the main
English and Urdu newspapers carried advertisements by the tribesmen of
Kuki Khel acknowledging the thought behind the apology, accepting it
and offering assistance in terms of intelligence. This is the key to
moving ahead. No amount of apologies can bring back those 70 lives that
were lost. However, if we are serious about the apology and wish that
such a gigantic tragedy never be repeated, we should ensure that the
factors leading to this unfortunate event must be addressed.
What
were these factors? Why did the army make the mistake? It was certainly
not wilful. For, if it were wilful, General Kayani would not have
apologised. Come to think of it, if the tribesmen even slightly
suspected that this was a wilful mistake or one that was based on
faulty judgement or even intelligence, they would not have accepted the
apology. The fact that they accepted the apology and even ran
advertisements in major newspapers is proof that the apology has been
accepted in the spirit in which it was rendered.
The main factor
behind this was a communication gap in intelligence sharing. In fact,
it was, tragically, an excellent example of it. If we are serious about
not repeating this tragedy, this gap needs to be addressed.
The
army’s intelligence was that there were miscreants and the Pakistani
Taliban were amongst the group. Acting on this intelligence, the army
ordered the attack with tragic consequences, as we later saw. The
attack was not the army following blindly intelligence tip offs. It was
part of a wider operation. As a fellow columnist put it, “The Sra Vella
aerial bombardment was conducted as part of a larger campaign of ground
and air assaults on terrorists that began in Orakzai Agency and is
called Operation Khwakh Ba De Sham. The Pakistani military has expanded
the theatre for the operation into Khyber because it offers an easy
secondary position for terrorists to escape to. Khyber is the strategic
depth that terrorists in Orakzai enjoy. From a classical
counterinsurgency perspective, there is nothing controversial about the
expansion of Pakistani military operations into Khyber.”
However,
there was gap between local intelligence and the forces. The guerrilla
warfare that the army is confronted with and engaged in requires
intelligence sharing, which is dynamic in nature. The Tehrik-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) has, in recent months, had their key leaders taken out.
Thus, now they are on the run constantly and intelligence reports of
even three hours back in some cases are too old. This apparently seems
to be the case in Tirah Valley. Therefore, there is a need for close
cooperation not just between the different intelligence agencies and
the security forces but, most importantly, between the locals and the
agencies. For there is no substitute for local knowledge and
information gathering. It would not be incorrect to state that
previously locals were not fully on board against the Taliban. There
were local communities who perceived the army to be the enemy rather
than the Taliban. One would come across locals condemning the TTP for
their actions against girls’ schools for instance, but remarking on the
fact that the TTP provides ‘speedy justice’ through indigenous courts,
etc. However, after a sea of people were displaced out of their homes
at the hands of the Taliban, after their gruesome acts were experienced
and recognised by the people, the Taliban have lost ‘public support’,
so to speak. This has actually resulted in more cooperation with the
security agencies and it is this cooperation that needs to be
cultivated and enhanced.
The Taliban recognise this too.
Initially, the TTP was quick to assume responsibility for bomb blasts
and other heinous crimes. However, now they seem to be indulging in
marketing for themselves. For instance, just this week, in the
aftermath of the Qissa Khwani blasts where the Jamaat-e-Islami was
holding a protest rally against frequent power outages in the country,
the TTP denied having anything to do with it. In fact, it came out with
a statement distancing itself from the blast. The TTP spokesperson Mr
Azam Tariq, during his media interaction, actually said, “We never
strike in cities and public places as we know only civilians become
victims of such actions.” Communication analysts while analysing this
statement would not be wrong to conclude that this statement could not
have been issued by an extremist guerrilla group. For guerrilla groups
are quick to assume responsibility for actions not their own, if it
adds to the general fear associated with their name. However, here we
have a bizarre situation where the TTP is actually distancing itself
from such incidents, primarily because of the public outrage that they
are increasingly faced with. The wrath of the government they can and
have been dealing with. However, they seem to be retreating in the face
of public wrath.
It is this public wrath that might prove to be
the end of groups like the TTP. The public wrath has to be channelised
towards a close relationship of intelligence sharing between them and
the security agencies. This is essential so that military interventions
are based on correct facts.
Speaking of correct facts, let us
also refrain from confusing issues. The TTP, while denying the Qissa
Khwani blast, has instead declared that Blackwater, in cohort with two
political parties, was behind the blast. An atmosphere of distrust born
out of such statements has to be avoided like the plague.
According
to news analysis, in the first three days of the present week, about 70
people have lost their lives. Let us be clear on this: it is the
Taliban who are to blame for this loss. Not anyone else.
The writer is an Islamabad-based consultant. She can be reached at contact@individualland.com
In : Gulmina Bilal Ahmad
Notes