Will Taliban lay down arms after Sharia enforcement?
Rahil Yasin
April 18, 2009
Pakistan has leaders who have thrown all norms to the winds to please the heads of the present-day superpower. What the people are witnessing is a continuation of policies of former president Musharraf, under his rule the country went downhill on all fronts. His so-called alliance with America in its sham War on Terror without consulting the nation fueled anti-American sentiment.
Meanwhile, demons are creeping in from all sides. Bit by bit, they are tearing apart the moderate and conservative fabric of the country, which had been woven with great care over the centuries especially under Zia era.
Now these demons have turned their guns towards Pakistani forces and the people. Their demands are increasing day by day. Their area of influence is also spreading from tribal areas down to settled cities. They are making inroads in Punjab. The monster is totally out of control now.
Wars are already going on in all corners of the country. People were being forced from their homes in Swat, dying and being maimed, injured or disabled. Those living in camps were being threatened with starvation, epidemics and death, while those who were responsible for such misery sleep soundly in their warm beds. These events do not evoke a speck of guilty conscience in them.
Abject poverty and deprivation of the lands, lack of justice and opportunities, apathy of successive governments, clueless Afghan war fighters and some of semi-literate so-called religious leaders are the main reasons behind the demand of Sharia implementation in Swat valley.
It has been almost a year since the Pakistan People´s Party (PPP) came to power. It has not delivered on major of its many electoral promises. Finally, it has succeeded in making a peace agreement with Swat Taliban which, some believe, proved to be a sigh of relief for people of Swat valley.
The past peace efforts by Musharraf lacked sound and honest homework and ´will´ to enforce it in the region under the pressure of the United States. Musharraf´s half-hearted efforts in managing the problems of Swat and Fata area made the matters worst over the years. But the present government, some consider, realised the longstanding demand of Swat people regarding Sharia implementation.
Since 1994, some form of Islamic justice has been in force in the region. In 1999, the system was amended to make it more responsive to public needs. It is now being ratified with further amendments, along with a provision for an appeal court that was not there earlier. Under the Nizam-i-Adl (Sharia) Regulation 2009 the appellate and revisional jurisdiction of superior courts will be replaced with that of the Federal Shariat Court and executive magistracy will be revived in the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (Pata).
In the current volatile scenario, people of the region have welcomed the imposition of Sharia in Malakand Division including Swat. They are optimistic that peace will be restored in the valley, refugees will return to their destroyed houses, children will go to schools to continue their education, businesses will start again, tourists will throng back to the valley to make it once again one of Pakistan's most popular holiday destinations and most of all, their lives will be secured, at last. Nobody knows what will happen to the girls´ education.
On the other hand, previous Pakistani truces have faced US criticism for merely giving militants space and time to rearm. This latest deal raises the added concern that the government is trading away secular traditions and taking a step towards Sharia.
Indeed, the more a Muslim-majority country is trying to become Islamic from a traditional perspective through the introduction of Sharia, the more the West and others seem to be getting scared or concerned, and even many Muslims of those respective countries are becoming disillusioned and growing impatient or agitated.
Dr Mohamed Omar Farooq, an Associate Professor of Economics and Finance, Upper Iowa University, USA in his essay ´Sharia Value´ revealed, "In the West, the idea of Sharia calls up all the darkest images of Islam: repression of women, physical punishments, stoning and all other such things. It has reached the extent that many Muslim intellectuals do not dare even to refer to the concept for fear of frightening people or arousing suspicion of all of their work by the mere mention of the word."
However, political leaders and analysts agree that this justice system would not invoke some of the most draconian punishments often associated with Sharia. And it is widely seen as a popular move to restore the efficient rule of law in a country where the secular court system often takes years to resolve cases.
Proper understanding of the notion of Sharia is now even more important than ever not merely for theological reasons, but also to stop the radicals harmfully polarizing the society towards extreme positions.
Many times a notion can be distorted through misperception, misunderstanding or misuse. In such cases, the solution is not merely to discard a notion or term, but to remove the misunderstanding, clarify the abuses, and ensure that the praxis of faith reasonably and conscientiously conforms to the claimed ideals.
What Pakistan needs today, is a different view point and a different approach towards solving the problems of the masses. Pakistan is mired by plethora of problems both internally and externally. However, our woes emanate more from inside than outside. However, the enormity of challenges should bring the point home that all stakeholders need to join their forces together in order to offset these challenges to our survival. The political forces need to show unanimity of views on matters involving national interest.
The displaced people of Swat region living in camps without food and proper health care facilities cannot afford further strife. The peace deal between the two sides will transform the life for ordinary people. In its essence, Sharia aspires to be a law that applies equally to every human, great or small, ruler or ruled. Ordinary people or Taliban like Fazlullah, no one is above it, and everyone at all times is bound by it. It is also expected that the armed Taliban will disarm themselves, give up the path of violence and work for restoration of peace in Swat.