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Pakistan, right across the
border with Afghanistan, has been accused of not
cracking down
hard enough on the Taliban and other militant forces
operating in the countries independent Federally
Administered Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan.
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America's position
The West believes that Musharraf is not
doing enough to curtail cross border attacks
by the Taliban and its allies.
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Pakistan's position
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf maintains
that his country is doing all that it can and
that the burden of confronting the Taliban and
its allies must be shared by others. Musharraf
and other Pakistani officials say that Afghan
troops and NATO (who have only 100 checkpoints
to Pakistan's 1000) are not doing enough to halt
cross-border infiltration.
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The real reason Musharraf is moderate in his
actions against the Taliban
Many Pakistanis support the Taliban and/or are
critical of the West and America's interference.
In this election year, Musharraf must walk a
fine line between appeasing the West (Pakistan
is the fifth-largest recipient of U.S. foreign
assistance) and his own constituency who would
view a strong crackdown as a sell-out to the
West.
Waziristan accord
In September 2006, Pakistan's government made an
agreement with the tribal elders in the North
Waziristan area promising to stop air and ground
attacks against militants in exchange for a pledge
by the Taliban and other insurgents not to use the
area as a base for attacks against NATO forces.
Musharraf has said that he believes economic
incentives and political compromises are the best
way to counter the influence of insurgents in the
tribal areas.
The
West has called the pact a surrender by Pakistan to
the Taliban. In fact, NATO officials have said that
border attacks have increased since it was signed.
Pakistanis view the pact as a surrender to Western
forces.
Major points of the Waziristan
accord (from Wikipedia)
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The Government agrees to
stop air and ground attacks
against militants in Waziristan .
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Militants are to cease
cross-border movement into and
out of Afghanistan .
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Foreigners (understood to
mean foreign
jihadists) in North
Waziristan will have to leave
Pakistan but "those who cannot
leave will be allowed to live
peacefully, respecting the law
of the land and the agreement"
(wording from Dawn newspaper
article).
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Area check-points and
border patrols will be manned by
a tribal force.
Pakistan Army forces will
withdraw from control points.
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No parallel
administration will be
established in the area. The law
of the Government shall remain
en force.
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The Government agrees to
follow local customs and
traditions in resolving issues.
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Tribal leaders will
ensure that no one attacks
law enforcement personnel or
damages state property.
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Tribesmen will not carry
heavy weapons. Small arms are
allowed.
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Militants will not enter
agencies adjacent to this agency
(the agency of
North Waziristan).
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Both sides will return
any captured weapons, vehicles,
and communication devices.
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The Government will
release captured militants and
will not arrest them again.
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The Government will pay
compensation for property damage
and deaths of innocent civilians
in the area
Federally administered "tribal
agencies"
Along the border between Pakistan and
Afghanistan lie seven tribal regions collectively
called the Federally Administered Tribal Areas that
operated outside of the control of Pakistan's
government. The regions are managed by
fundamentalist Taliban insurgents, foreign militants
and members of radical Pakistani organizations who
employ strict Islamic codes and punishments. Men
must maintain long beards, singing and dancing is
discouraged, music and movie theaters are outlawed
and women must thoroughly cover themselves.
Violent crime in the region,
including the killing of clerics and others who
sympathize with the United States, is rampant and
largely unreported making the area a dangerous zone
for outsiders -- even fellow Pakistanis.
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