Pakistani army gets tough to turn people against Taliban

Ayesha Nasir

• Last Updated: November 20. 2009 7:27PM UAE / November 20. 2009 3:27PM GMT

Policemen stand near a vehicle burnt out by the suicide bomb attack, which killed Abdul Malik and 13 others. Reuters

LAHORE // Earlier this month, Abdul Malik, the mayor of Awaizi, was walking through the local market, about 16km south of the main north-west city of Peshawar. The market was bustling with shoppers out to purchase goats.

“He was in a good mood that day,” Mohammed Asrar, the nephew of the mayor, or nazim, recalled. “He was excited about the upcoming Eid festivities and optimistic about the military’s victories in Waziristan.”

In a second it all changed. A suicide bomber blew himself up, killing the mayor and 13 others. Mr Asrar watched the scene unfold with a sense of horror and fear.

He had known for months that his uncle was being targeted, and finally the Tehrik-e-Taliban had struck.

Malik was the leader of an anti-Taliban civilian force in the region, and had received numerous threats from the militants over the past few months.

But just a year ago, Malik was often seen walking arm-in-arm with the very same people who had ordered his killing. His change of heart had little to do with a sense of outrage at the near-daily bomb blasts carried out by militants in this part of Pakistan, and more to do with a worrying trend of intimidation by the army.

As the government finds itself increasingly under pressure from the international community to rein in militants who are becoming increasingly audacious in their attacks, it has turned to more forceful tactics to turn communities against the Taliban.

The disappearance of pro-Taliban villagers followed by their change of allegiance is common in the North West Frontier Province where the Taliban have a strong grip. One source in Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, estimated that between 80 to 100 people had been picked up in this area. Those released have gone on to join civilian armies, or lashkars, or act as informants and assist the army in other ways.

“Sometimes this was done by force and other times by intimidation techniques,” said the ISI source, who requested anonymity.

In Malik’s town, at least 20 men had switched allegiance, according to villagers.

Malik’s family deny he was ever friendly with the Taliban, but neighbours and locals tell a different story.

“They were often seen together, sipping tea or walking around. The Taliban were regular visitors to their house, and no one would dare say a word against the Taliban in their presence,” said a neighbour.

Even the police were well aware of Malik’s links to the Taliban.

“He wasn’t just affiliated,” said Abdul Karim Khan, a police officer, “these people were the Taliban. There can be no doubt about this.”

Malik’s attitude changed, however, in early August last year, after shots were fired at two senior police officers from the direction of his house.

A few hours later, police accompanied by army officers descended on Malik’s home and rounded up 18 men, six from the mayor’s family and the rest were neighbours and members of his extended family.

The mayor’s brother, Abdur Razzak, said they were blindfolded and thrown into cars and vans. “No one told us where they were taking us, and no one explained anything to us. We were just stacked in the car and taken away.

“We were kept in tiny cramped cells,” he said. “There was a hole in the ground which we were expected to use as a toilet; no light, no bedding, nothing.”

Mr Razzak said they were treated “like animals and given only one piece of bread to share between four people. We weren’t allowed to take a bath or change our clothes for more than two months”.

They were held for two months and 16 days.

The mayor’s family said they were made to promise to renounce the Taliban and support anti-Taliban efforts.

“They put flower necklaces around the mayor’s neck, hugged him and said they looked forward to working with him,” said Mr Razzak. “We were all made to promise that we would work against the Taliban.”

Hassan Askari, a political analyst, said the army had been using such tactics for many months now, and that it indicated a sense of desperation.

“They are realising that they need to use many different methods to win what may be the most difficult battle they have ever engaged in. There is also evidence of the army buying loyalties and using threats to ensure a switch.”

Karim Khan, a police officer, said the information about Malik’s detention was correct, but he had no further details.

A spokesman for the Pakistan army, Lt Col Baseer Haider, however, said the army was not in the business of negotiating with the Taliban.

“If we suspect someone is involved with the Taliban, we pick them up, interrogate them and then if we believe they are suspicious we hand them over to the police,” he said. “We don’t sit down and make deals with the Taliban.”

* The National