Negotiating with banned entities

Recently, the government of Pakistan made a lot of waves in both the national and international media over its two recent announcements – the revocation of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's (TLP) proscribed status, and declaring a complete ceasefire with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Justifiably, these decisions have raised a lot of eyebrows.

First, the removal of the TLP from the First Schedule, as a proscribed organization, has set a dangerous precedent in the country, as it came days after the outfit’s violent protest march to Islamabad. This bizarre move will only strengthen extremists and anti-state elements in the country, showing them the path that any outfit that masters the tactic of using religion to achieve political gains can hold the state hostage just by launching violent protests and choking major highways and cities.

Other proscribed organisations have already started demanding relief from the state after this decision, citing that they should also be unbanned and not discriminated against, and have threatened to protest against the government.

The revocation of the group's proscribed status removed around 8,000 TLP activists from the Fourth Schedule – a list on which suspects of terrorism and sectarianism are placed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. Some 2,100 TLP activists have already been released from police custody, after the government announced its decision to de-proscribe the organisation.

Can the officials of the Government of Pakistan tell who will be held accountable for the five brave police officers who lost their lives while trying to stop the violent protesters of the TLP? Or the 520 policemen who were injured. The nation and the families of all those slain in the light of duty deserve to know.

The irony is that the TLP workers who were involved in violent protests against the state and its security forces have been released, while as per some news reports the government transferred the entire police high command of Lahore in a massive reshuffle. In addition, the president of the ruling party in Punjab went to meet and greet the son of the late Khadim Rizvi. But ruling party officials were not seen going to the houses of the slain officers who lost their lives while protecting the law and order situation. It really sets a dangerous precedent and amplifies the priorities of the government which is a matter of serious concern.

These actions will have serious repercussions for the state of Pakistan in the coming years because steps like these shake the confidence of law-enforcement agencies – especially the police who are at the frontlines. If tomorrow they refuse to take action against a proscribed organisation, it can lead to anarchy in the country.

It should not be forgotten that previously too the TLP had been given multiple opportunities to mainstream itself politically, but always chose to challenge the state. It is a fact that ideologically motivated proscribed organisations are unlikely to abandon their principal philosophies, and consequently the reintegration of banned outfits by allowing them political space without submission to the constitution is simply not possible. Given the nature of the hybrid war Pakistan has been facing, it is also important to consider the potential exploitation of these groups by hostile external parties to achieve their own goals.

Similarly, since the announcement of a complete ceasefire between the government of Pakistan and the TTP on November 9, the latter have put three demands – opening of a political office in a third country, reversal of the Federal Administered Tribal Areas merger with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and introduction of an Islamic system in Pakistan.

The ongoing negotiations and the consequent demands which reportedly have been rejected by Pakistani authorities have raised many serious questions.

The lack of transparency and details over the truce agreement has justifiably heightened the concerns of the public, because history is witness that the TTP has never complied to any of the agreements. Moreover, the question of granting amnesty to the TTP who have been responsible for killing thousands of civilians and military officials, as well as spilling the blood of the innocent children of APS Peshawar, feels nothing short of a betrayal to the blood of those martyrs.

Pakistan has fought a long-hard battle against the menace of violent extremism and terrorism spanning over decades. The country has lost more than 80,000 of its people and billions of dollars in this fight. We cannot let the sacrifices made by our brave security officials and civilians go to vain with moves like these. It will be nothing short of disloyalty to not only the ones who have lost their lives while protecting Pakistan but also to their families.

On the one hand, the state is trying to resolve and eradicate the menace of radicalism and extremism. On the other, it is involved in enabling their behaviour with respect to policies towards the TLP and TTP. Government officials have repeatedly stated that both the TLP and the TTP are supported and funded by agencies like India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security. In this light, how can agreements be concluded between Pakistan and these organisations? The nation deserves to know.

Our country’s policymakers need to be cognizant of their actions because steps or announcements like these set a dangerous standard and weaken the state in the long run. In addition, it sends a negative image of the country. Where the fate of the country already hangs on a thin thread at the hands of the Financial Action Task Force, any misstep at this point will come at a heavy price which the state of Pakistan may not be able to afford. It is the need of the time that all critical matters of national security are discussed in parliament and decisions are taken with consensus for their effective implementation.

The writer, a politician, is the patron-in-chief of a non-partisan think tank – the Centre for

Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS). She tweets @SeharKamran