Nizam-e-Adl regulation was hailed by most political parties and the people of Pakistan hoping it to be the end of crisis in Swat. ANP and PPP went to their extreme limits to back the aforementioned agreement. President Zardari’s political move of taking it to the Parliament (when everyone was blaming him for causing a delay) was a nice one to avoid having to take the blame. I supported the agreement too, with some reservations. There were two reasons for these reservations. One, that the insurgents would not give up weapons citing cultural reasons. Whatever the culture, no one can keep weapons. I have always said that having a culture to keep weapons in some parts of NWFP is not a valid excuse to maintain such weapons. Secondly, the government was in a very weak position while negotiating with the insurgents.

The politicians made the mistake of vehemently supporting the agreement and trusting the insurgents as if they have never done something wrong. I will come to the polticians in a little while but first I will have my say on the operation that has started now.

The Rah-e-Haq operation that has begun should have started long ago! An area where the army is required to fight for this long, face the kind of weapons they are facing now should have been cleaned up much earlier. There is no point of stopping the operation now, in between. The place needs to be wiped off weapons and insurgents. The enormity of operation has shown the strength of insurgents.

I have a problem with two political parties who are calling for the operation to stop: JI and PTI. How can they support the people having rocket launchers? How can they advocate pardon for people who have slaughtered innocents?

When the Nizam-e-Adl regulation was brought to Parliament, MQM had a valid point disagreeing with it BUT the excuses they used of Talibanization in Karachi, and then asking for people to keep weapons for their protection reeked ill will.

PPP appears helpless, perhaps because the army is calling shots whie PML appears quiet shaping up to take position if USA takes its hands off Zardari.

For now its time to back the Pakistan Army and hope that they are able to wipe off the terrorists once and for all.

Most importantly, the operation must finish as early as possible so that the IDP’s can return to their homeland.