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| India-Pakistan |
| ANP can reverse NWFP Talibanisation |
| 2007-02-03 |
| The Awami National Party (ANP) and its leader Asfandyar Wali, suggests a commentary, are potentially capable of reversing the Talibanisation trend in the tribal areas, provided that the Pakistani establishment recognises the high stakes involved – namely the rapid rise of religious radicalism. In an analysis published by Jamestown Foundation’s ‘Terrorism Watch’, Pakistani academic Hassan Abbas described the recent ANP victory in the Bajaur by-election as “critical” and a blow to pro-Taliban elements in the region. It also marks the revival of a party that appeared to be hibernating during the recent Talibanisation process. According to him, the military’s “hidden alliance” with religious political parties made it difficult to effectively tackle the post 9/11 Taliban threat, but after 2003, the military opted for a show of brute force in the tribal belt that created more problems than it solved. The ANP was routed in national and provincial elections in 2002 because anti-Musharraf and anti-American sentiments were at their peak leading to support for the MMA. Abbas warned that the potency of Pashtun nationalist forces should not be underestimated. Given their history and traditional support base, they are potentially an effective and viable political force to challenge religious extremists in the NWFP and the adjacent FATA. He said that in terms of political orientation, the ANP was a nationalist Pashtun party that aspired to make Pakistan a truly democratic state. It also pushes for provincial autonomy and social justice. It was one of the few political forces in Pakistan openly critical of how the Afghan resistance against the former Soviet Union was labelled a jihad and sponsored from Pakistan with US and Saudi money. Framing the conflict in religious terms meant increased influence of Islamic parties and decreased relevance of secular parties like the ANP. The ANP remained critical of Pakistan’s pro-Taliban policies in the pre-9/11 phase, but its warnings were ignored. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 I recently read a sobering article in the Economist about the Pashtun culture. Given that, it doesn't exactly reassure me that the ANP are "potentially capable of reversing the Talibanisation trend". Same barbaric primitivism, different leader. |
| Posted by: Jules 2007-02-03 08:59 |