Dara Adam Khel, once famous for illegal arms manufacturing, is fast becoming a haven for Taliban activities that threaten to extend the Talibanisation to Peshawar and Kohat garrison city. “Dara is boiling and the government is ignoring the gravity of the situation,” officials said, as the area falls prey to militants who are initiating campaigns against local criminals. They said the inevitable “eruption” would have a direct affect on Peshawar and Kohat, two sensitive cities from a strategic point of view, whose importance is known to the Taliban. “It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Taliban control Dara Bazaar and its surrounding areas,” said one tribal elder who requested not to be named.People’s confidence: He said the local Taliban were attempting to win the people’s confidence by showing their “ability” to provide better law and order than the government. He said the Taliban were banning music, shaving of beards and discouraging girls’ education. Recently, construction work on a government-funded college for girls, on which Rs 80 million had been spent, was stopped after militants warned the contractor that his life was at risk if he continued work.
The elder said the Taliban also interfered in affairs of local tribes — settling their disputes and taking decisions on pending issues. “There was a dispute over the construction of a seven-kilometre-long road in Bostikhel tribe area because the tribe was resisting the governmentt’s programme, but the Taliban stepped in and asked the government to proceed because the people need better communication,” he added.
Govt cooperating: Sources in the local administration said the government seized the Taliban’s support and ordered work to be restarted. “They expressed their allegiance to Taliban commanders in Waziristan and are in direct contact with them through direct or indirect channels,” security officials confided to Daily Times. According to several analysts, Dara appears to be a strategic point for local Taliban because the area can be used to arm the militants and can serve as a launch pad for an assault on Peshawar.
The military has already intercepted two weapons consignments booked for Waziristan militants. “It is not an exaggeration to say that the Tailban are slowly reaching for Peshawar and the day is near when the metropolis will have serious security problems,” a senior police official told Daily Times.
20 kilometres: Meanwhile, 20 kilometres south of Peshawar cantonment, the Taliban have taken control of Mattni and told police that they “should not bother about security in the area as the Taliban will make sure the people’s life and property is safe”.