I‘ve written quite a bit in the past about the Pakistani government’s misguided negotiations with the Taliban. Agreements from 2006-2008 only allowed the Taliban and al Qaeda to regroup, rearm, and consolidate their power in the tribal areas and the greater northwest, while serving to demoralize the Pakistani military and the people living under the Taliban’s boot. (See here or here). Despite ample evidence of the failure of this policy, the Pakistani government is cutting a new peace agreement with the Taliban. The government will allow the Taliban to implement sharia in a region called the Malakand Division, which encompasses the districts of Malakand, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Dir, and Chitral. This region makes up about 1/3 of the Northwest Frontier Province (see map here). In exchange, the government will end its operation in Swat. Recently, President Zardari said force must be used to defeat the Taliban, while Prime Minister Gilani said other measures are required. Clearly the “other measures” option will be tried, and the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters sheltering among them will only grow stronger.
