Reconciliation-Is it a Possibility

The recent blasts in Peshawar have-without doubt-raised questions over the feasibility of the peace and reconciliation talks. Besides, some people and experts are already discontented with the idea that Taliban can atone for their deeds just by sitting around a table; crushing them by force seems the only possible and pertinent solution to them.

There is no doubt in the fact that Taliban cannot seek remorse for their past deeds just by throwing off the weapons. However, we need to understand that this is not merely a war between two enemies; this is a War of Ideologies. Simply destroying a Taliban camp or their weapon storage area, or even persecuting their leaders would not help: as long as the ideology exists that our government supports the “Tyrant Invaders” and executing them is the only way forward, it is fantastically improbable to overcome this disease. Furthermore, if we take an insight into the causes of this disease, we observe that the foremost causes include mistakes of our past governments in handling this issue and-most importantly-initiating this phenomenon during the cold war. Simply detaching from those who propagate this extreme phenomenon didn’t help; it aggravated the matters since the militants became our enemies as well and last 12 years give enough proof that war is not the solution. Since common people are directly affected by this war against terror, war will only create more enmity in the affected areas, it will only spread hatred, it will only create more suicide bombers, it will only worsen the law and order situation and it will only give rise to this ideology and phenomenon.

The bottom line is that we should give sometime to these peace talks; there is always a possibility if a way forward through discussion. Talks should be based on equality and no side should have an upper hand before both sides sit behind the tables: war should be immediately called to an end. If the talks prove worthless and do not proceed, then it will only convince the common people that government is sincere in its intentions to absolve the dilemma and it is only the militants who are an obstacle, thus helping to tackle the ideology that is spreading this disease.