PESHAWAR: Pressed by military and partly disgusted by brutality exercised by Taleban and Al-Qaeda fighters, Pakistani tribesmen are rising up against militancy in some parts of the tribal region along Afghan border and other areas.
Three ethnic Pashtun tribes in Bajaur district — the Salarzai, Tarkhani and Utmankhel — raised a “Lashkar,” or private army, of around 10,000 tribesmen to drive Taleban out of their area, after weeks of fierce fighting between security forces and militants resulted in heavy civilian casualties and property losses.
“We have been told very clearly by the authorities that the only way to avoid collateral damage is that we clear our areas of Taleban and bring stability here,” said tribal elder Fazal Karim, who leads the Lashkar.
The Pakistani Army in early August launched a major offensive in ungoverned Bajaur district to take control of a strategic route used by Taleban to provide supplies to their comrades fighting US forces in the Afghan province of Kunar.
Making just small gains with the route still under Taleban control, the forces mainly rely on aerial and artillery strikes that according to the locals have killed more civilians and cattle than militants.
The attacks have also razed houses, obstructed the maize harvest and forced more than one-third of the 800,000 inhabitants to flee the area.
But that is not the only reason for emerging rebellion. Many do not agree with Taleban’s interpretation of Islam.
Taleban executions, extreme torture, opposition to social and economic development projects and girls’ education further deepened the split and banded together people in some areas for an indigenous armed resistance.
Armed with rocket-propelled grenades, AK-47 assault rifles and light machine guns, thousands of warriors from the Perozkhel tribe established dozens of blockades in Orakzai Agency last week and took positions on strategic hilltops to prey on extremists in their area.
Eighteen insurgents, including four would-be suicide bombers, and two explosive-laden vehicles were seized, putting the tribesmen in a comfortable position to negotiate the release of dozens of police recruits abducted in their district by militants weeks ago.
