Extremism in southern Punjab: edit in The News, May 17

More disturbing evidence that the Taliban have established a foothold in certain parts of southern Punjab has come to light following the lodging of an FIR in Jhang against a former district head of the banned Jaish-e-Muhammad. This is the first-ever FIR of its nature in Punjab and reflects a belated but welcome official admission of a serious problem that can no longer be wished away. The FIR, lodged under the Anti-Terrorist Act, suggests that the town, long a hotbed of sectarianism and home to banned outfits such as the Sipah-e-Sahaba, is now a major recruitment ground for the ‘Punjabi Taliban’ fighting in the north and a stepping stone for the group to spread its influence in other districts further to the south and east. Dr Imran, the man named in the FIR, is accused of running the network of the Tehrik-e-Taliban in the area, launching fund-raising drives and sheltering wanted Taliban leaders. Parts of southern Punjab certainly are a fertile breeding ground for militancy. There is a thriving network of religious seminaries dotted across the region and a history of fierce sectarian strife. The area is also extremely backward economically and poverty is widespread.

 To make things worse, the provincial government has been accused of turning a blind eye to the growing militancy in the area and sometimes even fanning extremist sentiments for political gain. Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah was recently embroiled in a controversy for seeking the support of a banned sectarian outfit during a by-election campaign and of letting off suspected terrorists under pressure. It is time for the provincial authorities to snap out of their collective state of denial and act before it is too late. The utmost vigilance is necessary and an effective intelligence network must be activated to keep tabs on a growing menace that can spread to those parts of the country relatively unscathed by the scourge of extremism. Equally important is to stem the flow of funds and men from the area to the battle zones in the north. With the army heavily deployed in anti-terrorist activities in FATA and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, it would be unrealistic to expect it to open up another front and launch a full-scale anti-militant operation in the area. It is therefore all the more important that the civilian authorities keep a vigilant eye on elements out to exploit the backwardness of the area to recruit young men to fight for their misguided cause. http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=239853