Conflict and Peace Studies, Vol-2, No-2, Apr-Jun 2009

Pakistan military launched a massive offensive against Taliban groups in Malakand region of NWFP in the last week of April 2009. The operation was
chosen as a last resort after the failure of two agreements of the provincial government, first with the local Taliban group, led by Mullah Fazlullah, and second with defunct Tehrik Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) headed by Sufi Muhammad. Taliban had refused, in violation of the agreement, to lay down their weapons even after the promulgation of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation in the restive region. Taliban attacks on security forces including Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and police did not stop either. Before the launch of the security operation and while the peace agreement was still intact, militants carried out 18 terrorist attacks in Swat, Dir and Buner districts of Malakand region in the month of April alone. Eight of these attacks targeted security forces, including the army and police. That was a clear indication that the militants had no respect for the peace agreement and wanted to pursue their own agenda. Indeed it was Taliban’s advance into adjacent areas of Swat, mainly Buner and Shangla, which forced the government to launch an operation.