Pak cops banking on Pashtun revenge culture to keep Taliban at bay in Swat

Mingora (Pakistan), Jun.4 (ANI): The military offensive in Pakistan's Swat Valley may be nearing its end, with the Army claiming that it has forced the Taliban and other extremists to leave the region, besides sanitizing scores of militants.

However, after the troops pull out from the different regions of the region, the biggest task of the local administration would be to prevent the extremists from resurfacing, and starting their reign of terror once again.

Security officials believe that the government should encourage the traditional Pashtun sentiment of vengeance against the Taliban to fortify the region against extremism, and prevent it from falling into their hands once again.

"The Taliban humiliated a lot of respected community leaders. These people will take any chance they get to take revenge against the Taliban. This is what the Pashtun revenge culture is," a senior police officer said.

He said the Taliban is already planning to hit back, and would wreak havoc in Swat if the government failed to initiate a community-based policing system in the region.

"The dispersed Taliban are likely already planning on bringing back disorder and killing to Swat once the operation is over," The Daily Times quoted him, as saying.

He added that after the civil administration in the region is restored, an armed civil force would be needed to check regrouping of the extremists.(ANI)