The current situation in Swat Valley - once known as the Switzerland of Pakistan, is really terrible as the ongoing fighting between the Taliban and security forces has turned it into the most insecure place in Pakistan. The infrastructure has been severely damaged, schools have been blown up by the Taliban in hundreds, thousands of local people have migrated and are living miserable life as IDPs and the area has become a warzone.
The people of Swat have never been religious or extreme in their religious beliefs. They never supported the Taliban. In fact the Swatians are famous for being materialistic among the Pashtuns.
The so-called Peace Deal between Taliban and the NWFP Government is not a guarantee of peace untill and unless the Taliban are not disarmed and executed for the miseries and damage they have caused. I wonder why don't these Taliban go to Afghanistan and fight the US occupation forces or to Kashmir to fight the Indian occupation forces or to Palestine to teach lessons to the Zionists. What kind of Jihad are they pursuing by killing their own Muslims brothers who happen to be soldiers of Pakistan - the sole nuclear armed Muslim nation.
The people of Swat are hopeless as they think that the government is not serious in eliminating these elements from Swat because they are a source of earning Dollars from the US. How come, a journalist can meet Mulla Fazlullah and any other Taliban leader and the Security forces are unable to trace him. The illegal FM channel that the Taliban are running to scare the people to death can easily be traced and destroyed or at least jammed. I dont understand why the government is not using its full force to wipe these militants out. I would like to quote a lady from Swat, one of the thousands of IDPs saying " We have been sold out by the government!"
