Pakistan's Swat dream turns into a nightmare

he Taliban has failed to keep its side of the bargain in the Swat Valley – and Pakistan is facing criticism at home and abroad

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Rather than endlessly engage in inconclusive, on-off guerrilla warfare with Taliban insurgents, Pakistan's security forces cut a deal. The Islamists would have de facto local administrative control, including implementation of sharia law. In return, they would accept federal government authority, stop fighting, and lay down their arms.

But February's deal in Swat has brought nothing but trouble, as its many domestic and foreign critics predicted. Tales of Taliban outrages against local people, including summary executions and the flogging of women for un-Islamist behaviour, gave the lie to claims that Swat's 1.5 million residents supported the militants' takeover.

It quickly became clear that Taliban leaders would not keep their side of the bargain. No arms were decommissioned; instead local police and judges were hounded out. Speaking from Swat in a nationally televised address last week, Maulana Sufi Muhammad, a senior cleric, said the aim was to create a "complete Islamic system" for the north-west region and ultimately, the entire country.

Specifically, Sufi Muhammad said appeals from sharia courts to state courts would not be allowed, despite earlier undertakings. "All un-Islamic laws and customs will be abolished," he said, making it plain that he and other radicals such as the recently freed Maulana Abdul Aziz regarded Pakistan's western-style democratic constitution as illegitimate. "The Qur'an says supporting an infidel system is a great sin."

Taliban fighters are now increasingly using Swat as a base from which to extend their control, moving in force into Buner and Shangla districts and deploying ever closer to the capital, Islamabad. Paramilitary troops sent to Buner were repulsed with casualties this week. A Taliban withdrawal, announced today, is likely to be both tactical and temporary...

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