On the mammoth opposition Gujranwala jalsa, even after sleeping over it for some hours, the discussion is mainly confined to the hard hitting speech by the three time former PM Nawaz Sharif. But mostly political activists and a few journalists are taking part. Many others, 1/11 still in disbelief, are waiting for the response of the “ other side” for taking a “ sustainable “ position. Opposition to and resistance against the army’s meddling in politics has been a taboo subject in Pakistan without much much substantive debate on it in public space. 2/11

The brutal repression in Shaktoi , Waziristan, during the last few days is a stark reminder of the fact that the era of colonial violence for Pashtuns of former FATA is far from over.This area was kept as “a no man’s land” by British Raj since 19th century for their 1/14 strategic designs against Russian empire. Like a few other pockets in British India, the area was “excluded “ from regular state system. It was exclusively ruled by the executive branch with no role for legislature & judiciary. Punitive military actions, draconian laws, 2/14

Under the “war on terror “ of the last few decades & the recent hybrid martial law in Pakistan, military has replaced civilian executive in dealing with population along the 2000 km Durand Line,which is redefining the relations of Pashtuns with the state. They know the state 1/7 only by its coercive part. Three Ds, Death, Destruction & Displacement seems to be the main features of state policy. Handing over the area to terrorists for more than a decade ( for facilitating Taliban’s war in Afg) and then using F-16s, tanks & long range guns on a large 2/7