Lahore, Jan 28: Former Pakistan Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has said that the rise of the Taliban can be attributed to the failure of not taking “swift and decisive action” against them.

“The police are scared. They don’t want to get involved,” Sherpao told the New York Times.

Sherpao warned that there is a risk of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) being totally Talibanised, as the Taliban is well-financed, skilled at propaganda and paying political opponents to stay away from elections.

“Unless you involve political parties, civil society, (and) religious leaders, this is not going to make any headway,” Sherpao added. (ANI)