Ordinary Pakistanis and jihadis

ISLAMABAD: This is with reference to Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari’s piece ‘Towards a new strategy’ (June 9). I think the suggestion of providing alternative sources of income to the jihadis is a worthy one. However, what we need to do first need is to provide means for earning a living to our own people so that they do not join the extremists.

With due respect, when liberal, progressive and financially sound individuals such as the writer view America as a country with “imperial designs” imagine what ordinary illiterate, narrow minded and unemployed people will think of it. When the Americans are gone, ordinary forward-looking Pakistanis will be the only targets simply because they need an enemy. The Americans are not the only ones who know that war is the most profitable business in the world.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2010.