The writer is Editor of The Express Tribune
For all practical purposes, the peace talks are all but abandoned. Our prime minister has conceded defeat on this issue after the attack on the church and the killing of a senior military commander. His heart to heart talk while in the UK and the US suggest that the military option may now be the way forward. Does that mean we can never reach a peaceful solution for any problem?
Imran Khan insists that the attacks are being carried out by those who want the talks to fail. Given the history of such things, this may well be true. But we cannot wage a war with several factions while talking peace with the central command.
It is a catch-22 situation. The TTP wants to talk peace, but on its own conditions. Many of which cannot be fulfilled by the government. On the other hand, there are several factions of the TTP who don’t want peace.If we talk peace to one, we are talking war to the other. And given that the TTP insists that it does not have control over rebel factions, no one side can ensure a ceasefire.
Our army has assured us that it is fully capable on taking on the militants. The military solution is also being considered. But would that lead to peace? Again, the course will be a bloody one.
As things stand, we are under attack. Morale is low. Our people are dying daily. Amongst ourselves we cannot decide on a course of action.
We are being pushed in different directions. There are those who justify the attacks and side with the murderers. There are others who see no justification in talking peace. The government has decided to wait and watch.
Generally we are a confused nation. The biggest hypocrites are our educated and moneyed classes who are have supported, funded and endorsed our country’s extremist mentality. They give shelter to them and pursued an extremist ideology.
One doesn’t have to go as far as the tribal areas to be meet such people. They are in our midst. And the others are now scared to speak their minds. People woke up to this realization with the murder of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. The country is no more divided. The extremist mindset has gained the upper hand. Those who talk about minority rights and the disadvantaged sections of our society are outnumbered.
The only problem here is that while the world is going in one direction, our country is going in another. On the world stage we make all the right noises, at home we do the exact opposite.
We have turned heroes into villains. Malala Yousafzai, whose only agenda has been education for girls, is seen as a threat not just by the TTP. Talk to any so-called enlightened Pakistani. And you will be told that she is part of a Western conspiracy against Pakistan and Islam.
Those who are reluctant to condemn the rapes that our country has been witnessing are willing to shut down cities to protest drone attacks. On Sunday, six died in drone attacks in North Waziristan. One only needs to see which party condemned what to understand our predicament. These persons are now the new Pakistanis who are willing to bring a change with a new Pakistan. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The question is, now what? With the reluctance we are seeing on part of the political leadership to move ahead, the chances are of a military solution against the TTP and other militant outfits. But this is again a half hearted attempt. Many Pakistanis, despite the high number of casualties, will not own the war. For them, the enemy remains India and the US. In some ways, we are now caught up in our own trap. This discourse suited us for decades. Now the chickens have come home to roost.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 30th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (14)
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The chickens have come home to roost. This imess is a product of our own follies, an off shoot of the greed, ambition and perverted mindset of few. We must eliminate this threat to our national identity, united and convinced that in this lies our salvation as a country. We owe it to our future generations. Of course the terrorists are being funded by our external enemies, but even that is because we failed to prevent this interference. I hope our khaki establishment, the political elite, realize they owe it to this country to fight this menace. Negotiations yes, but only within the writ of constitution, not on terms of the terrorists, for that would be surrender. We have no other option but to stand up and fight. There will be collateral damage and casualties, but this is the price that we have to bear with determination and faith. In any case the terrorists are inflicting thousands of fatalities, innocent men, women and children killed ruthlessly in bomb and suicide attacks on our cities, towns and villages.
A well-framed set of assertions and notable reality checks. The editor has adequately and concisely pointed out the actual national happenings running in irony, which need to be pondered: TTP factions' conditions; question of peace on military takeover; confusion of justifications; personality assessments and (dis)figuration.
Nevertheless, one point I'd like to talk out here is the Malala controversy. While it is common a living notion that Malala is a stem of some US conspiracy, allow me to make a clarification that a fairly vast proportion of people don't see the problem with the girl being an association of the US plan, but they are more concerned with her being 'the only girl' who caught the spotlight in the name of education. This argument, in my opinion, can be rightly advocated for. The question really lies in the argument as to why 'only' Malala. Look around, and we'll spot many more Malalas fighting their way through the same darkness, or those who have already lost their breaths in such a fight. Are they not worthy of being attended to? Were the children of Lal Masjid who were blown up amidst Quranic recitation not targeted by terrorists? Worse, I'm sure there must be dozens of students attending school for the same 'cause' (read education) as Malala's when drone strikes would hit them. Didn't they deserve even a single mention of names or families in the aftermath? After such clear unequity, or injustice- or by just staging one Pakistani's sacrifice, does the UN consider itself fulfilling the Millenium Development Goals, or scaling out human rights protection, or helping Pakistan fight terrorism? This, I must say, is the problem.
"The biggest hypocrites are our educated and moneyed classes"_beg your pardon! the educated class is not necessarily the moneyed class and as far as I know, the ones who earn their bread by using their brains have never been supporters of extremism unless you are talking about a few 'Oxford and Harvard returned' reluctant fundoos (Include IK as the newest entry.The division is quite clear: the ones who have reaped a harvest from this war would obviously not wash their hands off the bonanza-the intensity of the human tragedy not withstanding,they always have an alibi for the blood spilled.The most shocking aspect of this madness however,is the complete apathy of politicians,the media and rulers toward the human cost.How could one ignore the fact that while Kissa Khawani Bazar burnt in front of our eyes the nation's attention was riveted on the Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Shariff meeting the whole day.One news channel went berserk with the Aman Ki Asha.They invited the most volatile Indian haters in their programme which was being telecast simultaneously from Delhi and Islamabad turning the whole show into a most hateful exercise in jingoism and verbal abuseour India fixation unfortunately is burrowed into our bones.
@Atif Salahuddin: You are the type of Pakistani the author is talking about - wedded to a rigid world view which no fact can alter as you turn a blind eye to the menace of extremist domestic terror, blaming everyone but the perpetrators themselves. The question for Pakistan is how to stop creating and perpetuating such a mindset in its populous.
An apt and balanced editorial. Undoubtedly, these barbarians should be declared as the enemy of Pakistan and I have penned a following quote for them-
'Don't hate a ruthless enemy as they don't even deserve it. Just kill them at first sight'.
The vast majority of people in Pakistan are not stupid. This is not Pakistan's war but America's war. Nobody believes our dishonest rulers because they lie constantly. Raymond Davis was quietly covered up. US drone strikes continue despite our leaders 'protesting' against them. Pakistan's rulers still provide the US/NATO with supply lines even though they slaughter Pakistani troops at will. Militants in the tribal areas would bomb Pakistanis rather than fight the Americans and cut their own feet while doing so? Nobody believes that, staged incidents don't fool the Pakistani people.
@Arindom: * For them, the enemy remains India and the US. In some ways, we are now caught up in our own trap. This discourse suited us for decades. Now the chickens have come home to roost. * At least you have realised that finally!"
Its not that the author has realised it finally ....... The progressive minds have warned against the threats originating from radical philosophy since beginning of history ............the real big question is has this fact been realised by people who make decisions and who enforces them??????
@aqib: Hitler was a strong Dictator with a keen sense of purpose, He also led a people who were intellectually more advanced. Every country need strong and focused individuals to drive progress, not a strongman, my friend. Their is no messiah, no magic wand. Be the change you want to see.
Ahhhh ... the penny has dropped ??? Finally ???.. It took about 10 years to come to this conlusion ??? WOW... what a leadership.. It remains to be seen when does the penney really hits the ground ... its still in hiberantion for sure ..
Generally we are a confused nation. The biggest hypocrites are our educated and moneyed classes who are have supported, funded and endorsed our country’s extremist mentality. They give shelter to them and pursued an extremist ideology.
That is why I always believe that only when political power transfers from elite to masses the ills of Pakistan would be solved.
It took more than 500 years for democracy to mature in the west...we don't have the luxury of that much time. You look at Turkey(Ataturk),China(Deng),even early Pakistan(Jinnah,Ayub)...dictatorship from a person with a sense of purpose works!.
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At least you have realised that finally!
@aqib:
Seriously? All you need is a "a strong man's rule"? What about strong women, bro? Nothing wrong with them.
Pakistan's problem are older than 20 years. You don't need strong men to rule. You need a strong constitution that serves to guide you ahead. A constitution that serves all its citizens - Sunni, Shia, Hindus and.. yes, Ahmadis. Because when your current one says, that not all are equal, you open the door for someone like the TTP.
This is not a silver bullet. If it was, India would be a better place and be done with all these problems. But it will be a start.
And use your Army to fight your enemies (yes, yes - like us in India!) and not to be strong men in politics.
The country is in a big mess, has been so for more than 20 years (in early 1990's a book was published-"waiting for Allah") When there are too much opinions crowding out any real focus, than a change in system is required. We need a strong man's rule and not this muddled democracy leading to anarchy.