Pakistani leaders to start drawing and implementing a long-term plan, taking a wholesome approach
NEW YORK: With reference to Amina Jilani’s piece, “Making a Mockery” in your issue of January 29, I agree with the substance of her argument, but I also believe that Pakistan is in for the long haul in its fight against terrorism. It is a complicated and multi-faceted battle, in which it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between friends and fiends. Our victory so far should not trick us into believing that the end is near. I need not delve into the unlimited resources terrorists have and their fanaticism. I just want to plead Pakistani leaders to start drawing and implementing a long-term plan, taking a wholesome approach. The success of Rangers in Karachi will only be sustained if the Karachi police’s structure is snatched away from politicians as has been done in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In addition, the police need to be properly equipped, trained, empowered and deployed.
What we also need is a phased technical and vocational training of the unemployed youth in Pakistan so that they can begin to see a violence-free future for themselves. A total overhaul of madrassa education is a must so that madrassa graduates are able to work in mainstream Pakistan. We also need to finance and put into operation all local governments with clearly defined tasks, including setting up of mohallah committees in all terrorised cities. These committees will serve as the eyes and ears of the law-enforcement agencies. Indicators should be set to measure their success and progress and their progress should be periodically reviewed and corrective action taken if needed. The current lacunae in the legal system need to be studied that prevent agencies from catching terrorists and putting them out of commission. This plan should be developed and implemented with full force of the law and with the blessings of all parties.
Javed S Ahmad
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2016.
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