Like confused ostrich sticking its head in sand, religio-political parties still insist on dialogue with terrorists.
JUBAIL, SAUDI ARABIA: The interior minister says that the attack on foreign tourists is an attack on Pakistan. The president condemns the attack, while demanding an inquiry report on it. The prime minister also slams the incident as inhuman and extends his sympathy to the bereaved families. Is this all that Pakistani rulers can do in the aftermath of the brutal murders of 10 foreign mountaineers in a base camp, around 4,200 feet from Nanga Parbat, one of the highest mountains in the world, which is infamous for its dangerous and hostile slopes and treks.
Our leaders condemn acts of terrorism but never say a word against the terrorists, who fearlessly claim and brag about their heinous crimes against unarmed innocent people. The Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) took the responsibility for the Nanga Parbat attack; earlier, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed murdering 25 people, including 14 female students, in Quetta and two of PTI’s legislators were killed by the TTP in a bizarre attack on a funeral. There was pin drop silence when it came to condemning the attackers by name. Just a few months back, dozens of innocent bus passengers were killed in Gilgit-Baltistan; murderers first checked the victims’ ID cards to determine their sectarian affiliation.
Like a confused ostrich sticking its head in the sand, our religio-political parties still insist on opening dialogue with terrorists. As usual, spin doctors have started giving lame excuses by coming up with conspiracy theories of hidden hands, foreign agents and drone attacks. Accept it or not, we are in a deep state of denial. No one can help Pakistan unless we are ready to help ourselves by facing the truth that the terrorism we face is a direct result of religious and sectarian extremism. Conferences, meetings, summits, dialogues, talks — all are a waste of time and an attempt to obscure reality. If we are still not ready to cut the terrorists’ lifeline i.e., stop their political, ideological, moral and financial support, we should prepare to plunge into further darkness.
Masood Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, June 26th, 2013.
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