Dangerous doings

How far away is Pakistan from its next tryst with disaster? Another attack on foreign soil launched from Pakistan would inevitably leave the country still more isolated and contribute to the notion that it has become the world’s centre of terrorist activity. For this reason, a recent statement by the director of the US National Counterterrorism Centre before a Senate intelligence hearing that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) could strike in the US and Europe — as it had in Mumbai in 2008 — should not be dismissed as an example of American paranoia. If we look at the matter with any degree of honesty, we all know there are groups operating in our midst who present a real danger, not only to the outside world but also to us. Terrorist attacks and suspicions of the involvement of Pakistani groups damage us — in terms of our international standing, in terms of our economy and in terms of credibility.

We need to think more carefully about why we continue to allow the LeT and other forces to function. There can be little doubt that our intelligence agencies and security forces know exactly what kind of activity they are involved in. It is not just terrorist violence but also their preaching of hatred that presents a threat. By doing so, they fan extremism and also, directly or indirectly, encourage other groups which have been involved in the various attacks we have seen in our own country. It seems to be an act of self-destruction to allow these outfits to function, and, in some cases, run huge centres — in Punjab and elsewhere — from where they conduct their activities. The risk we run by pursuing this policy is great. Sooner or later, some other act of militancy will take place, adding to the threat that already endangers our country more than any other. We must act to push it away and save ourselves from a plunge into a still greater state of crisis, as the impression that Pakistan promotes militancy grows more firmly entrenched in the world’s collective mind.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2011.