Clear vision

A new survey by a Washington-based Pew Research Centre leaves us wondering why there is so much confusion in the country over the role of the Taliban and a continued reluctance to go after them in a more whole-hearted fashion. Reports suggest that the military has often seemed reluctant to arrest militants and allowed them to slip away quietly after handing over their guns. This policy will encourage them.

Insinuations that are carried by sections of the media and also from other quarters suggest people are widely in favour of the Taliban and this is sometimes used to explain cautious tactics adopted in the battle to oust them. But the latest global attitudes survey demonstrates that only 10 per cent of Pakistanis favour the Taliban while a slightly smaller percentage states it favours for al Qaeda. The pattern does not come as a major surprise. Elections have shown limited backing for religious groups. The survey also shows that the standing of the president has sunk quite significantly compared to the previous year. For reasons that are perfectly logical, people blame the government for the many hardships they face.

The survey should offer authorities some sense of direction. Critics of the war maintain it is being fought at the behest of the US. But the survey should drive home the fact that the war is one people in the country favour. The media, which received an overwhelmingly favourable perception in the survey, depict the true situation on the ground and offer solutions. The issue of governance is one that needs to be addressed. People’s sense of angst could assume extremely dangerous proportions if the situation is not brought under control before matters boil over.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2010.