Government loves to convene an all-parties conference whenever it needs to convey an impression of a united resolve.
KARACHI: ‘APC’ could easily be the most popular acronym in Pakistan. Millions of people know of it as a drug combination (aspirin, phenacetin and caffeine) found in many over-the-counter headache remedies. Karachiites are all too familiar with the armoured personnel carriers that are often deployed in their gang-ridden streets. The government loves to convene an all-parties conference whenever it needs to convey an impression of a united resolve, however temporary, about a matter of great importance.
The next APC is just around the corner. The people of Pakistan must brace themselves for a tsunami of high-pitched emotion-laden volcanic statements from an elite already bought out by the US. Use ‘sovereignty’, ‘national interest’, ‘completely united’, ‘defend every inch of territory’, ‘honour’ and ‘unacceptable’ in various permutations and one can completely anticipate the outcome of this exercise in futility. Notwithstanding the fact that optimism is traditionally in short supply and miracles often refuse to happen, can one hope that the forthcoming ‘APC’ will conclude with a brief and low-key statement. This might simply read as follows: ‘Pakistan has decided not to accept any foreign civil or military aid. Any aid in the pipeline will be politely returned. Pakistan will implement a policy of total deweaponisation by getting rid of all licenced and unlicenced weapons from all individuals, political parties and militant gangs. This shall be done so that Pakistan can begin to regain its lost sovereignty over its own territory. Pakistan will make it clear to Mr Sirajuddin Haqqani of North Waziristan that he and his colleagues are welcome to stay in Pakistan as peaceful citizens. However if they insist upon their across-the-border weekend activities, their only option would be to consider a permanent relocation. Pakistan will not support or tolerate any militant group in any part of the country in any manner.’
While the APC provides for getting together incompatible companions at public expense, it can also be a great opportunity for Pakistan to seek sanity in its thinking. The first steps towards reason and peace may well begin from our own backyard.
Naeem Sadiq
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2011.
