The world will be shocked to read this in the Pakistani press: ‘Militants fighting Indian rule in Kashmir and US-led foreign forces in Afghanistan are raising funds and recruiting potential fighters in the cities and towns of Pakistan’. One report covered Rawalpindi, where Al-Badr Mujahideen and a faction of Hizbul Mujahideen organised a shuhada (martyrs) conference meant for raising funds and recruiting new militants in a collapsing Pakistani economy where people can no longer find jobs.
There were other jihadists represented at the conference: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan, Jamaatud Dawa and several unnamed gangs. Al-Badr leader Bakht Zameen told 1,000-plus supporters that ‘his commanders were seeking resources to keep the jihad going in Kashmir and Afghanistan’. He had supporters from Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir thronging stalls, selling propaganda CDs and jihadi literature.
Bakht Zameen spoke for everyone present when he condemned the reopening of the Nato transit routes: “We were very happy when the routes were closed. But the rulers gave in to US pressure. The government should not side with infidels because it will create anarchy in the country”. He debunked the view that jihadi outfits were being backed by the security establishment: “We should quell such propaganda. Our financiers have withdrawn their support following harassment. But still we have sympathisers”.
The leader of Hizbul Mujahideen and a fugitive from Indian-administered Kashmir, Syed Salahuddin, told the gathering that Pakistan had been ‘encircled by the US and its Nato allies’: “Pakistan is the target of the US-Israeli nexus. Our fighters are defending Pakistan at a time when its geographical boundaries, security and Islamic identity are at risk”.
Taken together with the long march of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council and religious parties going from Lahore to Islamabad, this gathering of jihadists is ominous and calls for a response from the government. One can, however, predict that the government, weakened by the judiciary, the army through the memogate case and the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary opposition, will make lame excuses in the same vein as was done by federal senior adviser on interior, Rehman Malik, who made a half-hearted attempt at promising that ‘banned organisations’ will not be allowed to enter Islamabad together with the long march. The fact is that Islamabad is already crawling with ‘banned organisations’ and controlling hundreds of illegal mosques in the capital.
The world outside will be aghast. Is it the army’s response to the deal the PPP government made with the US over the Nato supply route even though the army chief was attending the Defence Committee of the Cabinet when it gave the go-ahead signal? The world will be compelled to interpret the ‘conference’ in Rawalpindi as the army’s expression of disapproval of policies being pursued by the PPP on both the borders of Pakistan, with India and the US. In the midst of a protest march against the Nato route deal, which the media has already declared meets none of the guidelines decided by parliament, this development would appear to the outside world as a precursor to the undoing of the deal itself.
Al Qaeda’s Taliban have already declared that they will attack Nato trucks as they start plying again. The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is quaking in its shoes at what will happen when the Torkham route gets going, carrying 70 per cent of the Nato supplies. The army apparently is not committed to the security of the caravans and any other force is bound to stand aside and watch the supplies being burned or looted, their heads full of media brainwashing. The rally of the killers at Rawalpindi sends signals that will be absorbed equally by politicians in Pakistan. Those who did not go to the long march of the clerics have already expressed their full support to it. No one wants to die on orders from al Qaeda. The only targets will be the PPP and the allies, who still go along with its policies.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2012.
COMMENTS (17)
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WHy on this whole earth did the pakistanis are not understanding ..that these militant menace would ultimately lead the nation to dark ages. where in other part of world people talk about investment ,better life, education .people in pakistan have day to day discussion sessions regarding JIHAD.. when islam talks about peace then how these talibanis with their supporters talking about blood .. i always had a creeping thought where is the elite literate class of pakistan why dont they share there views on creating pakistan ..
Is it any wonder that US keeps bombing Pakistan. I think Pakistanis should stop living in a fools paradise, the dream of a sovreign Pakistan is just that, a dream. Soon there will be foreign forces in the country as indeed there are right now because the Taliban are foreign
This is amazing, side by side with the news that 68% of Baluchistan faces food insecurity, labor force to grow by 3.5% and economy to remain around 3 to 4%. This is a matter of concern for us as in this desperate situation if Pakistan govt. can do nothing to improve economy then at least it should check the militants to openly generate resources in Pakistan's towns and cities.If Pakistan fails in this It will lead to further chaos in already big mess . Our concern is ultimately with these resources collected from gullible Pakistanis they will not only kill fellow Pakistanis but will also try some new adventure within India. If it happens then needless to say it won't be good for our economy and our own growing labor forces' aspirations. we want to get out of this mess and Pakistan govt can do a lot of favor by banning these illegal activities. If you dont have sufficient rsouces to fight these militants then at least try to check the flow of their resources and it will do good for you more as if 300 people are killed in India because of terrorism then unfortunately 30,000 Pakistanis are also killed.
JIhad is not relevant in this 21st century as most of the countries allow peaceful preaching by all faiths. WE go to other countries and preach Islam, sometimes successfully as others join Islam. Why start a war and kill people? And killing innocent people is still worse.
I wonder how can the drones miss these high value targets??
The government is weak because of its own conduct. Its low credibility due to poor moral standing inside and outside Pakistan. Under these circumstances those representing liberal forces who claim to be the voice of the majority of peace loving Pakistanis, are themselves involved in plundering and looting national wealth and seldom take a clear stand against these terrorist organizations. What was the government doing when banned organizations were staging long march on July 9, 2012. It was busy tabling bills in the assembly which are totally unnecessary and which will further push the government towards confrontation with the Judiciary.
Its a dangerous predicament for PPP.
Pls read 'against' in my previous post as 'for'. Freudian slip.
An atmosphere of fear permeates the Political class because they well know that the extremists have strong support from powerful quarters. This same force also also has the Media, Judiciary and the public in a bind. How the country will extricate itself from the deep hole into which it has lowered itself will make Houdini proud. A speedy disintegration of the country of the country is a real possibility.
"here were other jihadists represented at the conference: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan, Jamaatud Dawa and several unnamed gangs. Al-Badr leader Bakht Zameen told 1,000-plus supporters that ‘his commanders were seeking resources to keep the jihad going in Kashmir and Afghanistan’"
Good editorial. The fact that such open exhortation for terrorist activities can be carried out in a large public meeting in the nation's capital means that Pakistan leadership can no longer claim that these are "non-state actors". If not state sponsored, at the very least they are "state approved". The missing persons case has proved beyond doubt that whoever the agencies feel are anti-state, it is capable of dealing with in its own ways.
“We should quell such propaganda. Our financiers have withdrawn their support following harassment. But still we have sympathisers”.
That means that the agencies DID finance in the past though it has now stopped but it still sympathises - by closing its eyes to such jalsas in the capital itself.
"Pakistan not to allow use of its soil against terrorism" - how many times have we heard that from every single newsworthy person in the Pak govt/ establishment. The sad part is that there are no efforts to even maintain such a pretence. NOt often that you get to see someone hurtling down an abyss pressing hard on the accelerator.
The establishment was too clever by half. And now they are in a fix.
I really wonder what kind of land pakistan is.....terrorists hold rallies openly and Govt/army stand as mute spectators....suicide bombings, target killings have become just a norm.......economy is nil, infrastructure non-existent, education equates to madarsas....no food, no energy, no job, no money....still people of pakistan put all their faith in terrorism.....
Very interesting article, thanks for highlighting the fact that the machines of violent terrorism is pretty much alive and unchecked, uncurbed by the government of Pakistan. If the government of Pakistan is not willing to take care of these nuisance it should step aside and let others take care of it. Rest assured getting rid of these elements will be benefiting to Pakistan more than India, US or any other nations.