Our pathology of fear
Some Taliban-watchers said the attack could have been ordered by the TTP chief, Hakimullah Mehsud, through Umar Khalid. Reason? Because in April 2012, Qazi Sahib is alleged to have said in an interview: “The Afghan Taliban’s resistance against foreign forces in Afghanistan is true jihad and that of the Pakistani Taliban in Pakistan is un-Islamic”. Hakimullah had first only complained. Later, he issued a more aggressive video CD through Umar Khalid, calling him jihad-farosh (betrayer of jihad).
The suicide attack could still be a shot across the bow. Qazi Sahib is a respected non-clerical leader of a cleric-dominated party. He lifted his party to a high point of power and influence during the jihad against the Soviet Union. In tandem with Afghan commander Hekmatyar, he literally dictated policy in Islamabad.
But the warrior-base on which he built his power was not loyal to him and acted just like Hakimullah.
Pakistan’s ex-foreign secretary, Riaz Muhammad Khan, in his book Afghanistan and Pakistan: Conflict, Extremism and Resistance to Modernity (OUP 2011) relates how the Mujahideen fighting the Soviet Union let Qazi Sahib down when former prime minister Nawaz Sharif requested Qazi Sahib, in 1992, to get Hekmatyar and Co. to agree to an agreed mixed interim government in Kabul:
“It was arranged for Qazi Hussain Ahmed to meet the Tanzeemat leadership. After meeting for several hours, Qazi Sahib was exceedingly upset with the Jamiat and Hizb leaders and said, ‘There was a time when these people had turned up at my doorstep in tatters. Today they refuse to listen to me’ (p.44)”.
Qazi Sahib refuses to name his attackers. He rather blames those “working for America”. This, of course, gibes with the line adopted by PPP Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who often hints at the “foreign hand”. The nation is waiting for a new ‘post-American’ order on the basis of a deliberate misdiagnosis.
The pathology of fear was obvious when ANP leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour swore to kill an American maker of a blasphemous video, openly asking the Taliban for exemption from targeted killing in return for this indictment of the “real enemy”. The act of siding with the tormentor has two hidden aspects: 1) exemption from pain and 2) self-empowerment against peers.
Self-empowerment was clearly in evidence in the statement of the Awami Tehreek, leader Ayaz Palijo, when he came on television and diagnosed the disorder of Sindh and Karachi as the mischief of America, India and Israel, in collusion with the MQM and the PPP, the last two having pledged support to the creation of a ‘new Israel’ in Karachi.
In Balochistan, too, it is India backed by the US and Israel that is killing the Hazara, even though the Hazara are very clear about who is killing them — and it is not America. It is also India, the US and Israel slaughtering Punjabi schoolteachers, kidnapping doctors and murdering journalists.
The collective mental archive of Pakistani nationalism has always tagged India as the arch-enemy in a zero-sum battle with Pakistan. The US and Israel are the new ingredients in this national prescription. The problem is that no one in the world agrees with it. Last time it happened, in 1971, we lost East Pakistan. There are no exceptions to this paranoid consensus. The chemistry of surrender is at work and the only smell striking the nostrils is that of fear.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2012.
COMMENTS (23)
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One problem the brilliant man talks about is that the case of denial. There is another aspect too.
The reason Pakistanis see India in this manner is because of History. They have been lied to. People like @Sultan were even saying Direct Action day is no big deal and refused to accept a quote attributed to Jinnah. Such Ostrich like mentality and rejection of facts and misrepresentation of facts has contributed to such levels of head-in-the-sand syndrome.
Pakistan occasionally sober themselves saying that India is not secular and violent against Muslims, bringing up events occurred a decade ago, while Shias were killed just yesterday, for being Shias.
This is not only distrust of India but an attempt to discredit it. The hatred runs so deep.
@Sultan No the truth does not lie in middle !! Khaled is absolutely correct. Sultan you are half way to accepting the truth. Have courage and walk the other half distance. Our problems are the products of our paranoid minds.
Pakistan itself was formed on the basis of fear. Various groups had various fears. Some feared Hindus, some feared the Congress, some feared land reforms and some feared for their religion. Now there are new fears, which the author has cited. Probably natural progression.
@Cynical: "And it is this atmosphere of ‘fear’, that provides a perfect breeding ground for new recruits for all kinds of fundamentalists."
Question for you : Do you think it is legitimate fear (of Taliban taking over and implementing their own brutal version of Islam) or paranoia (CIA/RAW/Mossad will take our nukes away) that is driving recruitment? If it was fear that drove recruitment it would be the anti-Taliban militias that would be getting the recruits not TTP The question might appear facetious but is not. For if it is self-created paranoia that is driving recruitment then it can be easily dialed down. Dealing with the legitimate fear ofcourse is a much tougher path of actually taking TTP on.
@wonderer: "The attacks on Muharram processions, both prevented and successful, must also planned by a combination of foreign powers — namely America, India and Israel. I wonder what could be the motive. Can someone enlighten me please?"
Sir, I sincerely hope you were being sarcastic?
The attacks on Muharram processions, both prevented and successful, must also planned by a combination of foreign powers — namely America, India and Israel.
I wonder what could be the motive. Can someone enlighten me please?
@ Jat
what Khaleed sab is tryiong to say is- Pakistan's fear psychosis of India is a part of their national identity. Wars happen for various nations. Even weaker/frightened nations can cause wars.
Pakistan knows that it is the weaker nation. Given a choice, they would not have got in trouble with India in 1971- given the fact that they are already fighting a civil war in Bangladesh.
Very true that it is indeed the chemistry of surrender and the psychology of fear that does not allow our leaders to accept the reality. To play safe every incident and tragedy linked with terrorism is attributed to Hanood, yehood and Nasara i.e US, Israel and India. With this mindset there is no hope that we shall ever be in a position to tackle the problems of terrorism and ultimately are heading to a point of no return as a Nation. It is unfortunate that no lessons were learnt from the loss of half of Pakistan as Bangladesh.
"The chemistry of fear is at work". I respectfully hope you are wrong, but I fear you may be right.
The chemistry of surrender is at work and the only smell striking the nostrils is that of fear.
Thats a great sentence. This author has the rare ability of finding the truth and the ability to sum it up in few words.
Kaled Ahmed ; Sir, your diagnosis of the problems are spot on. What is the cure? Who will stop the rot ?
So true.
Good that the effect of 1971 is still in minds of Pakistanis.
And it is this atmosphere of 'fear', that provides a perfect breeding ground for new recruits for all kinds of fundamentalists.
India is fine. USA is also acceptable. But in the name of almighty Allah, Israel?!!
Israel is neither your neighbor nor has it attacked your neighborhood.
Give Israel a break.
The collective mental archive of Pakistani nationalism has always tagged India as the arch-enemy in a zero-sum battle with Pakistan. The US and Israel are the new ingredients in this national prescription. The problem is that no one in the world agrees with it.
The truth, as the Economist says, always lies somewhere in the middle!
Author you have forgoten that JI has strongly opposed the creation of Pakistan.And sixyt five years of Pakistan history tell us that JI meant that.Qazi's poltics is not that should be recognised in good terms rather the opposit.Unfortunately nation has failed to distinguishe between foes and enemies of Pakistan.No party has damaged democracy in Pakistan than JI.Number one in exploiting religion and concocting conspiracies.
This is why there is little hope for Pakistan. In a country where there is an abundance of problems of local origin, you have people working over time to blame the usual suspects for every single incident of any significance; people choose to ignore the Taliban even when they claim responsibility - they must be having such a laugh. Honestly, if these intelligence agencies were that good, or that motivated, it is hardly likely that Pakistan could withstand a planned campaign when you can't even hold your own against a rag-tag bunch of militants.
Khalid Ahmad saab, fear of what ? Pakistan has been the instigator and initiator of almost all problems occurring in this region. Pakistan has never been passive in defense, it has always followed a policy of active offense, using every kind of offensive means.
You can now either confess to your blunders, make amends and thrive as an important country of the region, or you can continue with this mischief, try to bluff your way out and eventually fall flat on your face.