Failure of politicians

The political parties have shown their readiness to talk to terrorists and all this is being done to win elections.

Between hope and history lies the gaping mouth of an abyss. It is no place for the faint-hearted.

Pakistan, it appears, is falling down this bottomless pit. No rescue is forthcoming though rescue was never too onerous.

What was needed was just an iota of initiative, wisdom, determination, ownership and moral courage.

And this is exactly where our political leadership has failed.

We complain only where there is still some hope. Terrorism is one spectre that has left no one unaffected. Politicians, armed forces personnel, intellectuals, artisans, bureaucrats, journalists and the business community have all lost precious lives to the terrorists.

When the PPP came to power, Benazir Bhutto had already been assassinated. The PML-N was already cognisant of the threats posed by the militants; it was the party that introduced Pakistan’s first anti-terrorism laws and complained to the Afghan Taliban about absconding Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) terrorists hiding in Kabul during its last stint in power. Other parties, too, had thoroughly been exposed to the peril and knew its true nature.

If some among our political elite still suspected that the country’s armed forces were not on board, they should have first tried to confirm this impression and if proven right, should have worked to change it.

Instead of reaching out and seeking to convert the unconvinced, a secretive and closed-door mode of governance was adopted which gave further credence to the rumours of a sell-out. General (retd) Pervez Musharraf sought to bring a huge ideational paradigm shift and left it in the middle. T

he army had to shoulder the burden alone for almost a decade and then came democracy. Absence of the healing touch from the politicians and a lack of clear direction have allowed terrorist apologists to breed in every branch of government like an infestation.

The PML-N’s record has been no better. The chief minister of Punjab went to the extent of reminding the Taliban that their foreign policy goals and those of his own party were no different. Then we saw reports of growing ties between Punjab’s law minister and the LeJ’s whitewashed reincarnation, the Ahl-e-Sunnat-Wal-Jammat (not to be confused with the name of the sect so blatantly used to cover up hideous activities of a fringe party).

The saddest part is that all political parties have now shown their readiness to talk to the terrorists twice and all of this is being done ostensibly to win the elections.

Sirs, you are democratic leaders. You do not need to appease the terror apologists to win votes. Instead of cutting deals with petty thugs, you need to stand tall and speak the truth. You all have enough influence over hearts and minds now to convince your constituents once you open your mouths. Yet, you are nothing without the people and the state of Pakistan. Instead of providing shelter to the butchers of your voters, it is time to identify, sever ties with and act against such corrosive elements. If you do so, you will be rewarded beyond your imagination.

Finally, a word about anti-terrorism legislation. The government has introduced the Anti-Terrorism (2nd Amendment) Bill in the parliament. While there is little time left, if this bill is passed into law, it will make it impossible for banned terror outfits to re-form with new political names. If the parliament can do this much, it will make life much easier for the citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2013.