![the writer is a contributing editor for an online resource for health care professionals based in san francisco and a graduate of nyu school of journalism the writer is a contributing editor for an online resource for health care professionals based in san francisco and a graduate of nyu school of journalism](https://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/577212-RabiaMughalNew-1373905257.jpg)
A day after the report came out, a CBS headline asked the million-dollar question on everyone’s mind: Did Pakistanis construct a “we’re stupid” narrative to avoid worse accusations of collusion? There is no real way of knowing since we are forever mired in questions and doubts after any national calamity. That is why, the release of information to the public is so crucial. For a nation steeped in conspiracy theories and paranoia, this report is a sobering look inwards.
It is not surprising that the authorities sought to repress the document since it does not hold back when appropriating blame. However, the report stops just short of actually naming names. And herein lies the main problem— the biggest reason behind the dismal state of our national affairs. Our incompetence and corruption are not limited to individuals. Our problem is much more problematic and permeates entire institutions from the lowest level up.
Take the case of the compound itself which was built on land purchased with a fake identity card, was in violation of several construction regulations, had taxes pending on it and many more such red flags flapping away merrily from its illegal third floor and yet, all the relevant authorities snoozed.
The Commission followed with a sceptical observation — one of many in the report. All these lapses on their own would be understandable, they noted, but taken together, they are not as easy to explain. In fact, “they suggested the possibility of something more sinister”.
As the Commission goes on to establish the intelligence failures and the troubling distrust between the civilian and intelligence administrations that led to this debacle, it makes it clear that the mismanagement at the lower levels lies with those walking in the most prestigious corridors of power. The Americans entered our airspace, took out the world’s most notorious terrorist in the garrison town of Abbottabad, all while crash-landing a helicopter and making refuelling stops, and were well out of the picture before the first Pakistani authorities reached the scene.
Finally, Justice Javed Iqbal and colleagues concluded that those at the highest levels of authority in national decision-making should, at least, submit a formal apology to the nation and let them pass verdict on election day.
In the six-month lapse between the time this report was submitted and leaked, the PPP government was unceremoniously voted out. So, what was the reaction of the current government? The first response was from the minister for information and broadcasting, Pervez Rashid, calling the authenticity of the report into question while warning that people responsible for leaking the report will be held accountable. It seems the new government has decided to take serious notice of the report. It’s too bad that its interest is limited to the faded Al Jazeera watermark stamped over each and every page of it.
There are some very good recommendations in the report, such as the suggested merit-based system for appointment of government personnel as well as training, incentives and punishments for maintenance of staff morale. A workable mechanism for sharing information between various intelligence agencies along the lines of the Department of Homeland Security in the US has been proposed, as well as a properly constituted National Security Council that submits recommendations to the prime minister.
It would be best if, for once, we did not put all our energy into producing a scapegoat to distract the nation from this depressingly consistent account of good old-fashioned incompetence and actually sat down to do some serious work as suggested by the Commission.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (6)
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I am at a loss to understand why are so many people obsessed with a report that is deemed "not official". Do we as a nation no longer care before we start ridiculing everyone that we should check the authenticity of the report.
Will anyone stop me from floating my own report on OBL and his relationship with the top brass of our country?
Let's face it...the killing of OBL was a blessing in disguise. We need to move on to cleaning up the rest of the mess sooner than later before someone else does it for us and makes us look like nincompoops.
65 years later nothing has changed in Pakistan, it's business as usual.
The fact that Pakistan has yet to take any meaningful steps to find/punish those who helped OBL says it all. The only controversy in the "dumb vs ignorant" argument is whether your both as it's obvious your complicit.
What about Dr Afridi - what are the charges against him?
Like any commission, establishment and its supporters we can condemn the politicians till the cows come home. The real power lies in the hands of powerful establishment no matter who is in power. OBL was stationed in a custom built fort on the land owned by the army base not by any politician but during the dictatorial rule of Gen Mush. The suspect nature of the building and its lack of connections from the outside world and activity only in the late night could not be noticed by the guards around the military base. One wonders if the house were built and OBL moved during the political govt how innocent would the establishment pretend to be? The only reason OBL was not found was that he was living comfortably away from the battlefield of Af-Pak. After the US found and targeted OBL Pakistani establishment had only two choices either accept ignorance and incompetence or be accomplice. Obviously they choose to be incompetent!
"Did Pakistanis construct a “we’re stupid” narrative to avoid worse accusations of collusion? "
Ain't that the truth! Surely, the 'Sheikh' and his family had help from the spooks / mil / gov / one or all of these. There is no way, this was 'incompetence'.