Lawyer and former senator S M Zafar. PHOTO: FILE
All Parties Conference may be a good forum to express condemnation of terrorist activities, but will be a counterproductive exercise if the government thinks it will develop consensus on key issues faced by the country, says former senator and prominent lawyer S M Zafar.
Zafar, who is also the chairman of the Human Rights Society of Pakistan, in a statement said that national security is a complex, divergent and multi-dimensional problem and particularly so in Pakistan.
“Pakistan is facing various forms of devastating and debilitating terrorism that is adversely affecting the security of the country,” he said, adding that the spectrum of menace runs from anti-Pakistan propaganda and activity to ethnic, sectarian and mafia’s target-killing.
He said that the situation in which Pakistan finds itself today, it is the government’s responsibility to take a courageous decision to deal with the problems facing the country.
“Formulating separate and self-contained course of action for problems confronting the writ of the state in Balochistan, Karachi and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, is the government’s responsibility,” he said.
“The laudable object of having everyone on the same page can be later achieved through strategic communication by the government,” he said, adding that the government has to ‘take the bull by the horns’.
“Government should not let the APC be a cause of delay as the decision must be taken now and not in distant tomorrow,” Zafar said.
“Even a resolution of such desirable objects in an All Parties Conference achieves less than desired, on account of its inner dynamics to reach a consensus, thus accommodating the minority view though less relevant and least effective,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2013.
COMMENTS (20)
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@Gulkhaiz: PTI Chief has come too much under fire from exactly your type Pseudo Intellectuals for opposing such APC... Now that you are agreeing to what IK had already said way before, still you have to bash PTI... Man, IK & PTI have really got onto the nerves of their opponents!
I think ET should have also mentioned exact number of APCs that have previously taken place on same issue. This government too just looking for escape route with such tactics.
Good advice, the government must decide responsibly, take action and face the consequences without hesitating too long. Delaying tactics and excuses would not help and the threat would just not go away, if anything those who challenge us would only be more emboldened and fiercer. Too much of procrastination induces paralysis and fear of failure. Failure would always remain as an outcome of any action however if the governments has a good workable plan and is determined to execute it then certainly it must make a move. It's worth an attempt even less than 100% success would be a great achievement, it might not destroy the threat completely but it certainly would let our adversaries realize our resolve and force them to either comply or face the next and fiercer action. Time is now.
Absolutely. There is no need for any APC to waste time. Present government has the mandate from the people of Pakistan, they just need to act quickly with a firm hand.
Too much of analysis leads to the paralysis is a time tested management principle. Zafar is right, they must act immediately and swiftly without further discussions. No party has any thing to offer except hollow rhetorics specially PTI. No where in the world govts discuss anti terrorists actions openly . They act with full force and are not apologetic .
Are we looking at a document called 'policy' or do we want the state to write it through 'action-against-terrorists' long and short term?
Thank you, Honorable SM Zafar for hitingt the nail deeep in the head. Need of the hour is for the government to tackle this menace rather than scheduling APCs to lend credibility to its plan. There are some parties who will always take a soft line against the extremists. I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Zafar that parties can be dealt with later.
If APC is the forum which represent the consensus and will of people of Pakistan to form 'Policy'', then it means that the recently elected Parliament and its generated government are not the true representative of the people.Instead,there should be an all party government to take decisions and make 'Policies'.
Spot on statement by S M Zafar. Couldn't agree more with him.
Mr Zafar is right. To the awam, calling an APC means that the convener does not know what to do and wants to spread the responsibility for failure. To resolve this problem, many actions are required over an extended period. The actions have to be applied with an intensity that delivers results. Success must be measured by comparing results achieved with those predicted. The problem grows mainly out of what the person is taught to believe. Changing the system of inculcating beliefs that produce terrorist actions requires the best thinkers of this society. Before this happens, a mechanism is required to ensure the safety of those undertaking the preparation of the policy and then publicizing the arrangements to encourage people to come forward. It is quite obvious that the administration does not have in-house people capable of doing the work.
I don't understand why policy makers make it complex by jumping from one aspect of security to another. The very first step must be identifying the various types of security threats and their magnitude respectively. Being the citizens and tax payers we need to know who is a terrorist, separatist and mafia, and the representatives need to identify and define. The complex and challenging part might be the consensus of all the parties, which is rather political and diplomatic, and this is where the weakness of our politicians lie. The other challenging part would be acceptance and recognition of the weaknesses at all levels, but honesty in such acceptance would be integral to address and identify the real threats. Therefore, no one is offering a sacrifice for the sake of the country, and rather wait for the turn of the opponent.
I agree. I think this is just a ploy to deflect blame in case things go south. And there is every chance of things going south because the govt. has shown severe lack of commitment on its part.
The senior politician is right let us move if we are serious in fighting terrorism. We have elected assemblies and senate for all the debates we may not need to waste time for APC. Let us top talking about talks and start action before terrorists kill more and more people.
sensible advise.
I completely agree with SM zafar...the government has simple majority and it should make it's policy and go for it. APCs cannot achieve anything....or if needs be take the two big opposition parties in confidence and create a policy. You cannot make a policy with 200 aeries consensus.
S. M. Zafar as Ayub Khan's (1958 – 1969) minister gave all the wrong advice including ‘Agartala Conspiracy Case’. Ayub’s downfall started when he chose people like Zafar as his minister. Zafar wrote a few books (memoir type) — full of absurd arguments.
S. M. Zafar is considered as one of the 'best lawyears' in Pakistan !
Whether you agree or not with his opinion, he is one of a few sincere and patriot elders left in the country. His words are always worthy. But the real question is that Is there someone to listen?
Bull's Eye. Spot on Mr. Zafar.