The writer is Director News, Express News. He tweets @fahdhusain
fahd.husain@tribune.com.pk
The TTP spokesman talks to the BBC and lays it straight: No, our central command did not bomb the church but one of our subsidiaries did. These subgroups adhere to our world view and have our permission to hit the enemy wherever and whenever. And yes, the church bombing was according to Shariat.
If I am a subgroup commander, what do I take away from this statement? Not hard to fathom really. I actually get a carte blanche to blast away. Yes, I now get a green signal from the HQ: lock on the suicide vests boys, snap shut the Velcro straps, tighten those joints, recheck the red and blue wires, pack in the ammo, don’t forget the nails, and off you go hunting.
Yes, it is open hunting season now. See, slaying has a Shariati sanction from the high priests of North Waziristan. It’s a go, go, go moment for the swashbuckling vest-wallahs. It’s never a dull day for killing, is it?
Game, Set, Boom. So, if you are a Christian; if you are a member of any other minority group, or even if you are not; even if you are a Muslim of any denomination; or sect; even if you are foreigner, or a Pakistani, or an old man, woman, or a little baby who just opened your eyes in the bad bad world a few months ago; even if you are any of the above — then, be afraid. Be very afraid.
‘Cuz TTP is coming your way. It’s snarling, it’s growling, and man, it is pumped up to blow up. Nothing — no Sharif, no Khan, no maulana and no allama — can stop it from carrying out its Sharia responsibility.
Meanwhile, back in Islamabad, the tough guys are, well, napping or shopping. Sharif, the PM, is planning his nirvana meeting with Obama, Khan is locked in a bitter duel — with himself — and the others don’t really count. The maulanas are an electoral waste of space and the PPP, MQM, ANP combined are a spectator at best. That leaves the khakis. They have the guns, but do they have the guts? And more importantly, do they have a plan? The situation is evolving, mutating, and only the blind, the self-obsessed, and the denial-mongers, can miss the changes. Slowly and surely, there is a groundswell of loathing and disgust for those who slaughter innocents by the dozens; who kill and maim little babies and bomb places of worship. Slowly and surely, a reservoir of hatred is building up for those who slit throats, severe heads, slash limbs, gut open the bodies of Pakistanis and yank out their entrails. And then they spit in the face of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The State of Pakistan wipes off the spit and grins foolishly — and sheepishly. How much spit can a face take?
The PML-N lion is purring like a house cat, happy to scratch itself than gouge the slayers’ eyes. Nawaz Sharif is our lord commander now. Towards him look all eyes, living and dead. He and he alone, must bend the others to his will. He has the mandate he has, not to grovel but to make decisions. The buck stops with him. The khakis are under his command. Khan is a mere annoyance, maulanas an irritant. He has tried taking them along. If they do not, shunt them aside — and rule.
So, time to wipe that spit, and that grin, off your face.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2013.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
COMMENTS (33)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
You Fahd are asking too much from the incumbent govt. Yes no doubt Nawaz is the Lord. True the people of Pakistan has given him the unequivocal verdict. So the decision lies with him now. This APC business is simply a wastage of time. How many more APCs would he be convening to arrive at decision. Did he sought recommendation of APC for printing colossal amount of currency notes or even took the Parliament into confidence for paying circular debts.Is not it mind boggling that such an efficiency and urgency is being displayed in financial matters while grotesque dilly dallying tactics are on display where the very existence of state is in real danger. He should understand that come what may the buck stops with him. It is not the time to divert the attention. This is the time to take the this dreadful challenge head on. The bull is on rampage and there is no alternative except to take it by horn. Hats off to Fahd for being forthright.
@ModiFied: Exactly.
Fahd, 100 percent correct. Pakistanis need to wake up. Those who support IK's line of thinking are deluding themselves. NS is dragging his feet. He thinks Karachi operation will calm the public and no more needs to be done unless of course,there is a method behind his choice of Karachi operation. Pakistani army have to earn their keep, now is their chance.
PS: Those who are denigrating Gen Kayani are being unfair. He has shown his mettle when negotiating with US. He is not a weak general but is operating in very difficult economic and political circumstances. He has also learnt a lesson from Gen Zia: "Do not enter into a war with India".
@Tariq Bashir:
Are you talking about the same Khan who used to sign documents in talk shows telling us he will sweep the elections?
Isnt it already proven that he is at best an orator that has no sense of the situation at hand?
@Anique Butt: This is the consequence of following the Sharia Law http://www.islam-watch.org/images/stories/microcephalus-rat-man-pakistan.jpg
anchors like the author used to provide exclusive hour long soft ball interviews to a very naive character who some how brainwashed enough equally naive and immature voters to support his party of del righteous and clueless experts at everything . These anchors have not done a service to the nation by allowing naive view points to be on the air on their shows and now they are talking about game being set , they are one of the reasons that we are at this stage ! At least Fahd has woken up now as opposed to some of the other anchors who continue to provide softball interviews to a very naive "leader". there are some journalists who invite, on a regular basis , guests who should be in a psychiatric ward, but they provide these so called experts legitimacy of just another view point .
I am pretty sure, Khakis do not have the guts.
@Anique Butt: “Why do liberals love exaggerate and make Sharia Laws look bad ?”
Please go live with your family in North Waziristan for a month and you will know.
Good that we let Pakistan go as independent nation.
so who are we going to talk to if even the taliban spokesman dont know who carried out the church attack that pretty much leaves us with a "no dialogue" option.
@Anique Butt: Liberals don't open your eyes and see ... its the like of Taliban and their defenders who do ... liberals don't bomb places of prayers ... taliban do and likes of Imran khan and munawar hassan justify them
finally people are starting to see the stupidity of the PTI gang..?
@aqib: I do not know what extraordinary leadership quality has the present COAS displayed warranting his long extension. In fact of all, OBL fiasco has happened only during his office tenure. If you look back no army chiefs either serving or retired were ever criticized in Pakistan. But every other politician was criticized and punished beyond words. It is the mindset of people. Don't you think so?
@Anique Butt: "Why do liberals love exaggerate and make Sharia Laws look bad ?" You have hit the nail on the head. After all liberals are the ones who have condoned the attack on Church and declared it according to Sharia.
@Anique Butt: There is no need to exaggerate. Facts and ground realities are enough to discredit the system.
@ Anique Butt
because they love freedom and dont like barbaric laws of beheading, flagging or producind 4 witnesses and things like that.
contributing writers must understand politics. Khan and maulanas matter. Without their support lord commander can't move a muscle. One wrong decision and the lion will be wounded by bat and arrow for good.
Pakistan has taught us that a religiously obsessed society which embraces religious violence will ultimately devour itself. You must fing a religious rationale to persuade the TTP and their sympathizers to abandon violence and hatred and make that rationale stick; otherwise, your society will continue its death spiral.
Rain or shine, I don't see any change in the stance of our leaders. They are cowards. PML is also trying to pass on the buck just like PPP did for five years. Is some another cataclysmic event change their stance? Time is running out for us.
To me it looks like Pakistan states dilemma with TTP , is same as India's dilemma with Pakistan. Think about it.
An article full of venom - shows the frustration that is building up .. but lets look at it from a realistic point of view. 1. The Khakis have three major problems: a) They are totally incompetent as professional soldiers. If any other army had lost 5000++ troops they would be nuking the perpetrators. b) They have commanders who are not willing to take any decisions and want some one else to take the responsibility. One of the main reasons being the judiciary which has persecuted Army for previous operations (Bugti, Lal Masjid). c) They have their eyes set on post 2014 Afghanistan when NATO leaves. They need these murderers and goons to terrorise Afghanistan into submission.
The Pakistani society is so much radicalised already that there is no space for moderation and forward thinking. People like Fahd Hussain are in minority and a dying breed. Wait another decade and the society would gladly accept TTP as their leaders and rulers.
The politicians (mainly PMLN and PTI) work on left agenda and their vote bank is those people (or their sympathisers) .. they cant go against their electorate.
International forces are pulling their hair out but dont want to risk to destabilise a radical nuclear state.
Time will prove that Khan is right!
Bold, hard hitting and true.............lets hope those that matter don't fail once again because they most probably will not not get another chance. If they succeed in wiping out these criminals and their nesting grounds dotted all over this country, they will regain the respect of the people.
Fahd, tell them they will not spare apologists, appeasers or ostriches....when they are done with us...
Why do liberals love exaggerate and make Sharia Laws look bad ?
The irony is that the great historical personalities that these 'fasadis' are trying emulate, would be quite appalled at seeing their barbarism. We can't count much on our PM,as he is even contemplating to keep the current head khaki in charge for another 3 years. So most likely the next 3 years will be the same as the previous 3...
"That leaves the khakis. They have the guns, but do they have the guts?"
This sums up it all. My Pakistani friends may not like, but TTP is coming to dictate terms in Pakistan and no government or Khakis have guts to stop them.
I hope you are right that hate towards the killers is building up. I think it is wishful thinking. The few people I have talked to agree with the TTP. Depressing. I sure hope you are right.
One of the hardest hitting articles yet - let us see if someone reads and comprehends...
otherwise it is game, set, match over !