Dharna politics or hypocrisy

Imran Khan, allies conducting "dharna politics" represent 'those who block the road that leads to fighting terrorists'

Make no mistake. The American military tools of long reach- the drones will keep coming and they will keep engaging the targets in Pakistan. These tools of military assassination are designed to do a good job- eliminate terrorists. May that be the leadership of al Qaeda, Taliban's or any banned Jihadi organization the presence of these buzzing American machines in our skies is a constant reminder to all of them that they live on borrowed time. 'We are safe because of our efforts'. The American President said this in his speech at the American National Defence University at Fort Mc Nair early this year. That effort is reflected in how drones continue to wipe out the senior leadership of these 'declared American haters' who would do anything to scheme and execute at the regional or global level another gory 9/11 like event. It is in this context that these 'bus conductors', 'tea boys' and 'personal body guards' who have become leaders in terrorist outfits must be eliminated. The shallow and one-dimensional minds of this leadership practices an ideology of only hate, wait, fight and eliminate. Every subsequent leadership after the previous one is "droned" continues to acknowledge the American presence in Afghanistan and the un-Islamic system in Pakistan as the reason for their jihad.

Ranchor Lines bomb blasts in Karachi coincided with "dharna politics" in Peshawar of Tehreek-e-Insaff and the allied right wing parties. The spokesperson of Taliban's admitted murdering the innocent civilians in Karachi yet these politicians of the far right made speeches to support the perpetrators of this crime. Can't these politicians differentiate between the unintended collateral damage that the drones may cause from the well planned and executed bomb blasts by Taliban's targeting the innocent citizens of their country? Do they expect the federal government and the Armed forces of this country to reflect with any seriousness on the issue these parties highlight? Especially when the voices raised from their middle are the same voices that question the "shahadat" of the soldiers of the state while declaring the dead terrorists as "shaheeds".

Imran Khan and his "dharna politics" that targets the blockade of NATO supplies is ill placed and ill timed. The people of this country gave his party votes for his representatives to sit in the parliament and raise their voice of concern there. They also voted him and his party to strengthen the federation and the Armed Forces of Pakistan. The menu of his "dharna politics" lacks an important ingredient- the support of the liberal parties like the PPP, ANP and the MQM. Together with the government and the Armed Forces these parties represents a different will of the people. That stands up to confront these terrorists. That understands that Pakistan is a partner and not a rival of America in the war on terror. That prefers the utility of diplomacy and finding a way through negotiations with the Americans as a more appropriate method than blocking the NATO supply that goes against the state commitment and puts to risk the lives of soldiers of many EU countries in the grand coalition led by Americans in Afghanistan.

We can judge the consequences of the "dharna politics" considering if it succeeds to block the NATO supplies and the state is forced to forgo its commitment and is no more able to comply. A large amount of diplomatic capital already spent by Pakistan will go waste. Already accused of duplicity and duality in how we fulfill our international commitments and engagements we will once again be found struggling to match our actions with our words. We will once again fail to become part of the US led international system willingly followed by all countries perusing the American set ideals of democracy, rule of law, liberty, progress and modernity.

As far as debate on sovereignty is concerned it is irrelevant. It became irrelevant when the whole world could do nothing to stop the American invasion of Iraq on trumped up accusation of possession of weapons of mass destruction. It became further irrelevant when the terrorists sitting in the places like Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen and Pakistan started planning to execute terrorist actions in other states and started threatening their security thinking that the veil of sovereignty will protect them against military retaliation by these states. In the American defined new order of the world terrorists are transnational threat and if the weak states will not get them the strong states led by Americans will. Not through its hard power and force alone America imposes its hegemony. For the countries like us it does that through its soft power enforced through UN, World Bank, IMF and WTO institutions that it helped establishing. When America does not want these institutions have strong interests to protect and turn a blind eye to the states that are no more part of the American led world order.

It's the American economic retaliation that the states fear more today.

The hypocritical behavior being demonstrated by the right wing parties led by Imran Khan pose a direct challenge to the national security of our country. Their actions may contribute in exposing our military as well as economic vulnerabilities. This the nation cannot afford. The government and the Armed Forces of Pakistan are committed to put an end to the terror to which its people are exposed. Any roadblocks that stop them from achieving this goal will have to be removed. The more flat footed the government is made to look the more inclined it will be to pivot back in the direction of American aid and assistance to overcome these challenges.The war on terror that the Pakistan military fights must come to a logical conclusion. The military knows that it has no winning formula minus US support and assistance.

The question that should actually perturb the minds of the leaders like Imran Khan is not why drones breach our sovereignty but how best can we root out terrorism from our country. No doubt drones strikes give terrorists motive to retaliate but such strikes also eliminates leadership of organizations that terrorize our society. There are tips that the executors of "dharna politics" can take from the success of Srilankan Army in rooting out terrorism from their country. It?s not through executing strikes and dharna?s but  in the areas of non-interference by the politicians in the military operations, clarity of mission, unity of effort, political and military resolve and above all through a national character and will that abhorred and despised terrorists that they were able to achieve victory . Sirilankan resolve to root out terrorism from their society can be summed up in the famous Srikankan President Rajapaksa's statement, "I know two kinds of people terrorists and those who fight them."

Imran Khan and the political parties allied with him in conducting the "dharna politics" represent a third kind of people, 'those who block the road that leads to fighting the terrorists'.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2013.

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