By Amir Zia
Monday, Sept 23, 2013
The News
Our salvation lies in talks, even repeating the mantra of talks for the sake of talks. Come hell or fire, let’s talk. This is all we can do.
It is heartening to know that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has told the National Assembly on September 19 that there won’t be any change “in the government’s position on talks with (the local) Taliban” even after the assassination of Maj-Gen Sanaullah Khan and other Pakistan Army personnel in a roadside bomb explosion in Upper Dir earlier this month. This is what one may call courageously keeping on course for peace come hell or high water.
The same day, the Foreign Office said that dialogue with the local Taliban remains Pakistan’s “internal affair” and any “reaction” from the outside world would be considered as interference in Pakistan’s “domestic affairs.” These are also brave words underlining the government’s unwavering resolve of brokering peace with the Al-Qaeda-inspired-and-linked local militants, who just want to use the Pakistani territory to foment violence and terrorism in various parts of the world to punish ‘infidels’ and impose their brand of Islam in the country by getting rid of the ‘evil democratic system’ and its ‘satanic constitution’.
The day these inspiring and morale-boosting words of our interior minister and Foreign Office were carried in this newspaper, a front-page news story also informed that a bombing at a Peshawar mosque killed three people. These worshippers were attending a ‘Mehfil-e-Naat’ when the attack occurred. Also the same day, there was a report of a hand grenade attack at an Imam Bargah in Karachi, killing one person and wounding16 others.
The same paper enlightened us that militants handed over a list of 50 prisoners to the ruling party’s former lawmaker, Ibrahim Paracha, demanding their release.
This snapshot of one day’s The News shows that the Islamic Republic – Mashallah – is heading in the right direction. Sooner or later – Inshallah – there will be a peace deal with these ‘soldiers of Islam’ and we will live happily after. Let’s not doubt it – for we are a people of great faith.
The few deaths reported in the media are nothing but just faceless numbers. After all we have seen and lived through much worse and blood-soaked days. An addition of a few more bodies, probably a dozen, a hundred or two hundred, or perhaps more – say thousand or a couple of thousands – in the small, negligible pile of 50,000 plus such victims of terrorism that also include more than 4,000 security personnel, can be endured.
Pain, trauma, loss and grief are nothing more than unnecessary adjectives. Sooner or later, this emotional phase will fade away. Time will heal every wound. Statesmanship requires delicate navigation through the minefield of those insane voices that cry for a crackdown on these God-fearing, pious, religiously upright and brave fighters of Islam, who just want to run a state within state and expand their turf from the mountainous tribal areas to the settled areas – from Peshawar to Karachi – which have now become unsettled thanks to their holy interventions.
The only small offence of these devout warriors, if one may like to call it, is of carrying out a string of bombings at countless mosques, shrines, congested bazaars, a few hotels, attacking the military headquarters and a handful of other sensitive installations and slitting throats of soldiers, paramilitary troops etc. And that too, spanning just over a decade or slightly more. These small ‘actions’ and slight breaches of law can be forgiven and forgotten for the sake of peace – perhaps at their terms in the larger national interest.
Yes, the geographical and ideological boundaries of the world’s lone Islamic nuclear power remain secure. The small problem of Pakistani armed forces and their installations being unsafe within the country is a mere footnote. It should not raise any eyebrows. As our prime minister has rightly said following the killing of the major general that the armed forces have made “substantial” sacrifices in this unwanted conflict. In the course of time, these substantial sacrifices have the chance of becoming great sacrifices as the militants continue to fight, while our rulers implore and beg for talks.
Those calling for fighting the local Taliban, their allied bands of warriors organised under the banner of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Jandullah, this jaish or that harkat, their dissident factions, or faceless cells are western stooges (please read: American agents).
These misguided ones are working against Pakistan by asking the state to establish its writ on its territory. How can that be? The Islamic Emirates of Pakistan…(oops sorry, it is still an Islamic Republic) is the fortress of Islam. If not under a stated policy, at least in practice, here all are free to do whatever they want in the name of Islam. This not only includes Pakistani fighters, but Arabs, Chechens, Uzbeks, Afghans, Indonesians…whosoever manages to sneak in or openly walk into the country.
The former military ruler unnecessarily provoked holy warriors when he tried to stop them from operating from the Pakistani soil. He should not have listened to the world or the United Nations Security Council. Rather some direct advice from Afghan Ameerul Mominneen Mullah Omar, or the martyred Osama bin Laden or any of his aides should have been the preferred choice. Even the wise counsel of clerics of the Lal Mosque in Islamabad or leaders of the once active Pak-Afghan Defence Council would have served him and the country better.
The government should talk to the TTP and its likes without any preconditions. And it won’t be any crime if for the sake of talks, the government yields to some or all of their demands, including pulling out troops from some of the militants’ infested areas. If our estranged brothers continue to explode bombs, the government must make bigger bangs by issuing statements and crying for talks. If they attack and kill our soldiers, officers and civilians, we must continue to stay on the righteous course of negotiations. The holy ones should remain free to kick and punch us (metaphorically speaking as in reality they simply kill), violate the law of the land, undermine the country’s sovereignty, but we should still talk of peace and negotiations – for they are one of us.
The government’s policy of repeating the mantra of national pride, national security, and sovereignty of the state can only be advanced through the September 9 All-Parties Conference resolutions, which also plead for talks with militants. Our words speak louder. Who cares about actions? Inaction, coupled by high-sounding words and phrases should be able to do the trick for us. Therefore, the government must talk, talk, and talk to everyone…we must wheel and deal with militants. The issues of world reaction or the use of Pakistani territory for terrorism around the world will be dealt with later. We must have faith that the free world and the brother Islamic countries will come to rescue us at the last minute no matter what we do.
In this stream of consciousness or unconsciousness – depending on how one takes it – the government should also abandon the operation in Karachi against all the politically-connected gangsters, extortionists, kidnappers, and killers and instead talk to them. The operation is a waste of time and energy. Given our record, we don’t have much appetite or spine for fighting. After all, the local Tehreek-e-Taliban also indulges in many of these small crimes. When the government can talk to one set of militants or criminals – whatever a reader would like to call them – then why not the other?
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League, its band of allies, the opposition – those forces that attended the APC and hold the destiny of the 180 million plus Pakistanis in their hands – represent the collective wisdom and will of this nation. We must believe in the sagacity and political acumen of the APC leaders. Like the past, they never can be wrong and can make no mistakes. The government should not pay any heed to those advocating the use of force against militants. Our salvation lies in talks, even repeating the mantra of talks for the sake of talks. Come hell or fire, let’s talk. This is all we can do.
Monday, Sept 23, 2013
The News
Our salvation lies in talks, even repeating the mantra of talks for the sake of talks. Come hell or fire, let’s talk. This is all we can do.
It is heartening to know that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has told the National Assembly on September 19 that there won’t be any change “in the government’s position on talks with (the local) Taliban” even after the assassination of Maj-Gen Sanaullah Khan and other Pakistan Army personnel in a roadside bomb explosion in Upper Dir earlier this month. This is what one may call courageously keeping on course for peace come hell or high water.
The same day, the Foreign Office said that dialogue with the local Taliban remains Pakistan’s “internal affair” and any “reaction” from the outside world would be considered as interference in Pakistan’s “domestic affairs.” These are also brave words underlining the government’s unwavering resolve of brokering peace with the Al-Qaeda-inspired-and-linked local militants, who just want to use the Pakistani territory to foment violence and terrorism in various parts of the world to punish ‘infidels’ and impose their brand of Islam in the country by getting rid of the ‘evil democratic system’ and its ‘satanic constitution’.
The day these inspiring and morale-boosting words of our interior minister and Foreign Office were carried in this newspaper, a front-page news story also informed that a bombing at a Peshawar mosque killed three people. These worshippers were attending a ‘Mehfil-e-Naat’ when the attack occurred. Also the same day, there was a report of a hand grenade attack at an Imam Bargah in Karachi, killing one person and wounding16 others.
The same paper enlightened us that militants handed over a list of 50 prisoners to the ruling party’s former lawmaker, Ibrahim Paracha, demanding their release.
This snapshot of one day’s The News shows that the Islamic Republic – Mashallah – is heading in the right direction. Sooner or later – Inshallah – there will be a peace deal with these ‘soldiers of Islam’ and we will live happily after. Let’s not doubt it – for we are a people of great faith.
The few deaths reported in the media are nothing but just faceless numbers. After all we have seen and lived through much worse and blood-soaked days. An addition of a few more bodies, probably a dozen, a hundred or two hundred, or perhaps more – say thousand or a couple of thousands – in the small, negligible pile of 50,000 plus such victims of terrorism that also include more than 4,000 security personnel, can be endured.
Pain, trauma, loss and grief are nothing more than unnecessary adjectives. Sooner or later, this emotional phase will fade away. Time will heal every wound. Statesmanship requires delicate navigation through the minefield of those insane voices that cry for a crackdown on these God-fearing, pious, religiously upright and brave fighters of Islam, who just want to run a state within state and expand their turf from the mountainous tribal areas to the settled areas – from Peshawar to Karachi – which have now become unsettled thanks to their holy interventions.
The only small offence of these devout warriors, if one may like to call it, is of carrying out a string of bombings at countless mosques, shrines, congested bazaars, a few hotels, attacking the military headquarters and a handful of other sensitive installations and slitting throats of soldiers, paramilitary troops etc. And that too, spanning just over a decade or slightly more. These small ‘actions’ and slight breaches of law can be forgiven and forgotten for the sake of peace – perhaps at their terms in the larger national interest.
Yes, the geographical and ideological boundaries of the world’s lone Islamic nuclear power remain secure. The small problem of Pakistani armed forces and their installations being unsafe within the country is a mere footnote. It should not raise any eyebrows. As our prime minister has rightly said following the killing of the major general that the armed forces have made “substantial” sacrifices in this unwanted conflict. In the course of time, these substantial sacrifices have the chance of becoming great sacrifices as the militants continue to fight, while our rulers implore and beg for talks.
Those calling for fighting the local Taliban, their allied bands of warriors organised under the banner of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Jandullah, this jaish or that harkat, their dissident factions, or faceless cells are western stooges (please read: American agents).
These misguided ones are working against Pakistan by asking the state to establish its writ on its territory. How can that be? The Islamic Emirates of Pakistan…(oops sorry, it is still an Islamic Republic) is the fortress of Islam. If not under a stated policy, at least in practice, here all are free to do whatever they want in the name of Islam. This not only includes Pakistani fighters, but Arabs, Chechens, Uzbeks, Afghans, Indonesians…whosoever manages to sneak in or openly walk into the country.
The former military ruler unnecessarily provoked holy warriors when he tried to stop them from operating from the Pakistani soil. He should not have listened to the world or the United Nations Security Council. Rather some direct advice from Afghan Ameerul Mominneen Mullah Omar, or the martyred Osama bin Laden or any of his aides should have been the preferred choice. Even the wise counsel of clerics of the Lal Mosque in Islamabad or leaders of the once active Pak-Afghan Defence Council would have served him and the country better.
The government should talk to the TTP and its likes without any preconditions. And it won’t be any crime if for the sake of talks, the government yields to some or all of their demands, including pulling out troops from some of the militants’ infested areas. If our estranged brothers continue to explode bombs, the government must make bigger bangs by issuing statements and crying for talks. If they attack and kill our soldiers, officers and civilians, we must continue to stay on the righteous course of negotiations. The holy ones should remain free to kick and punch us (metaphorically speaking as in reality they simply kill), violate the law of the land, undermine the country’s sovereignty, but we should still talk of peace and negotiations – for they are one of us.
The government’s policy of repeating the mantra of national pride, national security, and sovereignty of the state can only be advanced through the September 9 All-Parties Conference resolutions, which also plead for talks with militants. Our words speak louder. Who cares about actions? Inaction, coupled by high-sounding words and phrases should be able to do the trick for us. Therefore, the government must talk, talk, and talk to everyone…we must wheel and deal with militants. The issues of world reaction or the use of Pakistani territory for terrorism around the world will be dealt with later. We must have faith that the free world and the brother Islamic countries will come to rescue us at the last minute no matter what we do.
In this stream of consciousness or unconsciousness – depending on how one takes it – the government should also abandon the operation in Karachi against all the politically-connected gangsters, extortionists, kidnappers, and killers and instead talk to them. The operation is a waste of time and energy. Given our record, we don’t have much appetite or spine for fighting. After all, the local Tehreek-e-Taliban also indulges in many of these small crimes. When the government can talk to one set of militants or criminals – whatever a reader would like to call them – then why not the other?
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League, its band of allies, the opposition – those forces that attended the APC and hold the destiny of the 180 million plus Pakistanis in their hands – represent the collective wisdom and will of this nation. We must believe in the sagacity and political acumen of the APC leaders. Like the past, they never can be wrong and can make no mistakes. The government should not pay any heed to those advocating the use of force against militants. Our salvation lies in talks, even repeating the mantra of talks for the sake of talks. Come hell or fire, let’s talk. This is all we can do.
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