Naeem Abbas
There is a definite predictable pattern of terrorism in play. Every time there
is a kind of accountability pressure on the ruling thugs or political parties
endangering their positions of power, there coincides an incident of national
carnage hand in glove with the enemies of the state and the terrorists to divert
the national attention from the issue. There is a convergence of interests and
so are the actions which follow. Hundreds of innocent lives of the ordinary have
been sacrificed at the altar in this fashion – APS, Charsadda, Lahore and now
Quetta among the very recent ones. It is quite apparent that loss of these
precious human lives means nothing to our wretched leaders who are instrumental
in these events in one way or the other.
In such national tragedies the sickening routine reactions of our sold out
representatives, and media are without a heart and soul. Here comes in play a
great hype for a day or two of issuing meaningless statements, a lot of chest
thumping and then it is all back to business as usual. In case of every new
incident we start fictitious hound chase to determine those responsible perhaps
just to waste more precious time to further muddle and confuse the issue. It
appears to give additional time to the enemies to regroup and legitimize the
carnage caused by them.
On most occasions segments from our ruling coalition dare express solidarity not
with the nation, but enemies of the state and this is tolerated by the party in
government as if nothing has happened. The other day Hussain Haqqani and some
other fence sitters were on CNN, BBC and other international, local airwaves
expressing solidarity with the groups acting against the state, India and
Afghanistan. Has anyone questioned AAZ or his party or the ruling regime about
this? India is openly and boldly interfering in our internal affairs to
destabilize Pakistan. This is despite Indian National Security Advisor Ajit
Devol's threat and other Indian union ministers’ claiming that yes India is
brewing trouble in Karachi, Balochistan and elsewhere in Pakistan. “If you
support Kashmiris in any way, then be ready to lose Karachi and Balochistan.”
So is the case with the case with the Afghans, their security services and their
functionaries openly issuing numerous statements and threats? The PM has yet to
speak on the espionage activities of caught spymaster Lt Cdr Kulbushan Yadav and
dozens of other RAW operatives caught red handed in Karachi, South Punjab,
Lahore, Balochistan and even those found working in the industrial units owned
by the PM and family. Can anyone beat this?
Just have a look.
Majority of the points from the much touted charter of so called National Action
Plan by this government and signed by all the so called players, remains
unactioned even after a lapse of nearly two years. What was the mechanism
adopted in this plan to ensure immediate compliance? Who was responsible for
what? Who was to arrange and release the funding? Even the basic NECTA is not in
place. I remember at the time of its signing the NAP it was said that it will be
put in place immediately and its progress monitored on weekly basis to
completely eradicate terrorism, terrorists, its facilitators, aiders and
abettors from the entire country on priority basis. That was nearly one and a
half years ago. What happened then? Who all are responsible for not implementing
it and why?
I have not seen anyone show any real concern, shed a single tear or give even a
semblance of a united nation by initiating action and remedial measures to
counter these well established ills eating away our country. The corrupt wolf
pack remains well entrenched on party lines, party loyalties and protecting the
status quo. They are continuing their ongoing loot and plunder and that of
pursuing their targeted selfish agendas. Nothing much has changed on their beat
or in their ways. They have been successful in dividing this nation on ethnic,
sectarian and more so now on political party lines leaving Pakistan, its honour
and its national interests far behind. They have no idea what a unified nation
looks like nor have any intentions to rectify this precarious and highly
dangerous polarization.
The Army on its part did all what it could even under the constraints of
cooperation or rather noncooperation from the government in cleansing and
dislodging the terrorists from FATA and Waziristan at great cost, shedding
precious blood and sacrifice of its sons, looking after the IDPs, their
rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in those war torn areas from its
own meager resources, improving the situation in Karachi and Balochistan and
even flushing out the Chhotu Gang and others from parts of southern Punjab.
There is nothing else it can do without the full whole hearted cooperation of
the government. The federal and provincial political governments, it seems, are
hell bent on restricting army's across-the-board nationwide operations and scope
well defined and agreed upon in the NAP. Punjab and so much more oozing with
terrorism and massive corruption remains a hide out for terrorism and corruption
where the MNS & SS government is obstructing an all out operation as such a
sacred cow so far primarily because the emperor has no clothes.
They currently are betting and resorting to every trick on phasing out the
current COAS knowing well that they will be caught with their pants down which
will lead to their being ousted from power both in the center and Punjab. They
are also betting on replacing Gen RS with their own man. In view of the gravity
of the serious situation domestically and in the international pretext, I feel
there is little chance that even the next COAS and the army will sit in their
lap or bet on them. How far they succeed is anyone's guess but I sincerely do
not feel things can go on much longer in this fashion even with the support of
AAZ and other forces of status quo. They are in real trouble and danger because
of their massive corruption being unearthed and the real time local and
international dangers looming around Pakistan.
Now the big question is how long do we continue like this in inaction while
being confronted with such real dangers threatening our very existence, well
being and solidarity of our country. These dents and inaction and failure to
rectify the situation in a serious manner are weakening the country by the hour.
No more cushions of any type and no more time are available and the margin for
error is zero. Expectations that the current system over time will provide
answers simply amounts to living in a fool’s paradise or burying our heads in
the sand like an ostrich waiting for the inevitable.
We are yet to even declare a state of emergency and launch a unified action in
our country to identify, catch and weed out the undesirable elements working
against the state since decades. Our current government has zero resolve for
doing that. Thinking that the Army no matter how good can do it all without the
full and active support of the people, the government and all the state
institutions and protect the country and the people is much beyond its capacity
and amounts to absurd thinking. No need to reinvent the wheel. Just look around
at other nations in our situation earlier and today and follow the suit
accordingly. There is only one mandatory criterion in doing that. One thing is
for sure for achieving any success. The leadership and the government have to be
patriotic and nationalist beyond doubt as a starting point. (ENDS)