The Pakistani news papers of 22 April 2009 made following headlines ‘Buner falls into the hands of Swat Taliban’. Was this a surprise to all, not at all! It was expected and well planned. Those who claimed that Sufi Muhammad from TNSM (Swat) had no hidden agenda and was sincere for peace deal in Swat should reconsider now what they thought from his words saying that barbaric Taliban could not face any trial in Pakistani or Sharia courts. Let’s see where the trouble started.
There were many reasons, many people and many countries to blame but the real problem lied deep in us. Instead of working and relying on our resources we raced to become open market and international player but we ended up as international playing ground. Almost every country can play according to her own rules and teams at this playground. Just land at Islamabad’s so called International Airport and one will notice how the previous ruler is promoting image of Pakistan. While waiting for your luggage you’ll see a big poster portraying a marriage with a lady’s hand knotted in a male hand. It says ‘you are not forced to’. Under it says that British Consulate wants to help you if you are being forced to marry. Yes the issue is a problem but UK government being ally of Pakistan spreads the bad image of Pakistan just where one lands in the country! This was the evident example; others are much more hidden and rude.
Now coming back to our very own problem, when Jinnah founded the country the intention was to provide a safe heaven to the previous rulers of sub-continent. This was needed with the change in international conditions. It was similar to squeeze of size of Ottoman Empire to main land Turkey in 1923. But and a big but was there. Most of our religious leaders as well as common people could never get rid of the past of Muslims in the region. They still considered them the ruler and defender of Islam in the world. The common concept that Pakistan is ‘Castle of Islam’ brought good as well as many bad things to this Pak land.
With the thirst for jubilant past and become defender of Islam the country was converted to defender of the holy religions against communism in 1980s. The flow of aid and cash provided many opportunities to different people and every one created his own sect to get more and more share from this flowing Ganga River. Once the said task was finished these fractions needed to create an atmosphere of chaos so that the rulers or their bosses should see them inevitable. This was what they exactly succeeded in doing.
Unfortunately the country had no leader who can unite the people. The leaders for decades had betrayed their people so no one was trust worthy any more. Lack of leader created factional leaders and opportunists in the country. Each with his own agenda actually personal development agenda and with his own boss be it be western or eastern.
On development front we relied on ready-made cheap or expensive commodities rather than trying to work hard and produce something. No vision was ever created by any political party for the country. The politicians always said that they will do this and that but any measurable promise never came out. Simply no one promised that they will build 2 new airports in next 5 years or 3000 kilometers of roads, 500 km of rail link etc. So just like life of ordinary Pakistani people everything was explained in vague language. Common people were only trying to sustain their day while their upper class and rulers planned everything well. They planned on birth of their child that the new born would be studying abroad, coming back or staying there, establishing his/her own business or taking the political seat of family.
Under such conditions the life of Pakistani people just suffered and suffered. The last nail to the coffin was our legal system. It had always been protecting the stronger and influential. No one ever dared to ask the rulers that in ‘castle of Islam’ why Islamic legal traditions are not followed. This created a vacuum in the system. The people looked to authorities other than the state to ask for justice be it mosque imam or tribal leader. When Taliban in Afghanistan created their own government they declared it to be based upon justice and it was to some sense. While in the government they punished the poppy growers but now when on opposite side they are collaborating with them, what a contrast it is? Now when they are in NWFP, people look for justice to them but they themselves are declared immune to any prosecution for their actions. Are they more sacred than Omar the Caliph who answered in court even about getting two pieces of cloth from government when everyone got only single piece.
Destabilizing of Pakistan is desire of many enemies and so called friends of Pakistan. However what’s wrong with the intellectuals and people of Pakistan (leave the leaders, they are useless). They should either raise their voice now or accept to live in fear for centuries. Don’t forget that many times in history there were moments when a mistake was done and then centuries had to pay for it. We must stand against the Taliban and we must accept to live without aid either from west or Arabs. We must defeat the enforced Sulfi version of Islam and protect our Sufi version. No one other than us should be worried if we are to go to hell for practicing our religion the way we know it. Be it Bulehy Shah or Khuja Ghulam Farid, we always practiced tolerance in sub continent.
A good part of the struggle now depends upon our judiciary. If under the command of my good Lord Iftikhar Chaudry the justice system revives itself and goes under evolution in pro-poor manner then people might not go for Taliban justice system.
This alone won’t help. We used to be proud of our army. Once again army must engage itself in war and this war should not be a battle ground but the war tactic that is used by SSG not ordinary soldiers. Where is our great ISI, can’t it monitor the movement of Taliban? Where is our Air force, are they waiting for time when Taliban gets some sophisticated radar systems and fighter jets? The country must be stabilized by engaging in all out war against Taliban before any other development.
Snake who is against my enemy is not my friend either and especially in this case when we are not sure whose snake is this, we should be more careful and bold. It is now the war of survival.
There were many reasons, many people and many countries to blame but the real problem lied deep in us. Instead of working and relying on our resources we raced to become open market and international player but we ended up as international playing ground. Almost every country can play according to her own rules and teams at this playground. Just land at Islamabad’s so called International Airport and one will notice how the previous ruler is promoting image of Pakistan. While waiting for your luggage you’ll see a big poster portraying a marriage with a lady’s hand knotted in a male hand. It says ‘you are not forced to’. Under it says that British Consulate wants to help you if you are being forced to marry. Yes the issue is a problem but UK government being ally of Pakistan spreads the bad image of Pakistan just where one lands in the country! This was the evident example; others are much more hidden and rude.
Now coming back to our very own problem, when Jinnah founded the country the intention was to provide a safe heaven to the previous rulers of sub-continent. This was needed with the change in international conditions. It was similar to squeeze of size of Ottoman Empire to main land Turkey in 1923. But and a big but was there. Most of our religious leaders as well as common people could never get rid of the past of Muslims in the region. They still considered them the ruler and defender of Islam in the world. The common concept that Pakistan is ‘Castle of Islam’ brought good as well as many bad things to this Pak land.
With the thirst for jubilant past and become defender of Islam the country was converted to defender of the holy religions against communism in 1980s. The flow of aid and cash provided many opportunities to different people and every one created his own sect to get more and more share from this flowing Ganga River. Once the said task was finished these fractions needed to create an atmosphere of chaos so that the rulers or their bosses should see them inevitable. This was what they exactly succeeded in doing.
Unfortunately the country had no leader who can unite the people. The leaders for decades had betrayed their people so no one was trust worthy any more. Lack of leader created factional leaders and opportunists in the country. Each with his own agenda actually personal development agenda and with his own boss be it be western or eastern.
On development front we relied on ready-made cheap or expensive commodities rather than trying to work hard and produce something. No vision was ever created by any political party for the country. The politicians always said that they will do this and that but any measurable promise never came out. Simply no one promised that they will build 2 new airports in next 5 years or 3000 kilometers of roads, 500 km of rail link etc. So just like life of ordinary Pakistani people everything was explained in vague language. Common people were only trying to sustain their day while their upper class and rulers planned everything well. They planned on birth of their child that the new born would be studying abroad, coming back or staying there, establishing his/her own business or taking the political seat of family.
Under such conditions the life of Pakistani people just suffered and suffered. The last nail to the coffin was our legal system. It had always been protecting the stronger and influential. No one ever dared to ask the rulers that in ‘castle of Islam’ why Islamic legal traditions are not followed. This created a vacuum in the system. The people looked to authorities other than the state to ask for justice be it mosque imam or tribal leader. When Taliban in Afghanistan created their own government they declared it to be based upon justice and it was to some sense. While in the government they punished the poppy growers but now when on opposite side they are collaborating with them, what a contrast it is? Now when they are in NWFP, people look for justice to them but they themselves are declared immune to any prosecution for their actions. Are they more sacred than Omar the Caliph who answered in court even about getting two pieces of cloth from government when everyone got only single piece.
Destabilizing of Pakistan is desire of many enemies and so called friends of Pakistan. However what’s wrong with the intellectuals and people of Pakistan (leave the leaders, they are useless). They should either raise their voice now or accept to live in fear for centuries. Don’t forget that many times in history there were moments when a mistake was done and then centuries had to pay for it. We must stand against the Taliban and we must accept to live without aid either from west or Arabs. We must defeat the enforced Sulfi version of Islam and protect our Sufi version. No one other than us should be worried if we are to go to hell for practicing our religion the way we know it. Be it Bulehy Shah or Khuja Ghulam Farid, we always practiced tolerance in sub continent.
A good part of the struggle now depends upon our judiciary. If under the command of my good Lord Iftikhar Chaudry the justice system revives itself and goes under evolution in pro-poor manner then people might not go for Taliban justice system.
This alone won’t help. We used to be proud of our army. Once again army must engage itself in war and this war should not be a battle ground but the war tactic that is used by SSG not ordinary soldiers. Where is our great ISI, can’t it monitor the movement of Taliban? Where is our Air force, are they waiting for time when Taliban gets some sophisticated radar systems and fighter jets? The country must be stabilized by engaging in all out war against Taliban before any other development.
Snake who is against my enemy is not my friend either and especially in this case when we are not sure whose snake is this, we should be more careful and bold. It is now the war of survival.
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