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Facing adversity with courage
Reality check
Friday, December 11, 2009
Shafqat Mahmood
This month has been a grim reminder of the challenge we face. These animals and what other word can one use for those who kill people in mosques or markets will go to any length to create fear and despondency.
They will test us again and again but they don't realise that amidst the grief, pain and suffering a spirit of resilience is rising among the people. In the immediate aftermath of an attack, as the one in Lahore's Moon Market or the Peshawar bazaar, the impulse is to stay safe and not venture out. But, soon the normal routine of life is resumed, almost defiantly.
It is not easy for parents to send their children to school knowing the dangers or for people to venture to offices or go ahead with family events but that is what is happening. Anyone can be caught at the wrong place at the wrong time but there is a determination among the people to carry on with life irrespective.
It may not seem so but everyone who is doing this is a hero because the terrorists cannot win unless they break the spirit of the people. If they force them to cower in their homes and give up their normal life, they win. If their terror threat is understood but ignored, they lose.
Imran Khan says that he is ready to mediate between terrorists and the government. By saying this, he puts them on the same pedestal as the state and anoints them with a respectability they don't deserve. And what is there to mediate? Mediation means give-and-take, while their agenda is to take over the state. What is it that can be offered to them?
Has Imran paused to consider that how come these people are so well-armed and organised? And this in Pakistan, not anywhere else? Why were they building up strength in this country? To fight Americans? Are Americans occupying Pakistan?
In any case, how can a state, any state, tolerate lethally armed and organised militant groups within its territory? Our tragedy is that governments in the past not only allowed this but also actively encouraged it. We are reaping this harvest today.
It is delusional to believe that they are killing innocent people in Pakistan because the state is supporting the Americans in Afghanistan. It is also naive to believe that the Pakistani terrorists are the same thing as the Afghan Taliban.
However deluded they might be in their cultural and social ideology, the Afghan Taliban are essentially a Pakhtun force fighting a foreign occupier. They also reflect the angst of their nationality's marginalisation in the current ruling dispensation of Afghanistan. They have a reason to fight. What reason do our murderers have?
The Pakistani militancy has varied roots. Some of it in the tribal areas was impacted by the American occupation in Afghanistan but then, egged on by Al Qaeda, morphed into a territory-seeking force in Pakistan. The Malakand insurgency was a demonstration of this as are repeated attempts to destabilise the Frontier province.
Al Qaeda has also had a hand in joining this border movement with other fanatical groups in the country such as Jaish-e-Mohammad. These groups may have had their origins in the Kashmir struggle but moved on to transforming the state of Pakistan by force. They did not appear after American occupation of Afghanistan. They have been here since the eighties.
It is a terrible mistake to believe that these armed groups will suddenly become good boys and go back to farming or running shops if Pakistan ceases to support American effort in Afghanistan. Imran Khan is sincere, though I have my doubts about some others who parrot the same line, but has closed his mind to an alternate narrative.
It is actually harmful to keep repeating the 'it-is-the-Americans' mantra because it confuses the people. And a national consensus on fighting terrorism is essential. It is there now but it took a long time coming. By linking these murderers of innocent men, women and children with some kind of higher purpose such as fighting international imperialism is to dignify them. They are not worth any such thing.
Their claims of fighting the American occupation are further undermined by the attitude of the Afghan Taliban. They have denounced these murderers and there is credible evidence that they are not supporting their war on the Pakistani state. The Afghans have also distanced themselves from Al Qaeda and on this basis, serious negotiations between them and the Americans have become a possibility.
These Pakistani pretenders are taking directions from Al Qaeda and trying to create a sanctuary for it in this country. They are retaliating now and throwing everything they have into terror attacks because the Pakistani armed forces have made their space very narrow.
Swat, indeed the entire Malakand, has been denied to them. They have also been hustled out of South Waziristan. It is this that has pushed them to the wall and they have come down to random attacks of terror targeting the innocent.
Another factor that exposes their true intention is that if there is indeed some kind of American conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan, they have begun to do the job for them. I have little doubt that neither they nor the Americans if indeed they have any such intentions -- will succeed but our claimants to the Taliban heritage are giving it everything; bombings, suicide attacks, target-killings and more.
Pakistan is in great difficulty and it is likely to get worse. The Americans have already started to blame Pakistan for lack of success of the surge that is at least six months away. The sound bites from Washington seem suspiciously like a prelude to extending the drone attacks to Balochistan. It is unlikely but the possibility of physical incursion of American troops also cannot be ruled out.
At this stage when we face the prospect of a very challenging time ahead, these people are trying desperately to break the will of the Pakistani people and erode the state from within. Is this in any way compatible with their stated goal of fighting the Americans?
There is much that is wrong in this country. The state is not able to deliver either justice, security or social services. Most of our leaders are both incompetent and corrupt. There is a need for a reformist movement but picking up arms and killing innocent people can only be the handiwork of those whose agenda is not Pakistani.
Many nations of the world have faced terrible happenings but have bounced back with a greater will. Vietnam is one such recent example. It was devastated and destroyed but is now thriving.
We are in a battle for our soul and our survival. We can and indeed will rise out of it stronger. All we need is courage in adversity.
Email: shafqatmd@gmail.com
the people have the courage, but the question the analyst should ask, 'does the present govt(excepting the armed forces) have the wherewithall to face up to these 'animals'. they are busy in 'saving' their seats and destroying 'evidence' of their corruption!
Reality check
Friday, December 11, 2009
Shafqat Mahmood
This month has been a grim reminder of the challenge we face. These animals and what other word can one use for those who kill people in mosques or markets will go to any length to create fear and despondency.
They will test us again and again but they don't realise that amidst the grief, pain and suffering a spirit of resilience is rising among the people. In the immediate aftermath of an attack, as the one in Lahore's Moon Market or the Peshawar bazaar, the impulse is to stay safe and not venture out. But, soon the normal routine of life is resumed, almost defiantly.
It is not easy for parents to send their children to school knowing the dangers or for people to venture to offices or go ahead with family events but that is what is happening. Anyone can be caught at the wrong place at the wrong time but there is a determination among the people to carry on with life irrespective.
It may not seem so but everyone who is doing this is a hero because the terrorists cannot win unless they break the spirit of the people. If they force them to cower in their homes and give up their normal life, they win. If their terror threat is understood but ignored, they lose.
Imran Khan says that he is ready to mediate between terrorists and the government. By saying this, he puts them on the same pedestal as the state and anoints them with a respectability they don't deserve. And what is there to mediate? Mediation means give-and-take, while their agenda is to take over the state. What is it that can be offered to them?
Has Imran paused to consider that how come these people are so well-armed and organised? And this in Pakistan, not anywhere else? Why were they building up strength in this country? To fight Americans? Are Americans occupying Pakistan?
In any case, how can a state, any state, tolerate lethally armed and organised militant groups within its territory? Our tragedy is that governments in the past not only allowed this but also actively encouraged it. We are reaping this harvest today.
It is delusional to believe that they are killing innocent people in Pakistan because the state is supporting the Americans in Afghanistan. It is also naive to believe that the Pakistani terrorists are the same thing as the Afghan Taliban.
However deluded they might be in their cultural and social ideology, the Afghan Taliban are essentially a Pakhtun force fighting a foreign occupier. They also reflect the angst of their nationality's marginalisation in the current ruling dispensation of Afghanistan. They have a reason to fight. What reason do our murderers have?
The Pakistani militancy has varied roots. Some of it in the tribal areas was impacted by the American occupation in Afghanistan but then, egged on by Al Qaeda, morphed into a territory-seeking force in Pakistan. The Malakand insurgency was a demonstration of this as are repeated attempts to destabilise the Frontier province.
Al Qaeda has also had a hand in joining this border movement with other fanatical groups in the country such as Jaish-e-Mohammad. These groups may have had their origins in the Kashmir struggle but moved on to transforming the state of Pakistan by force. They did not appear after American occupation of Afghanistan. They have been here since the eighties.
It is a terrible mistake to believe that these armed groups will suddenly become good boys and go back to farming or running shops if Pakistan ceases to support American effort in Afghanistan. Imran Khan is sincere, though I have my doubts about some others who parrot the same line, but has closed his mind to an alternate narrative.
It is actually harmful to keep repeating the 'it-is-the-Americans' mantra because it confuses the people. And a national consensus on fighting terrorism is essential. It is there now but it took a long time coming. By linking these murderers of innocent men, women and children with some kind of higher purpose such as fighting international imperialism is to dignify them. They are not worth any such thing.
Their claims of fighting the American occupation are further undermined by the attitude of the Afghan Taliban. They have denounced these murderers and there is credible evidence that they are not supporting their war on the Pakistani state. The Afghans have also distanced themselves from Al Qaeda and on this basis, serious negotiations between them and the Americans have become a possibility.
These Pakistani pretenders are taking directions from Al Qaeda and trying to create a sanctuary for it in this country. They are retaliating now and throwing everything they have into terror attacks because the Pakistani armed forces have made their space very narrow.
Swat, indeed the entire Malakand, has been denied to them. They have also been hustled out of South Waziristan. It is this that has pushed them to the wall and they have come down to random attacks of terror targeting the innocent.
Another factor that exposes their true intention is that if there is indeed some kind of American conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan, they have begun to do the job for them. I have little doubt that neither they nor the Americans if indeed they have any such intentions -- will succeed but our claimants to the Taliban heritage are giving it everything; bombings, suicide attacks, target-killings and more.
Pakistan is in great difficulty and it is likely to get worse. The Americans have already started to blame Pakistan for lack of success of the surge that is at least six months away. The sound bites from Washington seem suspiciously like a prelude to extending the drone attacks to Balochistan. It is unlikely but the possibility of physical incursion of American troops also cannot be ruled out.
At this stage when we face the prospect of a very challenging time ahead, these people are trying desperately to break the will of the Pakistani people and erode the state from within. Is this in any way compatible with their stated goal of fighting the Americans?
There is much that is wrong in this country. The state is not able to deliver either justice, security or social services. Most of our leaders are both incompetent and corrupt. There is a need for a reformist movement but picking up arms and killing innocent people can only be the handiwork of those whose agenda is not Pakistani.
Many nations of the world have faced terrible happenings but have bounced back with a greater will. Vietnam is one such recent example. It was devastated and destroyed but is now thriving.
We are in a battle for our soul and our survival. We can and indeed will rise out of it stronger. All we need is courage in adversity.
Email: shafqatmd@gmail.com
the people have the courage, but the question the analyst should ask, 'does the present govt(excepting the armed forces) have the wherewithall to face up to these 'animals'. they are busy in 'saving' their seats and destroying 'evidence' of their corruption!
