Dear AgNoStIc MuSliM
“”But it is nonetheless the only constitution we have, and that most Pakistanis generally agree on. I despise the above-mentioned amendments in the constitution, as I am sure you do some others, but we are required to support it until such time as other amendments are made or the people of Pakistan can come up with another constitution””.
Constitution is the bedrock on which the Government’s legitimacy as a State institution is anchored. Apart from other mutilations, the Federalist character of the constitution has been destroyed. This has enabled a quasi-legitimate government to unleash the full might of the armed forces in minority units of the federation; in Baluchistan, NWFP and FATA (on whatever pretext). In other words the country is essentially compartmented in “Mainstream Pakistan” (Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas calls it the heartland) and “Fringe Pakistan”. Constitutional rule does not equate with the dictatorship of the parliamentary majority.
For instance if the US government has reasons to believe that the Amish culture is a threat to the Spanish Security, and because Spain is a NATO ally, that constitutes a threat to US security. Would it be right to send the USAF and Marines to invade Pennsylvania to eliminate the Amish community?
Would it be right for the US Government to allow basing of Spanish Air Force drones on its soil to launch precision strikes against weird Amish?
If the US constitution allowed the above actions, and the government felt that local institutions that would have otherwise handled the issue had failed (or even if they had not) then yes, the US government would be within its rights to take those actions.
It would be the responsibility of the citizens who disagree with that policy to peacefully protests, to contact their legislators to oppose and put pressure on the US Administration to stop those actions, or vote them and the President out of office next elections.
And the constitution is what it is - as I said, whether you disagree with the direction it has taken does not mean it is not the framework governing our country that we have to obey. All the mainstream political parties and politicians talk about decentralization, yet cannot quite get themselves to act on it when in office. It is time then for the people of Pakistan to inform themselves and vote accordingly.
“”And any actions not in consonance with the constitution should be opposed, but the above actions do not automatically indicate that the Military Operation in FATA is unconstitutional””.
In much the same way as our Constitution does not sanction the sale of Dr. Afia Siddiqi and hundreds of others to the USA; it does not sanction the abuse of the Armed Forces to further the agenda of a foreign power. Hence, by default it is a violation of the constitution.
That is a subjective spin you put on the use of the military in FATA and elsewhere - I see it as furthering the agenda of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan, not a foreign power, and you have not illustrated whether the GoP's requisitioning of the military in the pursuit of law and order in FATA and elsewhere is unconstitutional.
As for the other actions you mentioned, if they are unconstitutional they shoudl be condemned and opposed and the government exposed for its action, but we are not discussing the other issues, we are discussing the military operations.
Is the government allowed to use the military or not under the Pakistani constitution? Simple question.
“”No one is enforcing 'ill conceived ideas upon the Tribal populace' - terrorists are being eliminated. Hopefully the ideas of the terrorists are not the ideas of the majority of the Tribal populace.””
“Terrorist” is almost a Brand-name, a la McDonalds. If you were in the US in early 2003, and held a Pakistani passport, you too had to register as a “potential terrorist” under the provisions of the US Patriot act by February 21, 2003. I have also been branded as a “Terrorist Propagandist” by friends at this forum.
Anybody is a terrorist if he had a non-conformant view of the world. Kashmiris, Palestinians, Chechens are all Terrorists.
Terrorists are the likes of the TTP - blowing up innocents and targeting the state and its infrastructure and forcing the people of the tribal areas to follow their barbaric and medieval ideology. Terrorists are the people that boast of having brainwashed thousands of children, teens and adults into becoming suicide bombers, and unleashing them upon civilians and the State alike.
Terrorist supporters are those that suggest the state accommodate with the above without the above giving up any of those practices or disbanding their militias.
The description should be clear enough.
“”I would like to see evidence of that 'nurturing'. I don't believe it came about overnight either though. It came about as a result of the US invasion of Afghanistan, and strengthened because Pakistan ignored it for a variety of reasons, until it started to threaten the State.””
Evidence is:
1. Repeated operations in Waziristan, Bajaur, Swat, Khyber, Orakzai, and Baluchistan since early 2002.
2. Basing Drones in Pakistan since 2004 and aiding and abetting strikes on own territory under whatever pretext.
3. Mass arrests, abductions, sale of citizens to the USA.
4. Torture, abuse of citizens by Intelligence agencies. Ever heard about Ms Zarina Marri?
The operations were in response to the terrorists imposing their barbaric and medieval ideology on the people of the Tribal areas - how many Tribal maliks have been killed so far by the Taliban in a bid destroy the traditional way of governance in FATA and ensure no one challenge their rule? Hundreds.
Citizens were not sold to the US - terrorists involved in terrorism were perhaps deported - whether that was done constitutionally or not is definitely an issue, and should be investigated and not repeated if done unconstitutionally - but it is not an excuse for a militia to murder and maim thousands of innocent people. The correct way to confront Musharraf's regime was the way the Lawyers movement the media and the political parties confronted and eventually forced him to give up power.
Instead the Taliban chose to commit even more heinous crimes, and continue to do so, and their refusal to stop means that they need to be eliminated.
“” And we have discussed the Lal masjid Operation in detail on other threads - the state has a right to resolve a situation as it sees fit, and the State considered that lives of the students reportedly being held hostage by Mullah Aziz as being in danger if the standoff continued for much longer, and therefore made the decision to storm the terrorist sanctuary.
There are no credible reports validating the 'burning of hundreds of students' and what not.””
It was not the right of the STATE that was exercised, but the perverted policy of a military dictator who wanted to score with his benefactors. Those “hostages” agreed to die rather than surrendering to their Rescuers (74 as per government figures; +500 as per other sources).
The Government could have a “credible denial” if the people were allowed access after the operation, the area was not bulldozed and evidence wiped out. Shangla / Swat flared up right after the Lal Masjid, hundreds of aggrieved relatives swelled the ranks of TTP.
Once again, there are no credible reports indicating 'hundreds of students were burned'. The government cannot prove a negative, i.e prove that 'hundreds who did not exist did not die'. On the other hand, if hundreds of students did exist and did die, then there should be some tangible, physical evidence of those deaths.
In any case, if those students did exist and did 'burn themselves' may Allah forgive them for supporting terrorists and committing suicide.
The state has to ensure the safety of its citizens, and two bit Mullah's threatening suicide bombings across the nation if their demands are not met are a major threat to the nation.
“”If people want to boycott it that is their choice - it is not however their right to infringe upon the freedom of others to go for a run around the neighborhood and participate in athletic activities (provided the women were not dressed like Serena Williams)””.
Sorry to make an untoward statement for the want of better words. Our people have not yet developed taste for bouncing mammaries.
'Develop a taste' for looking away then ...
This is one step away from, 'its the woman's fault she got raped'!
The only real long term option is to give political space to the “bad guys”. If UK / IRA could do it, so can we. If we can negotiate wit India over Kashmir for 63 years, so can we with our own brethren.
Those who consider “misguided” Pakistanis as the enemy and South Waziristan as enemy territory are playing Abdullah Deewana in Begani Shaadi of the US. You will not get anything else from the Big Boss except “Aur Zor se Naacho”.
I will repeat, we have tried the other options, including bowing to almost all Taliban demands in Swat, and it did not work. I fail to see how you can argue for 'political space' in the face of that failure.
We can negotiate with our 'Brethren' when they disband their militias and stop training suicide bombers and allow political expression so the people of FATA and elsewhere can freely choose in this 'political space' you wish to provide them from between the Taliban and other options. Without those pre-conditions being met, the only thing you are doing is allowing one party, the one willing to kill its opponents and suppress any opposition, to rule the region as a dictatorship.
That is not 'allowing political space', it is surrendering the people of FATA to a barbaric and violent horde that will impose its rule at the barrel of a gun.
i am with Pakistan Army
from your side, expecting something better out of you would be impossible. 
