Tiki Tam Tam
<b>MILITARY PROFESSIONALS</b>
- Joined
- May 15, 2006
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The adverse image, if you wish to call it so, has been caused by many reasons.
It will be recalled that Pakistan's image was good, and in fact, Pakistan was said to have a better economy than India under Field Marshal Ayub Khan.
The image started plummeting once the War against the Soviet Union was over. There were a surfeit of unemployed Mujahideens from all over the world, bringing in their own ideas of life, honed with fundamentalism and the days of glory of Islam when the Caliphate straddled Europe to the East. It was a heady elixir. Hence, various elements planned and plotted to be in the vanguard of bringing those glorious days back once again. They were assisted by the hyeprclergy since under Zia they had got their second wind and were running triumphant.
All this led to 9/11.
Then all hell broke loose and all terrorists acts led to a Pakistani link. It maybe added that it was not Govt sponsored, nor was the common Pakistani involved. And to be frank, none could do anything since it those who were organising terrorism very ingenuously used Islam for their purpose nor could anyone protest since they also used 'oppression' of the Islamic world very effectively. It was a Catch 22 situation and so these elements of terrorism continued to grow more powerful by the day as Pakistan helplessly watched.
Then came the Iraq and then Afghanistan. It added justification to the fundamentalist elements and the terrorists' refrain. Not satisfied in taking on the world, these terrorist turned their wrath and ire on the Pakistan Govt and what could be better to upset governance than creating panic and uncertainty amongst the general Pakistani public.
As the fundamentalist and terrorists grew in strength and following, the Pakistan Govt started losing its grip over the events and since they were back to the wall, they started depending heavily on the US. This act added to the following that the fundamentalist had, and more the terrorists started to gain greater control of Pakistan through chaos and mayhem, the more the Pakistan Govt got dependant on the US and it became a vicious circle out of which there appeared to be no exit.
Not satisfied, these terrorists and fundamentalist started attacking opposite sects (Shia Sunni Sufi Ahemediya bombings) and achieved their aim to divide civil society that already was at their tethers end. This added to the confusion and the schizophrenia.
In addition, the economy of Pakistan plummeted and it became more dependent on IMF, WB and the US.
Now, all this took place over a span of years, but if every day reports of terrorist actions in the badlands and consequent actions by the Pakistan Army, daily bombing of Mosques and killing of the opposite sects thorough internecine wars, important political leaders being killed, the Judiciary and Govt fighting for power and so on happens in rapid succession and is reported, then obviously a bad image is axiomatic.
These events have been reported since Pakistan is a democracy and there is a free press and none can seriously control the Press in a democracy and such reports have created a sense of despondency, not only in Pakistan but the world over.
To feel that the media is responsible would be a wrong premise.
The fact why Pakistan has a bad image is because Pakistanis have allowed the situation to come to this sad pass and still they are not ready to take the problem head on.
It must dawn on all that a semblance of stability is first brought and then the differences sorted out across the table.
It will be recalled that Pakistan's image was good, and in fact, Pakistan was said to have a better economy than India under Field Marshal Ayub Khan.
The image started plummeting once the War against the Soviet Union was over. There were a surfeit of unemployed Mujahideens from all over the world, bringing in their own ideas of life, honed with fundamentalism and the days of glory of Islam when the Caliphate straddled Europe to the East. It was a heady elixir. Hence, various elements planned and plotted to be in the vanguard of bringing those glorious days back once again. They were assisted by the hyeprclergy since under Zia they had got their second wind and were running triumphant.
All this led to 9/11.
Then all hell broke loose and all terrorists acts led to a Pakistani link. It maybe added that it was not Govt sponsored, nor was the common Pakistani involved. And to be frank, none could do anything since it those who were organising terrorism very ingenuously used Islam for their purpose nor could anyone protest since they also used 'oppression' of the Islamic world very effectively. It was a Catch 22 situation and so these elements of terrorism continued to grow more powerful by the day as Pakistan helplessly watched.
Then came the Iraq and then Afghanistan. It added justification to the fundamentalist elements and the terrorists' refrain. Not satisfied in taking on the world, these terrorist turned their wrath and ire on the Pakistan Govt and what could be better to upset governance than creating panic and uncertainty amongst the general Pakistani public.
As the fundamentalist and terrorists grew in strength and following, the Pakistan Govt started losing its grip over the events and since they were back to the wall, they started depending heavily on the US. This act added to the following that the fundamentalist had, and more the terrorists started to gain greater control of Pakistan through chaos and mayhem, the more the Pakistan Govt got dependant on the US and it became a vicious circle out of which there appeared to be no exit.
Not satisfied, these terrorists and fundamentalist started attacking opposite sects (Shia Sunni Sufi Ahemediya bombings) and achieved their aim to divide civil society that already was at their tethers end. This added to the confusion and the schizophrenia.
In addition, the economy of Pakistan plummeted and it became more dependent on IMF, WB and the US.
Now, all this took place over a span of years, but if every day reports of terrorist actions in the badlands and consequent actions by the Pakistan Army, daily bombing of Mosques and killing of the opposite sects thorough internecine wars, important political leaders being killed, the Judiciary and Govt fighting for power and so on happens in rapid succession and is reported, then obviously a bad image is axiomatic.
These events have been reported since Pakistan is a democracy and there is a free press and none can seriously control the Press in a democracy and such reports have created a sense of despondency, not only in Pakistan but the world over.
To feel that the media is responsible would be a wrong premise.
The fact why Pakistan has a bad image is because Pakistanis have allowed the situation to come to this sad pass and still they are not ready to take the problem head on.
It must dawn on all that a semblance of stability is first brought and then the differences sorted out across the table.
we see people dying and we don't know the reason why they were killed.... 
