At this point in time when sinister is being played around Pakistan, some pseudo-intellectuals and so-called analysts are trying to prove that Pakistan is a failed state, and that Pakistan army is either incapable of reining in militants or some elements in Pakistan’s premier agency have links with the Taliban and militants. In a recent article captioned ‘Battle for Pakistan’, the author – a columnist and a member of the National Assembly tried to create doubts about Pakistan Army’s ability to win the battle from Taliban and extremists. He wrote: “The Pakistan army was always meant for wars against India. It hasn’t a clue about fighting Taliban in Swat and Waziristan….It is a war between two world views and unless the world view Pakistan stands for is more powerful and makes more sense, Taliban will win and Pakistan state will lose”. He however fails to understand the simple fact that like any other country Pakistan’s army has been raised to deal with any threat to its external or internal security. It was not India-specific but unfortunately due to hegemonic designs of the hostile neighbour Pakistan had three wars with India. Will it be wrong to conclude that it is a veiled invitation to the US and the West that they should move in to control them? One does not understand soreness on the part of persons whom Pakistan has given respect, status and everything under the sun? The columnist’s perception of ‘world views’ of Pakistani state and Taliban is high-sounding rhetoric because in the first instance Pakistan is not a super power that needs a world view to run the world according to its whim and fancy. As regards world view of the Taliban especially in Afghanistan, he failed to elaborate their world view. The Taliban in Afghanistan have every right to fight the occupiers but they should not kill their Muslim brothers, which is not allowed in Islam. In late 1990s, desire to export their version of Islam to China, Russia and elsewhere the Taliban had evoked worldwide protest, and international community had turned against them. What the author is aiming at when he writes: “The Taliban have empowered the poor, the dispossessed and the out-of-work in both Swat and Waziristan. If they are killed, their families are looked after”. He then concludes by raising the question that if “they choose to serve under the banner of Taliban would management gurus dub it an irrational choice”? The author should have ventured to find out the sources of funds of militants, and furthermore as to who supplies them sophisticated arms and ammunition? It has to be mentioned that the author of the article is a retired Captain from the army; he joined Foreign Service, thanks to late ZA Bhutto who was friend of his father the then MNA of the PPP, but while in Russia the angry young man created problem for Pakistan diplomats and was reportedly asked to resign. During the second stint of PML-N, he was MNA and was not given the importance, place and status he thought he deserved; hence he had resigned from the NA seat. There is a perception that it was due to the elements at the social pyramid, the educated class, pseudo-intellectuals, or intelligentsia both Mandarins and Resistantes who have not performed their rightful duty of providing adequate leads to the overwhelming illiterate and immensely religious hoi polloi. Such analysts in print and electronic media often badmouth the military wholesale despite the fact that military dictators, elected governments and civilian dictators are responsible in equal measure for bringing the country to the present pass. There are patriotic elements in this community who are aware of their national responsibility yet there are others who have become chivalrous as a result of the newfound media freedom. In the recent past, whenever there was any terrorist attack they often accused the ISI. They have been accusing the premier agency and the army for having armed the militants in FATA and Swat. This is downright perfidious and nonsense, as no law enforcing agency or army would arm the terrorists or militants to kill their own personnel and comrade-in-arms. Pseudo-intellectuals and so-called analysts abound who continue to spread despondency and support the enemies of Pakistan who say Pakistan is going to collapse within six months. But their dream will never come true.
Why this soreness?
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