Price of peace
The new nexus is now complete: while the US, Afghanistan and India will fight the Taliban, Pakistan would look for making peace with the Islamist militants. Following last week’s courageous overtures made to the militants by the All Parties Conference in Islamabad, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, the killer of Benazir Bhutto and thousands of nameless Pakistanis and the terror outfit that works closely with al Qaeda and blows up shrines and schools, has responded positively to Pakistan’s ruling elite’s proposal, but with only two conditions.
These are: sever relations with the US and enforce Sharia laws (of the kind that only they would dictate). The same Sharia laws which allow rich Raymond Davises of the world to pay blood money and walk free after committing murder in cold blood, or let the victims of rape languish in jail for want of evidence to prove the assault while the perpetrator walks free. Besides, we know what else they entail: flogging young girls in the street for stepping out of the house; shutting down girls’ schools; blowing up shrines; taking cable TV off the air; banning all performing and visual arts; training militias to wage jihad to reclaim Kabul and Delhi, besides Kashmir, of course, and hopefully planning a new assault on America.
Pakistan now seems to be creating a strategic depth it sought in Afghanistan in its own homeland proper. Way to go! What India has been accusing us of doing to ourselves and the world is now confirmed and endorsed by Pakistan’s politicians and the civil-military establishment. We’re finally at peace with the terrorists and can’t wait to call them to the mainstream.
We’ve been talked and walked into this under the very nose of the ISI, the government and the brave, emerging popular leaders like Imran Khan. Who needs a Maududi anymore, you may ask? On the flip side, who needs Jinnah and his minorities and the women whom he had assured of equal rights? Pakistan’s plunge into Talibanisation is a willing journey into a bottomless pit, where the nation will reside happily ever after with its mighty nuclear arsenal intact and in safe hands. What a vision.
And pray who will be our strategic partners in this holy endeavour? The great People’s Republic to the north and the Islamic Republic to the west? Not a fat chance because neither is as suicidal as we may be deluded to believe. Keep messing up in Xinjiang and keep killing the Shia Hazaras as an article of faith and you’ll see how the two great friends will also leave you to your own devices.
Ironically, democratic Pakistan today is dangerously set to embark on an isolation plan that will be the envy of the nutcases running North Koreas and Myanmars of the world, that is, if Imran Khan’s great vision of making peace with the Taliban is to prevail. Even Hamid Gul sounded cautious and worried on TV the other day after seeing the consensus behind closed doors in Islamabad. That was not what even the hawkish likes of him sought for Pakistan, which is now in Hamid Karzai’s ominous words, a twin sibling to his Afghanistan. President Zardari confirmed the sibling rivalry by decrying the fact on The Washington Post’s Op-Ed the other day by complaining that America gave more money to Kabul than it ever did to Islamabad.
Meanwhile Obama seems to be in no mood to listen, and has repeated the same mantra of ‘do more’ to contain the dirty Haqqanis in Afghanistan. Where in this new emerging order of things does Pakistan fit today, you may well ask? A quick glimpse into our obsessive compulsive streak in matters worldly and other worldly came on Thursday as the Supreme Court announced its judgment on the Karachi killings and the law and order case, which it had taken up in public interest. The learned chief justice started off by saying that Islam takes a very serious view of a killing. Pray, tell, which religion or legal system in the world does not?
Yet, we know it is not the fear of Allah that deters people from killing fellow human beings: Iraq and Afghanistan are shining examples of people killing one another in the name of God. Pakistan does not lag too far behind, where the killing of Shia Hazaras and Ahmadis comes as an article of faith to those with whom the state now wants to make peace.
Can peace ever be built on the debris of justice; with or without God being part of the equation?
The writer is a member of the staff at Dawn Newspaper.
A wonderful and soul searching article on the reality of today's Pakistan.I wish Pakistani people realize this imminent danger of falling in harsh and tyrant danger of Islamic fundamentalism.I wish the Pakistani society as a large should immediately steps up their participation in civil society role to awaken the masses and build a strong and vibrant Pakistan.
It is up to Pakistani policy makers to develop a strategy to bring all the quarters on to a single platform and present a plan of action to combat terrorism.
India Pakistan and Afghanistan need to work together for a future secular dispensation in all three countries separating religion from politics — otherwise there will be no peace and tranquility in that region any time soon. And we all know how tall this order is especially for 'Islamic' Afghanistan and 'Islamic' Pakistan.
Dear Murtaza
Bravo for this courageous article!
Keep showing us the mirror.
One thing is sure that Pakistanis will never accept that ‘special brand’ of Islam directly imported from Saudi Arabia.
I encourage you to keep fighting with your pen.
I fully agree with you, sir.
The only question I would like to ask Mr. Razvi is that, can he, with complete confidence narrate to us a single incident from the history of the past nations and civilizations that flourished without getting into any conflict(s) or chaos? Pain and suffering has always been at the root of nations. Yesterday, it was the West and its European wars. Today, it is Pakistan and the Middle East. To move forward, to realize ones weaknesses, to recognize ones enemies, nay, to even recognize oneself, it's imperative that one must go down first, even to the lowest of the low: in the absence of such an historical example of 'rosy' and 'peaceful' transitions of nations and its people, one must be rational enough to see that Pakistan is not an exception.
It takes lot of courage to write an article like this. Showing the mirror to a deluded nation is no cakewalk.
We as a nation are doing our utmost to fulfill our death wish.
nothings new…chicken has come home to roost
Well said Razvi Sb, This represents the silent majority amongst Pakistanis. I haven't given up on Democracy yet, must use the vote very carefully in next election.
Thank you Murtaza Razvi for making your readers feel so miserable, frustrated, totally disappointed and cry. Truth can be so painful at times.
While I certainly agree with what is written in the article, how about putting forward some solutions?
dear brothers on the blog you must understand, the reason for our current situation and devise solution accordingly. The current situation does not permit us to take chances on new thing. The only hope is in ISLAM. If you can bring it to life you will see success and dignity in this life and if you die while achieving you will soon see success and rewards promises of Allaha. Any other choice or hope is but grt deception. Hopefully in near future we will emerge as a nation representing Islam in its true form. Please STOP blaming others, hopelessness…. nothing can happen to us if we are with Truth.
amazeing article shows some ones got guts in this god forsaken land of pakistan.
Mr. Rizvi, I am thoroughly moved by the act of courage that you and many columnist (bloggers) display in Dawn's editorial pages. But in a country, where most probably believe that Sharia is the magic wand to solve all problems, I am worried about the safety of you, your family, and all other rational people of Pakistan. I am worried about Kmer Rouge like Sharia brigade, allowed as part of the peace (surrender) process, who will go after the soft target of Pakistani intelligentsia. No matter how much you love your country, please consider surviving first for greater goods. It would be very sad to read about death of another courageous man.