DESCRIPTION of Pakistan as ‘the most dangerous country in the world,’ instant confirmation of the label in the suicide attack on Asfandyar Wali Khan, a British Ambassador’s apprehension that current US-NATO policy in Afghanistan could fail and the Karzai regime collapse, a US General’s warning ‘there is a threat to Pakistan’s very existence,’ and premonitions of the
West’s disengagement from our region are grave signals that call for reappraisal of the deteriorating environment for success of Pakistan’s current policy. Pakistan has to devise a more self-reliant strategy to cope with the serious threat of Taliban militancy because expectations of increased foreign assistance for our deteriorating economy seem unreal at a time when the world is afflicted with an unprecedented fiscal crisis. Need is obvious at this time of peril for clarity of thought in identification of the enemy, focusing greater effort on isolation and liquidation of militants, convincing the world of our earnestness and husbanding our resources with austerity and efficiency.
It would be illogical and dangerous to shut our eyes to the glaring ground realities and naïve to divert attention from the enemy within and alienate friends and sympathizers by casting aspersions on their sincerity and commitment. Senator Joseph Biden joined his Republican opponent in the debate between Vice Presidential candidates on October 3 to dub Pakistan as the most dangerous country because of insecurity of its nuclear assets. Logically, he also suggested actions to help Pakistan cope with the dire danger. “We should help Pakistan ,’ he said, to establish a stable government, support democracy, improves governance and build schools. He is the author of the propose bill for increase of economic assistance to Pakistan to $15 billion in the next ten years.
Similarly the statement of General David Petraeus, Chief of US central command, should be read in context. No doubt he used blunt soldierly language in saying ‘there is a threat to Pakistan ’s very existence’ but his purpose was not to demoralize the people of Pakistan , intensify prevalent insecurity or intimidate our government. On the contrary he assumes the threat posed by armed extremists can be countered and to that end he has underlined the necessity of Pakistan ’s ‘sustained commitment to deal with the militants.’ A sensible response to the warning should be based on clear recognition of the nature of the threat, identify the enemy who poses it and then proceed to devise and implement an effective strategy to liquidate the enemy.
Enemy is within
Fortunately there is increasing clarity in public mind about the identity of the enemy. Pakistanis at home and abroad are now awake to the realities. Attacks on our armed forces and security and administrative personnel, suicide bombings, arson of schools and destruction of the economic infrastructure of our poor country have triggered a storm of outrage against the perpetrators who abuse the name of Islam and blatantly claim ‘credit’ for the mayhem. Citizens in more seriously affected areas are now joining hands to fight and expel the enemy. Support for Army operations against militants has surged. Pakistani community organizations in the UK have sent a public message of solidarity to brothers and sisters in Pakistan who have suffered as a result of acts of terrorism.
Leaders of the post-election government have publicly proclaimed that war against terrorism is our war, not only that of the United States or the West. It is clear Taliban militant are engaged in hostilities against our state. They have no respect for the constitution, aim to overthrow the government and supplant its legal and administrative institutions with a reactionary and retrograde dictatorship. Although provided with lethal arms by foreign opponents of peace and progress, they are fortunately too small a minority to pose an existential threat to our state. Still there can be no doubt of the serious peril their violence and terrorism poses to the aspirations of our nation to develop a progressive, modern and democratic Islamic state as envisioned by the founding fathers of Pakistan.
A realistic strategy to counter and liquidate the threat to Pakistan requires first mobilization of the nation itself. All efforts should be made to expose the enemy, counter its propaganda and prevent it from misleading and recruiting impressionable youth to perpetrate suicide bombings. Other Muslim states have adopted strategies to reform education in religious and sectarian institutions and to prevent indoctrination that is inconsistent with the tolerant spirit of Islam. Their experience should be considered for emulation. In a democratic state every community has a right to establish facilities for specializations in religious studies but the state has a responsibility to ensure broad school education so as to enable children to think rationally and develop tolerance and respect for the rights of others. In contrast narrow and distorted interpretations inculcate religious and sectarian bigotry and discrimination.
By generating an environment of insecurity the enemy’s purpose is to isolate Pakistan internationally and push us back to the dark age of wars of religion. They target foreign visitors and project personnel to prevent economic development. Surely the interests of our state require prevention of a campaign of hostility and denunciation against friendly countries. Our effort especially at this time of peril should instead focus on courting sympathy, support and assistance of other nations of the world. The United States, Britain, China, Saudi Arabia and other countries have provided vital cooperation and economic and assistance. Clearly relations with these countries should be further strengthened. Loss of their support would cripple our capacity to ensure security.
Aid may decline
The possibility can no longer be ignored that aid to Pakistan might decline. Protracted wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and their enormous costs in blood and treasure have sapped domestic support for the war on terror launched by President George Bush after 9/11. Ominous indications are writ large in the unprecedented fiscal crisis, forty percent fall in stock markets and rising unemployment that the United States is suffering from what Harvard Professor Paul Kennedy called ‘imperial overstretch’ meaning over-extension of military and economic resources which, his analysis of Ming, Mughal, Ottoman and other empires showed, has historically led to decline of Great Powers.
The possibility can no longer be dismissed that the Pakistani nation might have to shoulder greater burden in order to rescue our state from militants who aim to impose an obscurantist interpretation of Islam and medieval system of government on us. To ward off that danger we have to recognize the perils and radically improve performance. A former British ambassador to Afghanistan has expressed pessimism about the West averting defeat in Afghanistan because ‘the current situation is bad, the security situation is getting worse, so is corruption and government has lost all trust.’ Only actions will save us from a similar fate.
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