Terrorism, Sectarianism and the Military

The recent surge in violence across Pakistan and the regime’s total failure to check widespread bloodletting of innocent citizens should come as no surprise. Because, this is the same old well-rehearsed script of division and destruction first introduced by another khaki-clad hypocrite for perpetuating his despotic rule and since then dutifully followed (and imposed) by all of his successors.

Not only that, to our utmost misfortune, the key to much-cherished “unity of command” happens to lie in religious polarization, political fragmentation and social chaos, thus rendering such tragedies just regrettable but unavoidable minor collateral damage, to use military jargon. Perhaps, a price worth paying for the sake of the supremacy of the uniform, according to those who matter.

Furthermore, it is idiotic to expect respect for the law from ordinary mortals when the Messiahs are at the helm only due to their firepower. When rulers - regardless of their robes and pretext - can molest the constitution with impunity, anarchy is an inevitable end result. In reality, the mere existence of the current set-up transmits menacing signals that bullet prevails over ballot, power runs from the barrel of the gun, pragmatism supersedes uprightness, and might is right.

Second, terrorists would definitely have a field day, when security agencies are full-time busy manipulating civilians for their vested, myopic interests rather than handling security related tasks. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that if the entire top brass is more concerned with its own power and perks, prefers extra-constitutional activities like micro-managing of the referendums, elections, and cobbling together like-minded (read compliant) political alliances, to their stipulated duties, law and order is bound to suffer -- badly.

In the same manner, one can convincingly claim that the recurring events like soldiers scaling walls of the Prime Minister House, tanks rolling down the Constitutional Avenue in Islamabad, the democratically elected head of the governments (their countless shortcomings, notwithstanding) being humiliated by narcissistic generals, a bunch of petty sentries holding the Chief Justice of Pakistan hostage on his refusal to swear allegiance to the coup makers, neither breed law-abiding citizens nor nurture civilized values.

Likewise, when the reluctant saviours are utilizing intelligence outfits solely to distort the political process in “larger national interests”, in most flagrant manners, then it is absurd to blame ubiquitous “foreign hand” and external factors for failures of our own making. And, for the discussion’s sake, if there is indeed a god damned foreign hand, then who the hell is responsible for defusing it? Hopefully not Zardari and Abba Jee.

Quite simple, since military officials, who ought to be completely apolitical, have nothing else to do but to pressurize one politician, coerce the other and reward the third for fulfilling the personal plans of their bosses, and filling their coffers, citizens will obviously be on the mercy of unscrupulous marauders. When top generals are obsessed with their own nefarious games, where the entire intelligence apparatus is meant to advance the agenda of an individual (or a group of individuals), far away from their designated sphere of responsibilities, who will track the anti-state elements?

It is reprehensible, to say the least, while babbling about progressive Islam, Musharraf finds nothing wrong in pandering to Maulana Azim Tariq, the chief of a dreaded sectarian organisation with scores of homicides on his conscience (if he has any). Faisal Saleh Hayat and Aftab Sherpao as senior ministers, Chaudaries of Gujrat main civilian wheeler-dealer of the country, Ishrat Ibad governor Sind, all under vigilant control of serving and retired generals – it couldn’t become better. Junta’s patriotism and priorities are self-explanatory.

The GHQ should be better aware of the fact that to dupe the masses is not possible anymore. The extremely detrimental implications of stratocracy are getting palpably evident to all and sundry by each passing day. Be sure, it is unambiguously clear to the “silent majority” that the law enforcement organisations, instead of snapping terrorists, intercepting real culprits, are preoccupied with bribing, beguiling politicians, with state resources. My tiny brain is totally incapable to decipher the intricate riddle that what bloody purpose these batteries of generals serve anyway other than devouring this poor nation?

In short, a tragic irony is that our military strategists are exceptionally adept in devising methods to ensure full attendance of government servants at nasty jamborees, inventing lousy excuses for their indispensability, but embarrassingly inept for the assignments they are primarily paid for. No one can match the zeal of our self-styled leaders and so-called “guardians of the nation” to spearhead harassment of the press but to guard the motherland is evidently beyond their competence. Shame, shame.

Therefore, very relevant questions would be: Have not decades of stratagems left our armed forces incapable of anything but deceit and deception? Are they still proficient enough of probing security risks, analysing diverse scenarios and consequently thwarting external and internal challenges to our homeland? Can their military expertise be relied upon? To be straightforward, historical record of our military on the battlefield is hardly consoling.

One can actually aver, insecurity in the country is directly proportional to the fixation of the ruling party -- irrespective of its colour/attire -- to perpetuate its own rule. The total absence of democratic channels to influence the state of affairs and incapacity of judicial venues (either due to that obnoxious doctrine of necessity or spinelessness of our judges) to impart justice is one of the major causes of lawlessness in Pakistan. Having relegated superior judiciary to orderlies of the generals, it would be naïve to hope for any improvement.

What we desperately need is an institutional order where every organ of the state in general, law enforcement agencies and the armed forces in particular, should only be executing what they are supposed to, than creating favourable conditions for the incumbent office holders to linger on. Without cultivating a culture, where the law of the land is equally applicable to every citizen sans any discrimination, there are slim chances for any sustainable improvement.

Bruised Al-Qaeda determined to avenge, a wide range of disoriented Jihadi groups – mostly tools of the Pak Army for its domestic as well as cross-border objectives -- pursuing their hard-to-define goals and the Kashmir conflict are at the most contributing factors, the fundamental and overlapping cause of mayhem in Pakistan is still the hegemonic and intervening military.

Assurance: While extending my sincere most condolences and heartfelt sympathies for the grieved families of Quetta, I would also like to solemnly assure our Hazara brethren that the overwhelming majority of fellow Pakistanis stands by them at this testing time, shares their huge sorrow and unconditionally condemns all such acts of barbarism. Those responsible for killings innocent civilians are savage murderers, vicious traders of death who are not only gross affront to Islam (in case they claim to be Muslims) but also a blot on the face of humanity.