Kargil and the Myth of Losing the Media War

The following is a lone voice, from `dawn`, providing an alternate explanation to losing the media war. There are times when truth matters. This also provides some food for thought, similarity of kargil and taliban, and casts doubts on the pakistani concern for the torure and killing of poor kashmiris by the 700,000 indian occupation forces.

Once again we stand dangerously poised on the verge of international isolation, this time with regard to our role in the civil war in a neighbouring Afghanistan. For our support to a group whom the international community increasingly perceives as barbaric, intolerant and primitive, bent upon imposing its mediaeval version of Islam on ethnically and racially as diverse a society as Afghanistan. To make matters worse for us, as far as our international image goes, these elements are the products of our own madressas or deeni schools. As conceded by our foreign minister, they cross over from our territory to that of a neighbouring country where they fight with the most sophisticated weapons including aircraft and tanks, while we continue to assert that we have no control over them nor are we involved in this fighting.

If the Kargil episode should teach us anything, it is not to underestimate the importance of international opinion and not to stretch credibility to such patently absurd limits. The world did not believe us when we claimed that the Mujahideen suddenly materialized on the Kargil heights and later, on descending from there, have disappeared into thin air. The world is not going to accept our claim that hordes of heavily armed Taliban supporters somehow manage to cross our borders without our knowledge or control.

We can surely be asked to explain how a warring faction of a land-locked country, where every imported item, from a tube of toothpaste to a truck or a grinder, must of necessity pass through Pakistan, get their arms and ammunition? Will we be allowed to simply shrug off our responsibility to control the movement of people across our borders, particularly in a situation fraught with such serious consequences? After all, isn`t this seemingly helpless state machinery - the same one which keeps a tab on every citizen leaving its ports by means of the notorious exit control list?

The truth of the matter is that with our thoughtless support and backing of the Taliban we are adding fuel to an already smouldering fire that threatens to consume us in more ways than one. With continuing attempts by Indians and their supporters on Capitol Hill to paint Pakistan as a primitive, rogue state, which exploits Islamic radicalism for narrow or expedient purposes, will, if anything, gain substance?

Every single pro-BJP website repeats the same argument over and ond over again.....``Look at how muslim countries treat their minorities; what do the Indian miorities have to complain``. The intolerant followers of BJP, which is most of the Indians at present, accept this dumb argument whole heartedly as is evidenced from postings on this website.

I accept that Indian constitution is superior to the Pakistani constitution, but BJP lovers have no right to claim credit for it; you can`t trash Ambedkar and praise your ``legal framework`` in the same breath.

And given that BJP is in power and the Indian mainstream is a bigoted and intolerant lot, you can praise your constitution, frame it, love it, kiss it whatever, doesn`t make an iota of a difference in the lives of suffering Indian minorities.

The district magistrate of Faizabad/Ayodhya, a fine upholder of the fine Indian constitution, did nothing while Babri Masjid was being torn down, was awarded a BJP ticket after resigning his job, and was the MLA from this God forsaken contituency.

I hope the educated Indians realize that BJP will bring to India what Nazis brought to Germany. And your constitution will not save you I think.

Ali

studebaker,

In no way i was trying to compare india with pakistan. I was only trying to point out that pakistan hasnt got a legal framework to integrate kashmere. It is an islamic country, minorities and women have no legal protection, I repeat legal, and cited the case of eighth amendment and hounour killing, again not the killing itself, but the refusal of the ruling `moderate` party of pakistan to condemn it. Pakistani version of solving kashmere is the annexation of killing and the killing of the other minorities in kashmere, a repeat of 1947, which created the islamic republic and the anhilation of the minorites, less than ,5% of them today is the proof of this policy.

It is probably time for the educated pakistanis to realise, what the kashmere solution entails, and what future holds for the minorities of pakistan.

reply to ali1.

I have been reading the articles and the replies on chowk for a long time. But i never thought of giving a reply. Now i

have decided to give one reply.

First of all let me make it clear Pakistanis that u donot have any moral ground to talk about safety of minorities in India. You look at your own backyard u will find christians, shias, ahmedis being killed at places of worship and everywhere. In India no shia or sunni muslim ever died in a mosque. In a multi ethnic society it is the responsibility of all the communities live in peace. ``Taaliya ek haath se bajatha nahin``.

Ali1 said that India is a intolerant society.You cannot give two incidents like Graham staines murder and babri mosque and generalize india as intolerant country. If India is a intolerant country India must be having 99% hindus and 1% minorities like pakistan. BJP lost elections after babri mosque destruction. The reason for people choosing BJP is that they donot have any other strong party at the center. People are tired of Congress and its corruption. You think only hindu parties are communal. There are dozen or so muslim communal parties which the congress and the left parties always supported. Left and congress supported minority communalism driving the majority to BJP etc. All the minority communal parties were there even before the birth of BJP. Even Muslim League is there(called IUML) which was instrumental in deviding India.You think all the time minorities at the receiving end its not exactly true it is both the majority and minoirty

who suffered becoz of communalism.Forgot about bombay blasts which killed 400 innocent lives, Coimbatore blasts which killed 60 lives.Both were perpetrated by muslims.

In ali1s reply it was generalised that India is a intolerant country becoz its a hindu country.Ok lets take Islamic tolerant countries.

1.Indonesia, for every problem christains were killed there daily basis.

2. Pakistan u know better than me.

3. Afghaninstan i think even in this cae u know better than me.Pakistan is the one of the two countries which recognised the taliban.

4. Iran, what about bahais, jews , sunnis and christians.

4. Saudi, what about shias and it doesn`t even allow any one else to build their temples or churches.

If u want i can give some more country names .

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Re Amit #42

I agree with your point of view. Serious efforts

to resolve the situation in Kashmir will necessaily include a decision on the part of India, Pakistan and Kashmir that there should be

a cease-fire followed by delimilitarisation. In the beginning, all Mujahideen activity should cease simultaneously with the withdrawal of Indian trops from population centers. Of course the Pundits should return. It is their inalienable right under the Universal Declaration of H. R..

Later India and Pak can position their troops in

non-offensive positions at the LOC. Both India and Pakistan should remove bans on discourses demanding secession and independence from India and Pakistan. Pakistan should also signal its sincerety for implementing U.N. resolutions on Kashmir by returning the Northern Areas to Kashmir, and affirming its position to withdraw from Azad Kashmir so that a free and fair plebiscite cold be held in Kashmir as a whole. If India and Pakistan can achieve progress in this direction, they will have ceased to be enemies, and India will not have to feel insecure about the

political orientation of Pakistan and Kashmir towards it. But given, the existing configuration of political power in both India and Pakistan, I

am pessimistic baout the possibility of improvenments.

In response to Studebaker (Reply # 55):

Dear Studebaker: I agree with you. The fallacy of composition needs to be avoided/rejected at all costs. However, misunderstandings tend to get reproduced unless we make serious and untiring efforts to bridge the existing gulfs of misunderstanding.

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

Re: Jamaat vs. BJP

And I am amused to see our ``progressive`` & ``enlightened`` hindu friends defending the BJP.

Granted that Vajpayee is not afflicted with oral diahorrea as are some other Sangh Pariwar leaders like Khushubhai Thakre and Bal Thackray. But his reaction to the burning death of the christian missionary and his sons was stunning to say the least. ``Let us have a national debate on conversions`` , pleaded your pardhan mantri.

Excuse me sir!! A christian missionary devoted to helping lepers was burnt alive along with his 2 kids and you want a debate on conversions!! What has the prime minister of a secular democracy got to do with the religion of its citizens?? And this crime was reportedly committed by a frenzied mob egged on by a known Bajrang Dal activist.

Ah....talking of frenzied mobs (they recently burnt a muslim boy to death in Gujarat); the frenzied mob is none other than Raju pan wala and Dilip dhabay wala, everyday people, your next door neighbors, ready to burn you, to avenge the barbaric acts of Babar, Akbar and co, or if you are a christian missionary, for your efforts to convert ``Prasad the un-touchable`` to ``John Raabert Alexander``.

Accept it Jay, Indian mainstream is bigoted and intolerant and their voting for BJP is a proof of that.

And don`t try to hide that by comparing the Indian constitutional framework (which is much superior) with the Pakistani constitutional framwork. Indian constitution was written and approved at another time by another set of people. Lets talk about today; forget Khushubhai Thakre, even Arun Shourie the slick willie of the Pariwar thinks that Ambedkar is highly over-rated as an intellectual and his ideas have brought more harm than good. So if you are a BJP fan, please don`t take credit for the Indian constitution!!

Ali

In response to Jay (Reply # 56):

I sent a letter to Jang for publication in the News in response to Barrister Baacha`s response. It seems that the editor has chosen not to publish the same. However, in the Viewers Forum there is a posting which is not mine. The author`s name is ``Bilal Ahmed`` not ``Bilal Ahmad``.

This note is just to clarify my position.

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

You have painted it in very true colours. The only point that I tend to disagree is when you say that democracy has returned. Do you believe, even after giving the true picture? It is not being unPakistani. But being a true Pakistani. One should not pay any heed to these SELF PROCLAIMED/IMPOSED LICENCE VENDORS.

To my mind criticism can never be un-constructive. You point at things, which are wrong and ought to be corrected! tariqlodi

I am amused by the comparison of BJP and Jamaet.

They say that Jamaet has no elected representatives, fine, they are an extremist party, fine. You should realise that it is the ruling moderates which refused to criticise the honour killing, they only passed the eighth amendment. If these are moderate actions, one can well imagine the extremist actions.

Compare this to the response of BJP prime minister to the killing of chrisian missionaries, look at the legal system created in India and compare it with the eighth amenment.

Now to my good friend Bilal, please do reproduce here your post in the Jung news papers, `readers opinion`` column.

I liked your opening sentence.

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In response to Studebaker (reply # 53):

Dear Studebaker: I think, you have missed the point of my posting. Kindly read carefully.

I liked Ali1`s proposal for the sake of knowledge and understanding for our better future, in general, and the future of Pakistan, in particular.

Knowledge is wealth; it is power.

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

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In response to Alii1 (Reply #: 49):

I like Ali1`s proposal. However, we first need separate studies of each party written by their supporters as well as opponents.

A comparison must also focus upon the overall context of each country, paying particular attention to the state, civil society, and economy as well as the supranational context.

-- Bilal Ahmad