Obsession with Borderline Issues

From e.Nation, Sunday Review section

Democracy and diplomacy

Ghulam Asghar Khan

The latest Russo-French move in the UN Security Council for the imposition of sanctions against Pakistan for its alleged support to the Taliban is a very serious issue and indicates an absolute diplomatic failure on the international front. The French support to Russia is not to be brushed aside as France is the most powerful member of the European Union. This sinister move will add to our isolation, which is already telling on us. On the other hand, the Indian Prime Minister, Vajpayee and his foreign minister, Jaswant Singh, are also on the move to isolate Pakistan while our foreign office has been thumping the drum to project its imaginary diplomatic successes. The government emphasis seems not to cultivate the world opinion but to waste all its energies to mislead the nation by creating the euphoria of diplomatic conquests one after the other which is a facade.

Looking back in our history, over half a century was spent in pursuing one goal, the implementation of the UN resolution of 1948 on Kashmir. Our Kashmir policy determined our relationships in the international community and gradually we lost ground because we allowed the rulers and the masses to be swayed away by aggressive emotionalism rather than reason and logic. Today`s world has shrunk to a global village and diplomacy has become an art to establish inter-state relations on the basis of equality keeping in view the national interest.

National interests are best served by a policy of friendship and not by confrontation and an aggressive stance on the diplomatic front. The concept of eternal friendships does not exist in the books of diplomacy because all the national policies are framed keeping in view the national interest. The diplomatic concept of friendships and enmities keeps on changing with the changing interests of the nations. In the present world scenario, today`s friends can be tomorrow`s enemies and vice versa.

Pakistan, since its independence could not play a vital role in the field of international relations and diplomacy and suffered because most of the rulers, whether politicians or generals were hard liners and marched on a collision course, especially with India over the Kashmir issue. In fact, since 1948, this issue was exploited by the rulers to prolong their hold on power while no efforts were made at the diplomatic level to solve it. This perhaps, has been the main reason that Pakistan has not been able to rise to its full potential in any field. It is an established fact that foreign policy is built on logic and not on emotions, and is not based on expediency. It is framed keeping in view the wider national interests and long term benefits to the state, but to successfully achieve these ends, the methodology differs at different times. In our wisdom, we perhaps failed to realize that world diplomacy was a game of chess and every country that plays watches its national interests and every move is made to achieve that goal. The winner is the country that keeps its cool.

To Sameer :

after reading your article I became more busy with my work than ever because I understood that I am called a professional and so I should be. However, now as this article is going to be moved out of the front page I thought I should post my thoughts for everyone to read my reaction.

quoting you ``The pre-occupation with insignificant extremes in the name of religion is misplaced, misguided and retrogressive.``

you made an excellent point. It seems that religious fundamentalism and blame game are some of the things that our south asians are occupied with these days. Where as, these self proclaimed patriots are missing the most OBVIOUS issues. As you said

``500 million South Asians live in absolute poverty, 230 million South Asians lack protection from disease, 620 million have no access to safe drinking water, 800 million lack decent sanitation, 50% of the world`s illiterates is in South Asia and 90% of the world`s blind are in South Asia.``

such glaring-in-the-eye and slap-on-the-face issues are conviniently ignored by these so called patriots in order to pursue some BS religious agendas.

south asians really need some shock treatment to make them aware of their immediate responsibilities. They need understand that living in poverty is the most demeaning thing to NATIONAL HONOUR. Clearly we need and deserve better than this. A war should be waged on poverty, illiteracy and other satan incarnations. Pursuing some BS religious agenda ain`t gonna fetch any bread ( which we need the most ).

rajanjua # 509: I am sure Muslim scolars will have some other interpretation of aal-e-Ibrahim that excludes modern day Jews. According to Muslim belief, modern Jews are not following the true message of Moses which is supposed to be same as Islam, although I doubt if Ka`aba or ``hajr-e-aswad was ever important to Jews. Otherwise there much be some mention of that somewhere in Jewish literature.

One very knowledgeable individual about Islam once told me that actually Judaism and Islam are much closer religions (kosher, one God etc), it is the politics (Israel) that has created hatred. He gave me several examples of practices. Anyway, when I inquired if Sufism and Sikhism have great commonalities but it is/ was the politics that led to bloodbath and hatred during partition. Immediately he started mentioning the differences between the two. The guy was speechless when I pointed at selectivity and subjectivity in his arguement, similarities in one comparison and differences in the other. I do not understand why we have such a low regard for anything created in our backyard and appreciation for everything created overthere.

On a lighter note, the concept of aal-e-Ibrahim does help in dating Jewish girls. Few years ago, I used it successfully with a Jewish girl. Similarly, aal-e-Muhammad is also very helpful with shia girls. Both terms help in bowing your head to their noble lineages.

Muslaman da ka`m hey sachhe dil naal koshish karna, baqi Allah di marzi!

krashid #513

``Friend #501

May be you are still too soft on Muslims and Kashmiris. That is why their attitude is so bad.

Why don`t you bomb them once and for all to teach them the correct behaviour.``

I have another solution, they should all be exported to USofA or to Arabia. They are not this sensitive (and are not allowed to be) about Time magazine in those places.

http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/apr2001-weekly/nos-22-04-2001/dia.htm#1

Setting an even bloodier agenda

Arif Jamal feels the mood at the Lashkar-e-Taiba ijtima in Muridke, and sees a further hardening of position

The Lashkar-e-Taiba rarely plays bluff. It somehow manages to do what it promises. That is one of the secrets of its success. In 1999, it promised to take the guerrilla war inside India from the Occupied Kashmir if the Indians did not grant Kashmiris the freedom. It carried out a high-profile guerrilla attack on a military camp of the Indian army inside the Red Fort in Delhi in December 2000. Its guerrillas then managed to escape from the Red Fort with ease. The embarrassed and angered Indian security agencies have not been able to track them down.

The Lashkar has once again announced its idol-bashing agenda, which it intends to carry out inside India. It is hardening its position more and more with the passage of time.

Speaker after speaker at its three-day annual convention at Muridke from April 13 to April 15 pledged to revive the history of demolishing idols in India. They promised hoisting the flag of Islam on Hindu temples following the example of Mehmood Ghaznvi who, according to them, repeatedly attacked India in order to demolish a legendary temple at the Somnath. At the same time, they pledged to continue suicide attacks in the Occupied Kashmir.

The annual convention set the agenda for jehad in the Occupied Kashmir during the coming summer which, the speakers vowed, would be bloodier than the past because more jehad operations will be carried out deep inside India now than what was being done previously.

The fedayee (suicidal) attacks by Lashkar-e-Taiba mujahideen -- which started after then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a pull-out from the heights of Kargil in the Indian occupied territory in July 1999 -- have been a great success. The popularity of fedayee operations has made Lashkar-e-Taiba to continue them even at the cost of losing its highly trained cadre.

According to Maulana Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the Lashkar`s Supreme Commander, 95 fedayeen killed 891 Indian soldiers during these operations in 2000. Fedayeen, too, lost 24 of their men, he said. During the current year, 54 fedayeen have killed 262 Indian soldiers while they lost only 13 of them, he added. The Lashkar claims killing 14,369 Indian soldiers in last 11 years. It also lost 1,100 of its mujahideen, during these operations.

The Lashkar faced the biggest challenge of its life when one and a half year ago came into being another jehadi organisation, led by Maulana Masood Azhar who was released from an Indian jail in return for a hijacked plane during December 1999. Most mujahideen believed that the new organisation, Jaish-e-Muhammad (the Army of Muhammad), had been set up to cut the Lashkar to size. Despite having all the resources at its disposal, Jaish-e-Mohammad, however, failed to deliver and dislodge the Lashkar from its position of being at the forefront of jehad in the Occupied Kashmir. Here too the fedayee attacks have played an important role in keep the Lashkar ahead of other organisations. And considering the frequency and success of these attacks, there is no possibility of any other organisation replacing it or even catching it up in near future.

It is also for the first time that the leaders of the Lashkar-e-Taiba have publicly taken a hard line against missionary schools in Pakistan. Lashkar`s Amir Hafiz Saeed strongly urged the participants of the annual convention to start the process of Islamisation from their families by throwing out the sources of the Western culture like television sets. He also urged them not to send their children to missionary schools and discourage the use of neckties. He told the participants to highlight the distortions missionary schools create in the society. All the problems we face today are created by these schools, Saeed said, equating these institutions with slaughterhouses where the future of the Muslim youth is being sacrificed.

The Lashkar faced another challenge when the Great Britain designated it as a terrorist organisation and banned its operations on the British territory. Its current hard line against missionary schools seems to be the result of this British policy. It is likely to further harden its position if the United States also designated it as a terrorist organisation when Washington issues its annual report on international terrorism in May.

This also prompted the Supreme Commander to accuse the West, particularly the United States, Israel and France, of helping the Indian forces against the mujahideen.

The conditions in which the Lashkar-e-Taiba is waging jihad in the Occupied Kashmir, meanwhile, are becoming increasingly difficult. Under the Western pressure, the Pakistani government has curbed some of its activities by advising it to adopt a low profile. The government has also stopped the Lashkar from holding its annual convention in the first week of last November making 2000 the only year when it could not hold its convention on the dates announced earlier, a custom in vogue since it was founded over a decade ago. The Lashkar had to compromise and announce to hold the delayed convention in April 2001 in Muzaffarabad, theoretically outside Pakistan. However, at the eleventh hour it was allowed to hold the convention in Muridke.

It is for the first time in last 11 years that the Lashkar did not publicise the holding of the convention. Instead of calling it an annual convention, it is dubbed as a training session for cadres. In the past the convention used to be an occasion when the Lashkar would take its message to every neighborhood with the help of graffiti, banners, handbills, and the word of mouth. It is also for the first time that it did not invite non-members to attend the convention although a large number of people did come on their own.

The convention saw an extremely tightened security in and around its venue. The local administration had to seal the town of Muridke for three consecutive days for all practical purposes. All the shops were and bazaars were also forced to shut down. The vehicles from the outside were not allowed to enter the town. There was an undeclared curfew.

But all the police pickets and frequenting patrolling by the security personnel could not stop a minor explosion from taking place just two kilometers away from the venue of the convention.

The Lashkar leadership was very critical of the security measures. But the local administration justified these extreme measures on the basis of the fact that bomb explosions have been taken place on the occasions of the Lashkar`s annual conventions for the last three years.

Another feature of the convention was the younger look of its participants than that in the past. With over 200,000 hardcore cadres, the Lashkar has emerged as the biggest jehadi organisation which has found a new source of devoted cadres in the Ad-Dawah schools. The change of look owes to the participation of young boys from these schools number of which has increased to 127 in last three years.

The Lashkar also operates six private military training camps in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir where several thousands cadres are given both the military and religious education. And religious indoctrination for the cadres is as important as the military training is. More stress on religious indoctrination is placed in the beginning of the training programmes. The idea behind this exercise being that a better Muslim would make a better mujahid.

With more than 2,200 unit offices across the country and over two dozen launching camps along the line of control, the Lashkar boasts of of the biggest jehadi network in Pakistan.

The followers of the Lashkar-i-Taiba come from all walks of life from the defense and nuclear establishment to the industrial labour. However, the graph of its popularity among the lower classes is much higher than in the middle and upper classes. With the growing number of Ad-Dawah schools, it is succeeding in making inroads into the middle class as well. It is not targeting only the youth and is giving equal importance to converting women into its supporters, without which, it says, it cannot realise the dream of establishing the kind of society it wants to create in Pakistan and elsewhere. It has become a reality in the modern day Pakistan that cannot be wished away.

Sameer JB and TAhmed.

I will put my 0 cent worth to the discussion.

Why is there talk of check and balance only at local level when they will have basically no power. They will be given money like Oont Ke Mun Mein Zeera and to play with it. And be happy.

While the real people at top will continue to deal the dealings. Like the power of NAB is an invitation to rampant corruption (and God knows how much is in process already). Unethical absolute power of Army is leading to almost daily arrest of fake majors and fake army personnel. Who knows and for how long will this absolute power be pious is a matter to be seen. But as a scientific person with much belief in human corruption, I would say that it is either a mirage or at most limited to Musharraf and few of his colleagues.

Local level power is good only in the context of a Provincial and National Power as it will be an effective check on political parties to take care of the problems of people at the local level. And be ready to suffer the wrath of people when they desire to go out of hand. Without a National or Provincial party, these local bodies will be like isolated islands who will be manipulated to elect real looters of nation who have been ruling all along (except that their power was curtailed by Z.A. Bhutto for a brief period).

So although I am in favor of local bodies election, which should preferably be held on the basis of political parties. But, this should in no way direct one`s attention away from Provincial and National political process.

Instead of creating correct people for the corrupt institutions, which leads to more corruption with time as is evidenced all along the history of Pakistan. Why not try to create correct institutions which should reflect the will of people.

IAS #500

The basic flaw of your logic is you are trying to create India out of a multi linguistic, multi culture and multi religious region.

And as long as this artificial entity of phoenix will be imposed on people, they will continue to resist to keep their real identities.

Your logic at most is old wine in new bottle.

Eliminate India. Look at the people and their problems. All the problems which India faces will be eliminated.

Friend #501

May be you are still too soft on Muslims and Kashmiris. That is why their attitude is so bad.

Why don`t you bomb them once and for all to teach them the correct behaviour.

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Tahmed321 #508

``If by civilian administration you mean the district management down to local patwaris...``

That statement caught my attention. As you probably know, the institution of the patwari was first created by the Mughals (Akbar the Great, I think) to improve the system of land revenue collection. The British adopted it, and so did India and Pakistan. The Patwari is the revenue agent at the village/tehsil level in India and Pakistan. This person has enormous power since he/she records all land-related transacations, and can with a single stroke of a pen cause enormous hardship to farmers/land owners. (e.g. make deeds illegible, transfer land illegaly, lose/misplace deeds, etc.). The lack of transparency in his operations has been a source of much corruption in India (and possibly Pakistan, as well). In India, to lend some transparency into the Patwari`s workings, moves are afoot to convert all land records to a computerized form, and post them on the web so that the stranglehold of the Patwari can be broken. Many states are experimenting with this. Eventually, it is hoped, that farmers need only go to a local internet kiosk and check their land records (or have someone they trust do so) instead of begging the Patwari to do so for a fee.

Tahmed321: All the things I mentioned in my last post were to build an image of present set-up in the light of their flip-flopping and track record. Considering different indicators provide a window to gaze into things to come. Future of Devolution plan is one such area. They never were and still not interested in controlling every small power base at district level. Their interest is controlling the national agenda that includes foreign policy, defense and revenues. For example if they want to have the current level of bilateral relations with India, nothing like Lahore initiative will be possible with a weakened central government. In principle, I agree with the need of devolution and empowerment at grass-root level. At the same time I have no illusion about who will come out to rule the district level administrations in most districts. In Rawalpindi, it will be Sh. Rashid group, in Islamabad, whoever is backed by pir of Golrha Sharif, in Gujrat, Chaudhries and in Karachi, MQM. Am I wrong? If not, then how these people will turn as ideal public servants? They had many chances to do it in the past. If they disqualify all of them (they will not do it to King`s party members), the sons, brothers and nephews of these people will win. That is why, I support more democracy, more frequent elections, more competition until a buildup of significant number of apt leaders to win. If Imran Khan is good, he has more chances of winning in one of 5 elections in the next ten years than just one or two. Working to improve the system is better than truncating it. In an ideal situation, corruption and feudalism are unacceptable but what to do until a utopian situation arises. One way to accelerate it is to make corruption and feudalism less harmful by incentives to crrupts to put their loot within the country, invest it, create jobs and lawful protection against uncertainty every two years. This is exactly what US did with robber barons, Korea did with chaebols and perhaps many other examples. If we can not remove cancer, until a cure is at hand, make it less painful to bear.

I bet much despised mullahism will die within 10 years if there are 5 open and fair election during this period. Let all peole to participate fairly even those who consider the amalgamation of religion, politics and governance, a lose-lose situation. If they can convince enough people to win, let them win and if they win majority, let them have the government. If public do not like them, people against obsession with borderline issue will become marginal or disappear. They should have same rights to be heard as any other political group. Let the natural political evolution sort it out in a free, fair and open atmosphere.

By the way, can you tell me why Musharraf wants to remain president even if there are election before October 2002. Why not the assemblies decide as per constitution.

Sameer #504 ``I see the devolution plan as an exercise to decrease the power of any would-be civilian administration of the future.``

If by civilian administration you mean the district management down to local patwaris, then I think you will agree that there is definite room for improvement. A decrease in their power is not a bad thing as long as the corresponding increase in power goes to the average citizen as exercised through the rule of law, and not to the local landlords and other heavies. (I dont think at the local level the military could ever maintain a grip on power as you seem to think, incidentally.) Therein lies the challenge, and I think the challenge is best answered by focussing on improving the systems for checks and balances and for control and oversight at the local level. If you have further thoughts or alternatives, I would appreciate your describing them.

Above the local level, I think we need to get rid of the layers of government (divisional - as is now being done, and provincial) since I dont think they do any good and are basically parasitic in nature (they contribute nothing, eat up a lot in in terms of resources and in terms of raising the level of unnecessary divisions in Pakistani politics).

At the national level, the military appears to be trying to gain some institutionalized say. Given the poor quality of politicians we have had to date, I think this may well be the lesser of two evils. But I am not sure, and anyway there is not much we can do as individuals at that level anyway. (We can contribute to building up local institutions, though, and I think all Pakistanis who have the good fortune to be able to do so should pitch in).

``Is performance of Dr. Ishrat Hussain better than Dr. Yakoob? Is Abdul Sattar better than Sartaj Aziz? How good is the performance of Interior Minister, Moeen Uddin Haider comparing the law and order situation? What is the exchange rate of rupee? What is the growth rate of the economy. ``

I am not sure of the point you are making here. It seems like you are comparing the performance of the military government in economic matters relative to the previous governments. I basically agree that the in internal matters the military should stick to issues of law and order, and hopefully that is how the generals see it as well.

``Sir, everybody overthere at the top is to milk the system to their best advantage. Some make commissioins, some getting loans and then defaulting intentionally and some keep accumulating plots, as if their previous holdings are not sufficient to have an affluent retirement life? The difference is that one gets the plots by lawful means and grabs power by unlawful overthrow, the other makes money by unlawful means and grabs power by lawful elections. The urgency of providing apt leadership is lost somewhere in this maze.``

While Pakistan has been raped by thugs in shalwar kamiz as well as thugs in bemedalled uniforms, I am encouraged by the fact that the top thugs are either declared publicly to be so (e.g. NS, Zardari, the former naval chief) and are either behind bars or struggling to stay away. No one has accused the current government of following their example (although if it stays in power too long that might happen since unaccountable power seems to corrupt).

To summarize: We need to work with what we have, and the current military government has so far done a better job than any other government we have had. Hope is not lost by any means, and it would be irresponsible on part of Pakistanis like you and me (those not worrying about the next meal like 90% of our people) to simply throw up our hands.

re: Sameer

``I have every right to do so since we have been offering ``darud and salam`` to aal-e-Ibrahim many times a day and in real life do not see any superior qualities in them.``

aal-i-Ibrahim also include scores of yahudis. I always found that amusing considering how anti-semetic Pakistanis are :-). Five times a day Muslims all over the world pray to Allah to bless the Jews.

Studebaker,

Okay, now you say that you don`t blame the govt. In your earlier post you were blaming the govt for not providing education for the muslims.

You say you don`t blame anybody. Yet, you blame the society for marginalising the muslims.

I sense hatred for Hinduism in you. You post articles from dalistan.org. Which calls for an Islamic govt to established in India? Do you support such ideas?

So, what do you suggest India do? WHat steps should the Indians take to help the muslims?

Do you hate India? Do you hate India for you think it is doing to the Muslims?

Regarding the burkha and the nuns business. Nobody is forcing the women to become nuns. It is their own volition which makes them cover themselves from head to toe. If muslims women volutarily do that. Then there is NO oppression. But, IF they are shot at, beaten even if they show a glimpse of their body, are ordered to cover themselves from head to toe then it IS DEFINITELY oppression. Please understand the difference. Nobody should force anything on anybody.

SameerJB

In other words there is nothing wrong when you are obssessed with borderline issues whereas it is a sin when someone else is? I undersatnd the tone of contempt in your post and to some extent reason behind it too. But I dont think parentage has any effect on our national outlook whatsoever. Now you are being obssessed with Muslims saying darud to their beloved prophet. Doesn`t it go against the teachings of Secularism that you preach day and night and cant even spell it right? When Muslims say Darud it is out of respect of Prophet and not to some mussali turned Syed. If you bother to look back at one of your other board your skepticism of the number of syeds in the world was reasonably and scietifically answered. My contention is that you should practice first, then preach, and aalso show it by an example. Yet better, be honest and addmit that you wrote this article with the sole pupose of religion bashing in the guise of Mullah bashing.

Urstruly: The article is based on my opinion that happens to be different than yours. I see onsession with borderline issues as counterproductive to the well being of our nation. I also see the obsession with ``noble`` lineage as a myth. Is it wrong to question the credibilty of such claims? I have every right to do so since we have been offering ``darud and salam`` to aal-e-Ibrahim many times a day and in real life do not see any superior qualities in them. Moreover, what is wrong with trying to know the determinable facts? Isn`t this the innate human desire from the begining?