Do We Need to Understand Militants?
By Shayan Khan • Aug 6th, 2009 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look • 2 CommentsIs it time that we go into the context or genealogy of the rise and operation of terrorism in Pakistan and do we need to understand that as is this some sort of religious-political movement which has turned violent and does this movement has any roots in the public or not.
The last question begs us to find an answer, because our future depends upon this question. If the answer is yes, then we are certainly doomed because that means that operation in the NWFP is not going to end any time sooner and it will spread on and on to other areas and the whole country will be affected like it never was. It would be an open and all out war between those believe in this so-called movement and those who are so-called liberal and progressive. If the answer is no, then it’s reassuring but still we know that this movement has turned into a terrorism and we have to eliminate it as soon as possible.
I have every reason to believe that the the answer is No. The terrorism and extremism is not rooted in the ethos of our society. It’s just that some stray, neglected and ignorant bands of thugs and some brainwashed aimless fanatics have found a way to get their pie of power. Due to the apathy of the people and the neglect of the government, we have come to this bloody point. But every thing is not lost and is the time that we resolve to change the face of Pakistan, change our direction and our established modes of thinking and make up for all the damage caused by our neglect and apathy. Terrorists are hell bent on starting from the devastation in our idyll habitus and then advancing to desecrate our cities and towns.
NYT is almost right when it says that a year ago, the Pakistani public was deeply divided over what to do about its spreading insurgency. Some saw the Taliban militants as fellow Muslims and native sons who simply wanted Islamic law, and many opposed direct military action against them. But history moves quickly in Pakistan, and after months of televised Taliban cruelties, broken promises and suicide attacks, there is a spreading sense — apparent in the news media, among politicians and the public — that many Pakistanis are finally turning against the Taliban.
People have identified and acknowledged that they don’t want no Taliban, and Pakistan military has also taken on the head on combat with the terrorists and politicians are also united on this front. There are many extremists elements in other provinces, and it’s very necessary that the citizen organizations should engage with those elements who are simmering under the surface and include them in the mainstream and dialogue with them and make them aware of the perils and dangers.
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He lives with his wife, four kids, and a dog in a small town in north-central Massachusetts where he spent four years teaching computing, math, and science at the local high school.
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To understand Miltitants one question needs to be explored will be to extent the state of pakistan is responsible for it?
Was it the state who trianed, funded and supported them .
The militants , once called as assets by the Army establishment have now become wild
These millitants have nothing to do with the army funded trained combatants who made Russia leave Afghanistan. And if you don’t believe it ask this from General Hamid Gul who was in direct contact with Mujahiddin all the time. Afghan Taliban did not say a word against Pakistan even when they were being bombed because we did not play as smartly as we should have. I mean when did we hear any Uzbik, Tajik or somebody who is not even circumcised fighting in the ranks of Taliban but they are all there among these millitants.
There are two dimensions of revolt in Pakistan, if you talk about Balochistan then they are revolting because of their neglect by us all these past years. I mean Sui Gas is a Balochi asset but we made fertilizer plants which use this gas as basic raw material right on the border of SIndh and Balichistan right in Sindh and not in Balichistan. I was with an high ranking army officer the other day and he tells me that once he was in an ECNEC meeting and a general gave a proposal for sui gas supply to a village in Balochistan because the province is revolting and we have to give them favor but one of the voters do not agree to it because it was not economical project cost is too high and as in ECNEC meetings only one vote can cancel a project it could not be materialised it was not approved. Army officer who told me this was crying that we have done a lot of bad things to our fellows and we are reeping what we bow. You want to change the tribal Sardari System there it can only be changed with education not by force because this way they would change themselves. When we forced them to change we break the accord we made to them when Pakistan came into being that Federal Govt. would not meddle with there internal affairs.
As for NWFP only a fool would disagree to foreign involvement I mean US held major summits in India to discuss the situation in NWFP with India and Russia. Imean it seems absurd as Russia is no way near that region and India has nothing to do with it as it is on the other side of borders but they are having conferences in India over the issue not just political but millitia involved in meetings. Pakistan whose circumstances they are discussing not even a participant.