The Pakistani Spectator

The outrageous crime, involving torture of a 17 year old girl by Taliban extremists in Swat, as well as the acts of terrorism perpetrated in the past few days, once again underline the fact that extremism is is the greatest threat to our national security, culture and way of life. These evil terrorists don’t even refrain from attacking our Mosques and Imam Bargahs. Just yesterday, in a gruesome suicide attack, Taliban terrorists martyred innocent Muslims, who had assembled at a place of worship in Chakwal. This incident is not new of its kind. The evil taliban terrorists have on numerous occasions, in the past carried out suicide bombings inside mosques.  It is crystal-clear that religious extremists and their sympathizers are our biggest enemies. Ex-President Musharraf may have been an arrogant dictator who subverted the constitution, yet, at least he was entirely sincere in combating extremism and terrorism. While he was in power, he never allowed extremists to thrive and never hesitated in using force to crush anti state terrorists. This explains why the terrorists never operated with such impunity during President Musharraf’s rule, as they do these days.

It is really encouraging that the people of Pakistan are rising up and uniting against this threat of extremism and terrorism. Today, a large number of people from all walks of life, organized a rally in Chakwal, to condemn the evil acts of terrorism perpetrated by Taliban terrorists.

And today, in Islamabad, hundreds of students and members of the civil society, who had previously struggled for the restoration of judiciary, organized a rally to condemn the barbaric crimes of extremists, and demanded that, the government should start a military offensive to destroy terrorists in Swat, to establish writ of the state in that troubled region.  

MQM is the only party that has taken a strong, principled stand against terrorism. The efforts by MQM leader Altaf Hussain to galvanize public support against extremism are really laudable. Just yesterday, thousands of people rallied in Karachi, to condemn the barbaric crime committed by Taliban in Swat.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan was also quick to take suo-moto action on this issue, and of lately, he has not only reprimanded the relevant NWFP provincial government officials for their inability to establish government’s writ, but has also ordered them to immediately identify the culprits so that they can be brought to justice.

And while all major political leaders of PPP, PML-N, MQM, ANP and other parties have condemned this heinous crime, it is really appalling that the leader of Jamat-e-Islami, Munawar Hasan, instead of condemning this crime, stated that flogging of women was a minor issue. And this despicable attitude is not new. Despite the terrible destruction and mayhem that Taliban terrorists have wreaked in Pakistan, despite the countless innocent Muslims, killed by Taliban terrorists, it is detestable that the  Jamat-e-Islami leaders have never explicitly condemned the Taliban terrorists. This attitude is despicable and shows the true face of extremist sympathizers.

No doubt that we Pakistanis, as a nation are liberal, tolerant, and peace-loving people, proud Muslims, which is manifest by the fact that we have always elected liberal and secular political parties to power. The extremist parties have never won more than 1% of the votes in any free and fair general election. Nevertheless, it is ironic that secular parties like PPP, ANP, now that they are in power have not taken a tough stance against extremism and militancy. Instead of establishing its effective control in the province and protecting the life and property of citizens, the ANP government in NWFP is busy appeasing the terrorists, accepting their demands of introducing Taliban laws in one district after the other.

In fact, Swat has become a mini Taliban state, where small girls are tortured, denied the right to acquire education, forced to wear medieval burqas, and aren’t even allowed to visit the local bazaars for shopping. The terrorists are destroying schools on a regular basis and our government is helpless. Just a couple of days ago, the Chief Taliban Mullah, Sufi Muhammad of Swat ordered all Pakistani civil judges out of the valley, which shows that our government virtually exercises no authority in that region now. This is the same Taliban leader who terms democracy an Un-Islamic form of government and advocates establishment of a Taliban-like stone-age state in Pakistan.

It is indeed ironic, that the democratically elected, ANP lead  NWFP provincial negotiated with, and subsequently surrendered the Swat valley to these militants whose stated goal is to uproot democracy in Pakistan.  And now, after the introduction of the notorious and unconstitutional ‘Nizam-e-Adal’ regulations in Swat, the terrorists are now demanding its imposition in Malakand region of NWFP also. No one knows where this all is going to end, if this is allowed to continue.

It is high time that the Federal government cancels the so called ‘Nizam-e-Adal’ treaty, which has allowed the terrorists to flourish in Swat. The Pakistani state must establish its writ everywhere within its territory and must not allow itself to be blackmailed by demands of terrorists and extremists. It is imperative that the government uses full force to destroy the Alqaeda/Taliban terrorists in Swat as well as the tribal regions. The tribal regions of Pakistan are infested with Alqaeda terrorists of different nationalities (Arabs, Chechen, Uzbeks etc). These foreign Alqaeda terrorists were notorious criminals in their own native countries.  The people of the tribal regions, who are being terrorized by Taliban/ Alqaeda will welcome Pakistan’s military action against terrorists in those regions. As according to results of a recent survey conducted by a Peshawar based organization, 70% of the people of tribal areas said that they will welcome military action of Pakistan Army, against terrorists in those regions . The results of this survey were published in English Daily ‘The News’*. This is sufficient proof that the native population of tribal areas is fed-up of the terrorists, who freely roam around, in  those lawless regions. Therefore, the government must acknowledge its responsibility to protect honor, life and property of its citizens and must use full force to establish its writ in the troubled tribal regions.

* http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=165781