BLOOD LET IN PUKHTUNKHWA

THE BLOOD LET IN PUKHTUNKHWA
ALQAEDA & TALIBAN?

Let me first go back to my articles about the containment of the fire of terrorism. We should be clear in our mind that if it is not impossible for a conventional army to root out this menace, it is certainly one of the most difficult tasks for any army. It needs continuity, best intelligence network and national resolve and dedication.
Those who are non committal or talking of negotiations at this moment of time, I have no hesitation to say that they are the co sailors of terrorists, sailing in the same boat.
Though they were implanted, trained and financed by our military establishment during Zia and Musharaf rule, to legitimize their illegitimacy. Now those forces are threat to the integrity of the country. We are living in fire while Musharaf is sniffing the evening breeze of Edgware in London.
The present military and political leadership is reaping the harvest of their predecessors. It is their moral duty to bring those criminals in to the book. Those who try to avoid this accountability; they will be considered equally responsible for the heinous crimes; being conducted by these beasts against the country at large and Pukhtoons in particular. They are the accomplices of these beasts.
Military action is unavoidable but Pukhtoons blood let is more than the terrorists. Pukhtoons are made refugees, homes and hearths destroyed.
Pukhtoons have been made to give all these sacrifices for a country; which neither recognise their national identity nor recognise their rights to be the master of their own land and resources.
Nawaz Sharif stands conspicuous in this category. When he opted for royal refuge, I have seen Late Mian Sahib crying and cursing him. Though he is limited to Punjab, but still it is the second biggest party and has a nuisance value.
Pakistan minus Punjab is nothing but Pakistan plus Punjab is a larger Punjab, called Pakistan; for international political convenience, which exists for last 62 years. I may be condemning that if we have no respectable place in Pakistan and we are the first line to take maximum casualties from the military and terrorist; then why we should support the military action? My answer is simple that history has brought us to this stage that we have no choice. It is a support under the compulsion of circumstances. We are the victims of history. Let me frankly confess that our boycott of the referendum in 1947; was opting by default for this situation. That was a historical mistake and in the same seam was our blind faith in Indian national congress. Those who were trusted have thrown us to the wolves, proved true after 62 years.
We have all contributed directly or by default to the miseries of Pukhtoons, on both sides of Durand line. Enemies should not be blamed but we must accept our failures. While holly is being played with our blood, human flesh is scattered all around, should we still trust the representative of Punjab Ashrafia; Mian Nawaz Sharif?
Now coming to the gangs of beasts. Al Qaeda was imported from Saudi Arabia, trained and groomed by USA and us.
The word Taliban is not there in Pashto dictionary, they are called Chanrey in Pashto. It is an imported word and the organisation and training of this movement was purely carried out by ISI.
The movement of Taliban started from our historical city Qandahar. Like all movements in the past; it was in response to the corruption in the government of Hizbs and the policies of Ahmad Shah Masood and Prof Rabbani.
Initially it was purely a nationalist move, supported by Afghan Millat, Gulbadeen Hikmatyar. even the strong supporters of Dr. Najeeb Regimen.
ISI and Saudi hijacked the movement and the top leadership was heavily bribed, indoctrinated by Wahabi School of thought.
They had neither support of al Qaeda at that time, nor they have now. They extend support to each other, just to defeat a common enemy. Al Qaeda in particular is more suspicious of Taliban because of their secret links with ISI.
Taliban sphere of activities were limited to Afghanistan while Al Qaeda had global ambitions. The folly they made was to stick to their cultural values disregarding the repercussions of their decision. US attack on Afghanistan brought them more closely to each other but Al Qaeda maintained their distance.
Afghan Taliban were supported, trained and indoctrinated in the Madrassa inside Pakistan. The Military Governments, ISI and the religious sectarian parties were involved in its grooming. It is not some thing secret, Zia boasted about it.
It was all in the knowledge of ISI; who were supplying the fuel to the fire, in the form of cash and personnel in and outside Pakistan.
There was huge civil support on their back in Gulf States. I was working in Riyadh at that time in a university hospital and was listening to the most educated Saudi. Afghan Taliban was no attraction for Al Qaeda, it was the terrain that attracted Al Qaeda but in the course of events, it was Taliban who were punished by USA and Pakistan.
Musharaf is on record to confess it. He should be brought to Peshawar to face the public and the blood bath given to Peshawar every day.
The sectarian organisations in Pakistan had their military wings for a long time, if the readers still remember Al Shams & Al Badar atrocities on Bengalis during Bangla Desh war.
Now the facilities were available at the doorsteps, MULLAH wanted for religious revolution all over the world and MILITARY needed them in Kashmir and India. It was the convergence of different interests, using the same tool.
A clique was born in Pakistan Under the guardianship of Zia and the sectarian organisations. The most prominent out of them was J.I. of Pakistan, who enjoyed the closest relation with Saudi rulers. It was also decided in principle that a certain percentage of commissioned officers should be J.I. recommended persons. So an indoctrinated section was created in the army too. These officers had the patronisation of generals like Zia and Hamid Gul.
The majority of Pakistani or Punjabi Taliban; though using the same facilities, supporting each others now and then; but were never under one command. The subsequent more births of the terrorist groups were either on sectarian basis or personality cult.
The Pakistani Taliban was driving its strength from sectarian political parties, a section of army and three top generals Zia, Musharaf and Hamid Gul. A soft corner of Nawaz Muslim League could not be ruled out.
The terrorists from Pakistan, India, Kashmir, Bangla Desh and Arab States were indoctrinated; on the other hand the great majority terrorists of central Asian origin are surrogate terrorists and professional killers. They were the by-products of economical deprivation in their own countries.
The same reason could be applied to the impoverish locals who have been the victims of 62 years of deprivation and exploitation. The poverty and illiteracy is the lethal combination and can be moulded in any form. When the young teenagers are made political orphans and young mothers are political widows.
That’s how; the illegal governments of Pakistan succeeded in Talibanization of our area and legitimising their rule. The word ”Taliban”, resources and instructors were all imported; except the land that was ours. It is neither an indigenous word, nor it was an indigenous process.
In Pakistan they had patrons in every section of society. Afghanistan government and USA adopted a totally wrong approach to the problem. No negotiation at any cost or with any one.
Corruption, the presence of warlords in the government of Kabul was eroding the basis of the institutions. People were disappointed with the performance of the government and felt that the US forces has the free hand.
One of the local factors, which I noticed, was intense resentment in the local Afghans that there is no proportionate representation in the government and I was told that the picture of Ahmad Shah Masood was displayed every where with the president but they could not dare to display the picture of Dr Najeeb Picture in the windows of their shops. The shopkeeper took me to their shops, begged if I can use my influence, what they did not know poor that I was just a visitor and secretly trying to find the facts.
What ever the terrorists aim and origin may be; but they do not deserve mercy of any kind. But the room for back ground diplomacy must be kept open. The civil societies and intelligence agencies can play a vital role. There could be rifts, financial compulsions, use of force and many social problems of local people that these beasts are exploiting. We can pull them out to mainstream.
On both sides of the Durand line a united and organised movement should be launched. It is impossible to have peace on one side and war on the other. The military strikes should not be only strategically oriented; but every effort should be used to open up the back door for diplomacy. The armed forces should not be deterred from their mission. But the bridges for graceful retreat after victory should not be destroyed.
It is still not an easy war to win, but we cannot afford to loose it. But this self-created menace has been either mishandled or was ignored intentionally, even at times, they were patronised. Our forces are fighting shadows of evil.
There is a big difference between two confrontational forces. One is in uniform under a well-defined command structure. The other is mentally in uniform, with a fixed frame of mind, nothing on their body to identify them. To them world and life means nothing, so they are least concerned about others life.
Once again, I must refer to my previous articles that these satanic forces cannot work with out roots in the important sections of society, which must be exposed. Those who are against the begging bowl; must show us the alternative? Is Nawaz Sharif having the strength of character to tell Hillary Clinton; to get out of Pakistan, he neither needs their arms nor cash.
Violence cannot be given a shape. Once introduced, it can assume any shape and hit any place. The selection of terrain and target is their choice.
When our military rulers were planning jihad in Kashmir or Afghanistan; they selected the battleground on our soil. As it was not main land in their perception, nor they had the vision to see beyond the tip of their nose.
Our nationalist leadership should rise to the occasion and stop looking to others to find the solution of our blood let but to take the control of the events locally, nationally and internationally.
The ghost we created to consume our blood and flesh. The army may be doing their job, but I am afraid the intelligence agencies are not. So for neither they have trapped a single important big fish nor they have sabotaged a single terrorist act on our innocent civilians. I know it is not possible to stop them but its ferocity and frequency has increased instead of decrease.
By Dr. Khurshid Alam Khurshidalam5@hotmail.com
28th October 2009.