Pakistan Again

 

Arnaud de Borchgrave has written an interesting article about Pakistan as well as the behavior of the US and NATO in the region. I read the article in Washington Post last week. I still recall the concluding sentence of the article: “In Afghanistan the future of NATO is in danger and in Pakistan the future of the Pakistani government.” This is a right and sound judgment. The problem with the current US and Pakistani administrations is that they have no clear picture about the situation. If Zardari and his advisors were experienced enough they would not weaken the government from within by eliminating Nawaz Sharif and the Muslim League Party (Nawaz branch). They would also not display an opportunistic face of themselves by overlooking the prominent role played by Mohammad Chaudhry in the fight against despotism. Unilateralism and lone-riding is like 100-meter run. The runner should run with all force but only for 100 meters. But to manage a marathon run, the runner should be tolerant and speed up at the right time. Pakistan has a long battle ahead in its confrontation with the Taliban. The Marriott Hotel blast which could have also taken the lives of the president, prime minister and military commanders is the beginning of a long battle. The Afghan consul general in Peshawar and ambassador-designate to Islamabad, Abdul Khaliq Farahi was kidnapped in daylight in a busy street in Hayatabad area. His driver was killed and the diplomat was taken away. Another unlucky foreign ambassador was killed at Marriott Hotel blast.

The future of NATO in Afghanistan is somehow similar to the future of the government in Pakistan. They are both exposed to danger. Once at the end of the 19^th century, Britain had to quit Afghanistan. For a second time in 1980, the Soviet army had to withdraw from Afghanistan. This time NATO will have to leave Afghanistan. Today, large parts of Afghanistan are practically out of the sovereign control of the government. The only safe place for Hamid Karzai to exercise his presidency and that too under the security umbrella of American commandos and bodyguards, is the presidential palace in Kabul. Even the streets of Kabul are not safe let alone other places. For the same reason, NATO has chosen a meaningful phrase for a big part of Afghanistan: No-go-zone!

In these regions, it is not possible for government officers and workers to maintain a presence. Just a few days ago, the Taliban took 140 workers hostage in Heart. This insecurity and Taliban domination has also spread to Pakistan. The reckless attack of the US army on Waziristan region is a sign of a big crisis in Pakistan which would be very hard to contain. In my previous article about the uncertain future of Pakistan, I mentioned that the Pakistani army and government, at least for their own sake, should not let the US army play with the national sovereignty of Pakistan. Opening fire on American helicopters which intended to infiltrate Waziristan region again showed that the Pakistani army does not want to become further humiliated. The army has enjoyed high credit in Pakistan. Of course, General Musharraf sacrificed this prestige for his own personal interests and power. Some 130,000 Pakistani troops are stuck in Waizristan; 1400 have been killed and 20,000 injured. What credit could be left for the army? The US invasion too which some believe was a test of the new government, came as a second blow on a load of glass. Under these conditions, not only the future of the current government in Pakistan is in danger but the institution of the government is exposed to threats.      

From the remarks made by White House spokeswoman about the meeting between Bush and Zardari (Sept. 23) one can conclude that Washington is still in delusion. I am using the term delusion in its precise philosophical context. Dana Perino has said: “The United States and Pakistan will cooperate together to protect innocent people. They exchange intelligence and their intelligence services and military work together…” Meanwhile, Mr. Zardari has said he will fight against terrorism shoulder-to-shoulder with the world.

The remarks made by Zardari and Perino clearly show their lack of knowledge about the structure of Pakistan, particularly Waziristan. The Americans refused to apologize to the people who lost their children in the US bombings and missile attacks. The result is obvious: After every invasion and massacre of people a new group of youth arising from tribal hearts, prepare to fight against the US. An association calling itself “Hizbi Tahrir Vilayati Pakistan” has said: “We must win over India and liberate Indian Muslims as we defeated Russia. Our only way of survival is to fight against America. We will respond to stones with rocks.” This party is different from Fedaeen Islam party which claimed responsibility for the Marriott Hotel bombing.

The Pakistani Taliban too has said it is preparing for a 20-year battle. The course ahead of the current Pakistani government is that of disintegration -- not of the government but of the sovereignty of Pakistan. The way out is not to have a secular government in power nor to pin hope in US promises and aids. The damage the Pakistani army sustained from cooperating with the US army and the award of “the most important non-NATO ally” it received would not be compensated with the several billion dollar in aid Washington extended to Islamabad.

Over the 60 plus years of its history, the fate of the country and people of Pakistan have never been so complicated as today. And Pakistan has never been in as much need of a national unity government and using all the potentials of the country and nation as it is today. Will the day arrive for Zardari to become a 100% gentleman and think only about the interests of his country and people? -- 100% for the nation not 10% for himself and his family!