Nawa-e-Waqt
November 13, 2006
Column in Urdu
Ata-ur-Rehman
Translated By
Syed Farooq Hasnat
General Pervaiz Musharraf says that the extremists will not be allowed to take the Pakistani society as a hostage, and that terrorism will be crushed with force. As far as extremism is concerned, the whole country has been a victim of it, ever since 8th October, 1958, when the Army declared Martial Law. Martial Law, by its self is an act of extremism. Today, the whole nation recognizes that there was no justification for Ayub Khan’s army government. This step was taken to sabotage the first general elections which were to be held in February 1959. As a result, regional extremism emerged which presented the six points of Shaikh Mujeeb ur Rehman in East Pakistan and as a consequence the country was split into two. In West Pakistan Buhtto’s slogan of bread, clothing and a house was raised but the poor could not achieve anything and whatever little industrial development existed was reversed. Even today, it has not been corrected.
Ayub Khan’s Martial Law was replaced by another and every effort for the supremacy of the constitution and restoration of democracy was frustrated. On every occasion, with the help of some turn coats, feudal and self seeking politicians the army rule was strengthen. An Islamic and democratic Pakistan, as it should have been, was made a puppet of the Americans. Under the governmental and administrative extremism, various extremist movements, organizations and tendencies came into being, which continue in the present circumstances, as well. It should be admitted that extremism, which General Musharraf is apprehensive about, is encouraged and promoted by the clandestine agencies operating under the military governments. It includes the linguist and ethnic extremism in the urban areas of Sindh and the nation wide spread of sectarian fanaticism. These have been directed by the hidden but influential personals.
Today, the effects of extremism are visible, confronting one extremism with another and for that general Musharraf is feeling uneasy. It should be understood that non democratic and unconstitutional system of government and extremist linguist and sectarian organizations are natural allies of each other. One cannot function without the other. The military governments need the support of extremist organizations after they remove the democratic government and people’s representatives, as these organizations cannot operate under a democratic setup. As a basic rule such organizations are initially dependent on the military governments but later they become close and equal allies of each other. When genuine organizations supported by the people are sidelined, a competitive struggle takes place between the military regime and the extremists, to fill the vacuum. The Army government is under the impression that they do not need the support of the extremists, while the competing extremists think that it is their prerogative to take control and that it cannot be reversed. Therefore, a clash takes place. General Musharraf desires that such popular and main stream leaders and politicians as Banazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif should stay out of the country and that these leaders should not pose a challenge to him and at the same time the extremist organizations should not replace these leaders. How is that possible!
November 13, 2006
Column in Urdu
Ata-ur-Rehman
Translated By
Syed Farooq Hasnat
General Pervaiz Musharraf says that the extremists will not be allowed to take the Pakistani society as a hostage, and that terrorism will be crushed with force. As far as extremism is concerned, the whole country has been a victim of it, ever since 8th October, 1958, when the Army declared Martial Law. Martial Law, by its self is an act of extremism. Today, the whole nation recognizes that there was no justification for Ayub Khan’s army government. This step was taken to sabotage the first general elections which were to be held in February 1959. As a result, regional extremism emerged which presented the six points of Shaikh Mujeeb ur Rehman in East Pakistan and as a consequence the country was split into two. In West Pakistan Buhtto’s slogan of bread, clothing and a house was raised but the poor could not achieve anything and whatever little industrial development existed was reversed. Even today, it has not been corrected.
Ayub Khan’s Martial Law was replaced by another and every effort for the supremacy of the constitution and restoration of democracy was frustrated. On every occasion, with the help of some turn coats, feudal and self seeking politicians the army rule was strengthen. An Islamic and democratic Pakistan, as it should have been, was made a puppet of the Americans. Under the governmental and administrative extremism, various extremist movements, organizations and tendencies came into being, which continue in the present circumstances, as well. It should be admitted that extremism, which General Musharraf is apprehensive about, is encouraged and promoted by the clandestine agencies operating under the military governments. It includes the linguist and ethnic extremism in the urban areas of Sindh and the nation wide spread of sectarian fanaticism. These have been directed by the hidden but influential personals.
Today, the effects of extremism are visible, confronting one extremism with another and for that general Musharraf is feeling uneasy. It should be understood that non democratic and unconstitutional system of government and extremist linguist and sectarian organizations are natural allies of each other. One cannot function without the other. The military governments need the support of extremist organizations after they remove the democratic government and people’s representatives, as these organizations cannot operate under a democratic setup. As a basic rule such organizations are initially dependent on the military governments but later they become close and equal allies of each other. When genuine organizations supported by the people are sidelined, a competitive struggle takes place between the military regime and the extremists, to fill the vacuum. The Army government is under the impression that they do not need the support of the extremists, while the competing extremists think that it is their prerogative to take control and that it cannot be reversed. Therefore, a clash takes place. General Musharraf desires that such popular and main stream leaders and politicians as Banazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif should stay out of the country and that these leaders should not pose a challenge to him and at the same time the extremist organizations should not replace these leaders. How is that possible!
As far as eliminating forcefully the so called terrorism is concerned, it can not be materialized by General Musharraf, especially when President Bush could not do it in Iraq or Afghanistan. Is the injury inflicted in Dergai in response to Bajour not enough to demonstrate? We should understand that terrorism as defined by Bush and Mush is not a casual affair – it is not a temporary tendency, rather it is a political philosophy, which came into being as a contemporary confrontational force. The reasons for the new movement are not religious but political. This new force can be dealt with solid and long lasting political measures. On the contrary, it will be strengthen with the use of pure force and will become a bigger challenge. The terrorist activities in Iraq changed the American politics. It became a big challenge for Bush as a President, not to talk of others. The so called terrorism is not prompted by the religion of Islam but by making the Palestinians, Kashmiris, Bosnia and the Chechnyans slaves by force through the process, action and policy. Terrorism will continue unless the fundamental rights of the Palestinians, rights to choose by the Kashmiris and the right of the Chechnyians to be independent in their own lands is not given. It is a struggle to attain the fundamental rights. These are rights that are accepted by the Charter of the United Nations and resolutions of the Security Council. The Muslims have arisen in armed revolt because their rights are totally denied by the coalition of these forces. On top of that the Americans have gone further by staging an armed attack and unjustifiably occupying Iraq and Afghanistan. After all, where is that international law or principle that forbade the unarmed citizens of an occupied country to resist against the occupation, as a last resort?
The suicide attacks are a weapon of the weak. If the unarmed and innocent are targeted from air and by missiles, it becomes difficult to stop the suiciders to wrap explosives around their bodies and blast themselves. When the Muslims fight their war to gain their rights, it will be called a Jihad but this matter has been blown out of proportion. If terrorism is to be eliminated in all its seriousness then solid and permanent political acts must be implemented.
The terrorist acts will be eliminated, when there is no justification for it. As far as the happenings in Pakistan are concerned, general Musharraf presented himself as an ally of the United States otherwise Pakistan should have no concern
