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AMID yet another deadline set by the Tribal Jirga in
Wana for the perceptible militants to capitulate, the overall
horizons of the Waziristan agency seem faced with a sort of
lull, which might eventually lead to a storm — beyond one’s
mind's eye. Such a scenario [for a time limit] was set off
even past but the course did not yield any caring upshot and
rather made the milieu still more irksome and vexing.
Analyzing with a pragmatic mind-set, such environ is likely to
persist, if love is not tried in place of onslaught with
odium. Obliteration of terrorism, in its’ all forms and
manifestations, is of-course a perception, which would be
backed by every patriot of an amiable realm — like Pakistan. It
is so, because of the raison d'être that the sanctified soils
of this fabulous land have — by n’ large — been the target of this
nuisance in the past, a setting which is getting amplified and
swelling with the advent of every new dawn.
No-doubt an iron hand is a pre-requisite to deal with such a
perilous environment, yet as a matter of fact, accomplishment
of such an objective still remains a phantasm or a reverie
albeit the use of might — to every possible extent. This has
neither helped cage a single ‘valued’ terrorist nor made a
cluster of such hideous species evaporated except a
problematic atmosphere for the naive and guiltless people — with
a result like, catch-22, virtually a no-win pose.
As is indexed in the recent history, thousands of troops
backed by helicopter gunships and fighter jets launched a
massive operation in parts of South Waziristan in the midst of
reports that a senior Al-Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden’s right
hand man Dr Ayman Al- Zawahiri, might be holed up in one of
the areas. President Pervez Musharraf, in a television
interview, also hinted that a ‘high value’ al-Qaeda target had
been encircled near the border with Afghanistan.
Nonetheless, a follow-up story points out that a set of the
al-Qaeda ‘aficionados’ might have escaped via a clandestine
tunnel, prima facie plowed or hollowed-out from the mud-made
fortress type spot — a typical and traditional type of tribal
abodes and dwellings.
Although no confirmation to this facet is, as yet on hand, the
situation in Wana is getting out its’ jurisdiction engulfing
even other vicinities like the awful happenings in Kurram
agency, the North Waziristan, Peshawar [targeted by rockets]
and of-late Sibi, where a hefty electricity tower was hit by
secret hands, engulfing a vast area in Balochistan into total
obscurity.
Virtually the fast shifting enlargements in Tribal Areas
suggest that there might be some big news in the offing, which
may befit and suit Washington — yet certainly not to Pakistan.
No-doubt, Pakistan has aligned itself with the United States
in the war against terrorism and this operation is part of the
campaign to root out suspected elements caught up in such
vicious acts. Yet there is — simultaneously — a consensus that no
one can be allowed to carry out subversion in Pakistan or
attack interests of other countries from this venerated soil.
Wana operation was set in motion with a goal to wash away one
of the four allegations against Pakistan, as have, time and
again, been elucidated by President Pervez Musharraf. That the
Government sincerely tried to avoid any operation is borne out
by the fact that the President himself made repeated offers to
foreign militants to disarm and surrender.
An assurance was also given that in that case they would not
be handed over to any foreign country. Similarly, tribal were
also given warnings to cooperate with the authorities and hand
over suspects.
However, after stoppage of its bid to seek necessary
cooperation, an operation was set off to flush out militants.
The way the operation took off did evoke criticism in the
length and breadth of the country.
The issue was even agitated in the National Assembly where
Opposition Members accused the Government of alienating tribes
at the behest of the United States. They also apprehended that
it will generate a complicated law and order problem in the
times to come.
With this perception we are convinced that the crisis could
have been sorted out in a nicer way obviating casualties of
innocent people and personnel of law enforcement agencies.
Recapping the memoirs of the past, an aspect which surfaces is
that those who are being phrased as foreign militants now are;
in fact those who came to Pakistan at the juncture of Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan. In many cases such elements got
married and settled down in miscellaneous areas of the country
especially in the NWFP.
It is also a fact that around four million illicit immigrants
including those from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are still
living in the country. Around two million Afghans exist in
each and every corner of Pakistan and it is often nitpicked
that they are one of the major causes of swelling crime rate
and other socio-economic dilemmas.
The question arises whether Pakistan will take any action
against them as well? Killing of meticulous people and
injuring their ego is going to have far-reaching consequences
and therefore, such a ‘choice’ is ought to be eschewed and
must be avoided — as a high priority topic.
An all-out crusade has been tried [may be it gets repeated]
yet we have to keep in mind that there can’t be any-thing more
robust and striking rather toxic than the love — to win-over
ones’ heart n’ soul. As the realities, not mere the fantasies
stand witness that with fabulous gizmo of love, not to talk of
a set of terrorists, even ‘empire(s)’ were gifted as is
cataloged in the manuscripts — of old-age.
It would not be inapt to quote herein a stanza of Hafiz
Sheerazi herein wherein he said:
‘Agr A’an Turk-e-Sheerazi Badast A’ard Dil-e-Ma Ra
Bakhal-e-Hindoish Bakhsham Samarqand-o-Bukhara Ra’
[If the darling (clichéd as Turk-e-Sheerazi) clutches my heart
n’ soul (I win-over), (I am) all set to gift (in lieu thereof)
Samarqand and Bukhara just for the sake of (a cute skewed
black) mole on her (the beloved’s) face]
To add-on the vision and insight for the sweetheart, the great
Persian poet of all-times voices:
‘Gar Dushnam Farmai, Wa Gar Nafr’en, Dua Go’aim
Zaban-e-Talkh Me Zaibad, Lab-o-La’al Shakar Khaw Ra’
[If you (the love-one) abuse me (for my adore), and even if
you abhor me (for my emotions vis-à-vis your beauty), I
persist with prayer (for you); (the reason being) acerbic
words (pragmatically) befit the beguiling (sweet) lips and
lingo (the piquant style of expression)]
No one would like to see the current lull or silence in the
tribal areas face any turbulence of a blustery storm; instead,
every-one would be looking for a fancy of a fragrance of peace
and serenity, breezing out of all dimensions.
So why not to affect this style — at-least once and that too by
engaging the MMA stalwarts, who are much-loved and much-adored
with capacious admiration in the tribal belt? It is not a
complex task. May be it [the MMA] prevails upon its’ devotees
in the tribal areas to get this fuming sphere extinguished via
a heart-to-heart ‘get in touch with’ or a sweet face-to-face
contact.
Such a mode, if applied shall not only unveil the suspected
‘evils’ but the magnitude of sincerity and sympathy, being
beamed, in and outside the Houses of the Parliament with
enormous allure [for the tribesmen] by the religio-political
alliance shall also come to light — as clear as crystal.
We feel optimistic that the input by the MMA, if applied by
setting aside narcissism and egocentricity shall yield a
positive impact vis-à-vis the objectives which have been set
by the government to weed out terrorism — wherever it dwells
in any silhouette, posing risks and perils to the humankind as
the terrorists are least uptight with ones’ age or gender — even
towards a toddler to juvenile and above that the adults, who
are falling prey of this peccadillo.
© 2004 Mumtaz Hamid
Rao - Pakistan Times |
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