Pakistan: Go beyond rhetoric

It is almost nine months now that the present dispensation led by Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N has assumed office in Pakistan. Much was expected of what many believed a more sincere and reinvented Nawaz Sharif, but there is scarce evidence to suggest that. In-fact Pakistan has slipped further down the path of extremism in these past few months, which has added to instability and confusion.

Right now there are talks about the impending ‘peace’ negotiations with the TTP as the Govt has nominated a committee to start negotiating ‘peace’ with TTP. TTP has also suggested five members which will negotiate on it’s behalf.  Interestingly they have nominated the leader of the PTI, Imran Khan as one of their choices on the committee. More than anything else, it settles the doubts, if any, about where Imran Khan stands in this ideological debate, which has torn Pakistan asunder. Imran Khan’s party has declined this offer and Imran Khan will not be a part of this committee. But the party has shown confidence in the committee set up by the Govt.

Given the focus on TTP in recent months, especially after the PTI led by Imran Khan and it’s alliance partner Jamat e Islami, have been more than eager to suggest Pakistan hold talks with TTP, one should not forget about other threats facing Pakistan. It is not only the extremism of TTP that the Pakistani State is facing, but also the monster of sectarianism that represents an existential threat to Pakistan. If that were not enough, the nationalist and separatist movement in Balochistan is another issue that the Pakistani State has to grapple with. So far it has dealt with the Baloch nationalists only through force and with complete ruthlessness. It has hardly ever bothered to open genuine channels of communication and dialogue to take on board the Baloch aspirations. The Pakistani State has indulged in custodial killings and unleashed a reign of terror in Balochistan, but at the same time mollycoddled with monsters like TTP and other sectarian organisations like LeJ. This clearly shows that when it comes to a weaker opponent, howsoever genuine his grievances, the Pakistani State is willing to go all out and use extra judicial and extra constitutional measures to crush it. But with a stronger opponent, it shows no signs of any nerve and is always seen bending backwards to appease them. The current ‘negotiations’ with the TTP are a fair indicator of that policy of weakness and surrender.

The general thinking in Pakistan, both in the political establishment as well the civil society has been either one about conspiracy or appeasement. While Imran Khan and his PTI and their alliance partner  Jamat e Islami have been the champions of believing in and spreading conspiracy theories and in turn creating more apologists for organizations like TTP, Nawaz Sharif and his PML-N have been the champions of appeasing the extremists, of almost all kinds. The single point agenda of Nawaz Sharif and his Govt, both at the federal level and the provincial level in Punjab has been to somehow keep the flames of terrorism and extremism from blowing in Punjab. To this end, they have been appeasing the extremists and in-fact Nawaz Sharif has taken inaction to almost an art form. But like most monsters, the monster of religious and sectarian extremism always devours the hand that feeds it. Pakistan and Punjab has been no exception. The terrorists recently turned their guns inwards towards Punjab when a Taliban suicide bomber blew himself near Pakistan’s main military headquarters in January in Rawalpindi killing 13 people. This might have rung the alarm bells both with the federal as well with the provincial Govt in Punjab, as it was widely believed that there was a tacit understanding with the terrorists and extremists that they would be given free reign, if they spared Punjab of their actions. But now that strategy of appeasing the monster and sleeping with the enemy has not only failed, but backfired as well, as was bound to.

But despite these setbacks and the challenges that terrorism and religious and sectarian extremism pose to the very existence of Pakistan, Prime Minister Sharif has once again taken a few half baked measures. In the Pakistan National assembly, he spoke about how his Govt intended to tackle the problem of terrorism. It was widely believed that the Pakistan federal Govt would announce an all out military campaign to take this monster head on and try to wipe it out, but this optimism was short lived. Nawaz Sharif, after raising the expectations about a full throttle action against TTP, again harped on indulging them in ‘’peace talks’’.

The TTP’s sudden willingness to hold talks with the Govt can be seen in this backdrop, where they perhaps did not want the Pakistan Army in their active pursuit and deal with them in the only language these monsters understand well: force. Not only is the TTP focused on its goals and goes about them in the most ruthless way, but they seem to be politically deft and well acquainted as well. It should be also seen in the context of the new Army Chief who seems to be more focused and action oriented than his predecessor Ashfaq Kayani. This may also be a tactical strategy by TTP to seek a breather to regroup. Whatever the reasons for this sudden change of heart, it seems there is a method to this madness by TTP and they are not some ignorant cavemen as many would like to believe. Pakistan is up against an enemy, which not only has a strong firepower, clear ideological goals, but also knows the political lexicon as well. Pakistani State and it’s political establishment, on the other hand, seem to be mired in confusion and indecisiveness. It’s blow hot and blow cold policy is not helping matters.

In letting Imran Khan do much talking and in-fact aggressively campaigning for the ‘’peace talks’’ with the TTP, Nawaz Sharif has played a deft political move and Imran has played right into his trap. In case if the ‘peace’ talks with the TTP fail, which they most likely will, Nawaz will drag his feet and try to blame Imran Khan, as the most vocal votary of these ‘peace’ talks. So far Imran Khan was perhaps enjoying being in the limelight and also keeping himself politically relevant by harping on the peace talks, but now that the time for the real action has come, Imran will most likely feel the heat, more than anyone in the Pakistani political establishment.

Here are the mind boggling figures related to terrorist related violence in Pakistan in the last 11 years. About 51000 fatalities, 390 suicide attacks and close to 4800 bomb blasts. This not only includes violence unleashed by terrorist organisations like TTP but also various religious extremist and sectarian organisations. They include killing of worshippers in mosques, Imam Bargahs, Dargahs, Churches and market places as well. So the gamut of extremism in Pakistan is far and wide. Certain religious groups like Shias and religio-ethnic groups like Hazara Shias have been specifically targeted. The Shia Hazara community in Mastung has recently dug mass graves of the victims of this beleaguered community butchered by the dreaded LeJ. They had just commemorated the anniversary of the massacre perpetrated on them by the LeJ in January 2013. About a hundred Hazara Shias had died in that attack. Given their targeted killing, where the perpetrators go scot free, it seems it is an open season for the Shias in Pakistan. The apologists who want to obfuscate this grim reality, somehow always bring in the Saudi -Iran angle into this, as if to justify the violence against Shias and Hazara Shias. This is intellectual dishonesty and is almost akin to justifying this violence. Given the State of affairs in Pakistan, those who justify or create an apologetic narrative for these murderers are doing a great disservice to their own country. For Pakistan, the barbarians are not at the gate, but have intruded inside, long back and are hitting the social and political fabric of Pakistan so hard that it has moved from a state of shock in response to this violence, to a state of indifference and apathy.

Now that the Pakistan Govt has announced the ‘peace’ talks with the TTP it can’t go back on its word. The best chance for Pakistan lies perhaps in failed talks, which can give the State the much needed impetus to come hard at the TTP and other extremists. Pakistani State needs to dictate terms to them, rather than be dictated. It is in a strong State action that will set their country in order and also send warning signals to all apologists, whether in the media, intelligentsia and the religious establishments. Pakistan is not the only Muslim country that is suffering from religious extremism and terrorism, but it is one of its biggest sufferers.

The Tunisian reformist Abdelwahab Meddebm said of religious extremists / terrorists , “No criminal is more despicable than one who not only fails to feel any guilt after committing his crime, but also harbors the illusion that this will bring him divine reward. This conversion of bad into good not only spares him guilt, but also turns an unhappy person into a happy soul’’.

Pakistan would do well to take note.

Tariq Jameel is an investment professional with interest in history, politics and sports.

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