Dear Al-Green:
"" you are away from it all and sitting comfy in UK, asking us Pakistanis to bend over to TTP just to piss US off...""
I have no love lost for the likes of Hezb Al Tahrir or their moronic notions of a "Caliphate". Living in the UK is not such a big crime; our most honorable General Musharraf is also enjoying a "cozy life" around here.
Being a Pakistani we all feel the same pain and the same passion about our beloved country. TTP destructive actions have torn our national cohesion and economic fabric, perhaps irrevocably. How did we end up in this situation? a brief chronologic analysis will reveal that this is owing to the unflinching commitment and resolve of PA to support the US / NATO operations in Afghanistan; and to fight a proxy war on their behalf on its own soil.
PA aims are pretty much noble, to rid the world of the threat of Mullah Raj and extremism. But this has precious little to do with the interests of Pakistan. Its part of a global struggle led by the USA. PA is one amongst a global entourage of allied nations contributing to this noble struggle; but happens to be paying a disproportionate price for it. For instance, how many British troops have been lost waging war against the likes of hezb al Tahrir in London, Birmingham or Manschester? How many extremists have been displaced from their homes in Belgium or Holland?
Dear Javed,
Certainly it is no crime to live abroad but then you should try to understand that emotional mumbo jumbo set aside...what pitiful situation TTP has brought our country to via its outrageous, unjustifiable, unacceptable and unforgivable crimes against the nation....it is a mad dog and needs to be put down with extreme prejudice...
Picked up my family from the airport few days back and i was thinking all the time...i hope security is good here today...
Such is the state of mind we have been driven to and that is certainly not the case in UK or US which are claimed to be enemy number 1 by the TTP like movements but which only slaughter Pakistanis and assail the concept of Pakistan itself...
The love for Pakistan is something we have lost in the glorious Afghan jihad and Zia era, we have become thaikaydaars of the entire Muslim world without first taking care of our country...this is the crime of ignorance for which not only the military junta but the entire political setup and Mullah parties take the blame...not to mention the emotional and danda wielding awaam who are always seduced by the popular slogan of conspiracy against Islam...
I mention Hizb Ut Tehrir because their attack is on nationalism and they hold it responsible for all our troubles, however this is absolutely false and actually serves as a bid to destroy Pakistan's identity and its potential on a permanent basis. Why cannot nationalism serve as a stepping stone towards unification of the Muslim world on a practical level?
Why should we call all boundaries of Muslim countries as unislamic?
does it hurt the cause if Muslim countries become strong individual entities and then come together like EU to do something productive rather than indulge in petty quarrels and useless discussions in the OIC?
The quick fix solution of the Hizb ut Tahrir seems very tempting but actually it will destroy the Muslim world first and then try to rise from the ashes...something seems very fishy to me in this entire concept...i would rather we unify on currency, banking, trade etc...and then move towards the defense pacts etc. after eliminating internal strife which shall automatically be reduced via common economic development measures...via such means we can ensure much better political influence to resolve the crisis all over the Muslim world...
Our own troubles have stemmed from lack of nationalism, we have the Mullahs and the political elite who for the most part have either not looked beyond their constituencies (if even at that) or have only looked outside in Afghanistan, Palestine etc.
We have not worked towards national integration and yes, Zia made it much worse through his projection of Islam which was more political in nature and came at the cost of destroying the national fiber of Pakistan by providing much more strength to the right wing extremists who still serve as apologists for TTP like mentality...
We are crying about the WOT and failure of the state to actually benefit from it in terms of economics...but the point is very simple, in Musharraf's era we were a stable economy...and that in part was due to his ties with the world and his success in keeping Pakistan afloat despite the crisis situation in which we were thrown...I vividly recall the economy before Musharraf and it was in tatters, we Pakistanis gave all of our savings to Nawaz Sharif's Qarz Utaro scheme but nothing came out of it except tales of corruption by the government in diverting the huge amount collected to their personal ventures...we were on the brink...but situation was improved dramatically...
The rupee held out well against the dollar, Lots of roads were built in southern Punjab and Baluchistan, fixing of dangerously weakened floodgates and waterways was undertaken, we did not have the stoppages in power due to IPP payment delays...On top of it the earthquake hit Pakistan and with the tremendous support of all the nation we managed to help our afflicted brothers and sisters with some success...
I have been working in Telecom sector for a decade and the boom in Musharraf's era was phenomenal.
We hear all and sundry cry about lack of focus on education but it was in his government that unprecedented scholarships were given to many thousands of students for masters and PhD s.
Many of my course mates have completed their PhD s from abroad with assistance from GOP...many students i know did their masters with assistance from government...these things were not done before and now the government has completely cut down all such scholarships whilst blaming previous government for corruption in the education policy...pathetic thing to do...
This current government feels a need for its president to work from anywhere but his own country setting a record for days spent abroad and not to mention money spent on traveling, new bullet proof vehicles being purchased, many enhancements in economic packages for the MNAs and MPAs who spend most of their time relaxing in one assembly session a month ...priorities are again wrong but still it is democracy and not a show run by the army...a fact you have to acknowledge in light of the many statements given by GOP which would never have sat well with the Army high command...
the childish statements regarding nuclear non use, inviting UN to hold an inquiry into BB's assassination, publicly considering to send ISI chief to India despite not getting any official data on the attack...etc.
You are wrong to imply that Army is dictating the show nowadays because army is trying its best to avoid meddling in political affairs...the same was evident in the CJ restoration bid whereby Army remained neutral and tried to diffuse the tension from behind the curtain...this is absolutely the least favorable time for Army to risk meddling in political affairs and under COAS Kiyani most agree that Army has just minded its business...
Action against TTP is something we have had to take, the knife held against the throat first merits our utmost attention and the rest follows in order...to detach ourselves from the harsh reality that TTP is extremely anti Pakistan from all angles would be a dangerous self denial...leading to unparalleled destruction...
Keeping TTP on the run by using superior firepower is probably the only short term and mid term solution, with their permanent destruction and disbandment via all military and non military channels being the only final solution...
For the long term solution GOP has to educate its masses, develop the infrastructure and instill a sense of unity and integration in the nation.
Military and Police have to be enhanced to undertake COIN successfully.
The military has learned from its past mistakes in WANA and has used the local support in all areas to flush out TTP...this has proven much more successful...
You are blaming the military, which to me has evolved the most of all the arms of Pakistan in realizing the threat and devising a means to counter it.
The GOP has not yet awakened to the challenge completely and needs to get its act together regarding the economic benefits that our participation in WOT has to ensure...however the reputation of certain individuals in the government has made this more complicated...
You have to agree with the sad fact that a military dictator who had no right to the presidency was much more trustworthy and sincere in the national cause and thus ensured prolonged economic prosperity whereas the present democratically elected government once again has its hands dirty with corruption and is dragging its feet in urgent matters...the economic reimbursement was used well in the previous setup...the onus lies on the current government to come clean here...surely we all want Pakistan to grow and move beyond the survival mode...for that economics play a most vital part and sitting back and letting TTP loose will only work against the economics via direct and indirect investment stoppage...
The current regime's answer to such a comparison of economic situation is classical...they claim that it was all an artificial stability and an act...
My answer to this is very simple...please do a similar drama as alleged and maintain the artificial stability...which was the most real thing i have seen...