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Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
Those who advocate negotiating with the Taliban have actually been brainwashed by them and are still labouring under the delusion that somehow Pakistan can control Kabul through such groups. The only way Pakistan can play a role in todays Afghanistan is by winning the hearts of the Afghan people
Bonds are important. In Philip Pullmans legendry trilogy His Dark Materials, the bankers of Cittàgazze invent a knife that, among other things, can cut through the bonds of nature to such an extent that they manage to create windows between parallel universes. In Avatar, on planet Pandora every living thing can be connected to through a plug-like interface called sahilu or the bond. Every other living being can connect through this bond and upload or download thoughts. Traditionally, our planet also had rather subtle bonds between nature and humanity, and of course between individual human beings. But these bonds are coming under duress with changing time and technology.
The Pakistani state is given to a unique curse that of picking its worst enemies and then sleeping with them. Of course it owes its very foundations to the ideational and intellectual contradictions that lead us to the precipice. But this knack of sleeping with the enemy is slightly more than what goes on between Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin in the movie of the same title. One, it is not a once in a lifetime ordeal but a permanent feature of the Islamic republic. Two, it is not accidental but a matter of free will.
Just consider this. We mentored the jihad brigade in Afghanistan against the Soviets and once the threat receded they turned against the country. Then we introduced the Taliban and now they are going for our necks. What is this curse and why on earth do we fail to end it?
The problem, dear readers, lies with the idea of Pakistan. In the 21st century we are still trying to justify our existence ideologically not practically. The very fact of existence and survival is neither here nor there, and instead of a Pakistani dream we need an ideology to keep moving. This revolting curse has polarised this country to such an extent that we always take a maximalist position even on matters of common sense.
It seems important to revisit the premise of engaging the Taliban through a dialogue because everyone from the London conference to the Islamic republic seems obsessed with it. Before we do that it will be useful to establish that excess of everything is bad, the extreme in any case is usually counterproductive and two wrongs never make a right.
The Taliban were a bad idea when they were conceived and nothing has changed since then. This terrible blend of politics, perversion of Islamic teachings and medieval tribalism can only promise catastrophe. For one it entangles faith into the matters of state. The resulting system carries in its heart a distinct vulnerability to pan-Islamism, which is easily exploited by terror groups like al Qaeda. If you think any person who has been associated with this distinct ideology can change then you are in for a rude shock. Those who fall victim to this malady can never recover. This is also the carnal sin of our state to think that someone believing in this ideology can ever be loyal to the Pakistani cause.
What Emile Durkheim once called familism is another outcome of this obnoxious political culture. Tribalism thrives on blood bonds and by endorsing the outdated tribal cultural values, such a political dispensation makes evolution impossible. If you have ever visited Kabul during the Taliban rule you will recollect the way dish antennas were used only for decoration. This ancient marriage of Salafism and tribalism also does not augur well for the minorities of the given country. You will recall the fate of the Buddha statues and also the discriminatory badges that the minority groups were asked to wear in those benighted times. Since the tribal and Taliban values give importance to lynch law, no modern justice system can evolve out of their sway. And I do not even need to remind you of the Talibans attitude towards women.
Another problem with the Taliban ideology is that it is contagious. Anyone who interfaces with a Talib has chances of succumbing to his ideology. Let us now imagine that during the negotiations with the Taliban, a group shows readiness to surrender and take part in the political system. Will there ever be any guarantee that such a group will be honest in the armistice and will not try to destroy the system from within? I think not. After nine years of battling militancy, this is one hell of a risk. Pakistan has witnessed such a scenario already when in Swat we tried to mend fences with the local Taliban. It turned out to be another Taliban manoeuvre to fortify their position.
Let us now focus on Pakistans plight. Somehow our establishment does not recognise the threat posed by the Taliban worldview. Now that our country has already fought them for nine years and in doing so risked its own existence, will our sins ever be forgiven? I think not. You can already see the damage done to our own defence establishment by the Taliban. Those who advocate negotiating with the Taliban have actually been brainwashed by them and are still labouring under the delusion that somehow Pakistan can control Kabul through such groups. The only way Pakistan can play a role in todays Afghanistan is by winning the hearts of the Afghan people and not trying to impose rogues on them. Inclusion of the Taliban in the current administration will only be a ticking time bomb and will destroy the countries on both sides of the Durand Line.
What else can we do then? It is clear that warfare is not solving everything. The Taliban are growing and the neo-conservatives in the US are painting a doom and gloom scenario, especially because in the current situation they cannot make any capital either political or financial out of Afghanistan. They now want the Obama administration to commit a final and irredeemable mistake in Afghanistan so that he becomes totally marginalised.
What should be done if dialogue with the Taliban is not a good idea and war does not seem to be achieving anything substantial? If war is not succeeding we should reflect on the nature of the war, not its rationale. A lot of lip service is paid to winning hearts and minds but has anything substantial been done? Not to my knowledge. In the name of winning hearts and minds what we have witnessed is lucrative contracts being awarded to multinationals. Anything that thrives on greed cannot solve the deep problems of a war-torn country like Afghanistan. If you are still not convinced then you need to read Jeremy Scahills Blackwater.
Propaganda is an effectual part of warfare and so is development. If appropriate means are employed there is absolutely no reason that the likes of the Taliban can be successful. Instead of bonding with the Taliban, what we need is to build bonds with the common man on the street. If that cannot be done, then Afghanistan, Pakistan or even the US will never be safe again.
Those who advocate negotiating with the Taliban have actually been brainwashed by them and are still labouring under the delusion that somehow Pakistan can control Kabul through such groups. The only way Pakistan can play a role in todays Afghanistan is by winning the hearts of the Afghan people
Bonds are important. In Philip Pullmans legendry trilogy His Dark Materials, the bankers of Cittàgazze invent a knife that, among other things, can cut through the bonds of nature to such an extent that they manage to create windows between parallel universes. In Avatar, on planet Pandora every living thing can be connected to through a plug-like interface called sahilu or the bond. Every other living being can connect through this bond and upload or download thoughts. Traditionally, our planet also had rather subtle bonds between nature and humanity, and of course between individual human beings. But these bonds are coming under duress with changing time and technology.
The Pakistani state is given to a unique curse that of picking its worst enemies and then sleeping with them. Of course it owes its very foundations to the ideational and intellectual contradictions that lead us to the precipice. But this knack of sleeping with the enemy is slightly more than what goes on between Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin in the movie of the same title. One, it is not a once in a lifetime ordeal but a permanent feature of the Islamic republic. Two, it is not accidental but a matter of free will.
Just consider this. We mentored the jihad brigade in Afghanistan against the Soviets and once the threat receded they turned against the country. Then we introduced the Taliban and now they are going for our necks. What is this curse and why on earth do we fail to end it?
The problem, dear readers, lies with the idea of Pakistan. In the 21st century we are still trying to justify our existence ideologically not practically. The very fact of existence and survival is neither here nor there, and instead of a Pakistani dream we need an ideology to keep moving. This revolting curse has polarised this country to such an extent that we always take a maximalist position even on matters of common sense.
It seems important to revisit the premise of engaging the Taliban through a dialogue because everyone from the London conference to the Islamic republic seems obsessed with it. Before we do that it will be useful to establish that excess of everything is bad, the extreme in any case is usually counterproductive and two wrongs never make a right.
The Taliban were a bad idea when they were conceived and nothing has changed since then. This terrible blend of politics, perversion of Islamic teachings and medieval tribalism can only promise catastrophe. For one it entangles faith into the matters of state. The resulting system carries in its heart a distinct vulnerability to pan-Islamism, which is easily exploited by terror groups like al Qaeda. If you think any person who has been associated with this distinct ideology can change then you are in for a rude shock. Those who fall victim to this malady can never recover. This is also the carnal sin of our state to think that someone believing in this ideology can ever be loyal to the Pakistani cause.
What Emile Durkheim once called familism is another outcome of this obnoxious political culture. Tribalism thrives on blood bonds and by endorsing the outdated tribal cultural values, such a political dispensation makes evolution impossible. If you have ever visited Kabul during the Taliban rule you will recollect the way dish antennas were used only for decoration. This ancient marriage of Salafism and tribalism also does not augur well for the minorities of the given country. You will recall the fate of the Buddha statues and also the discriminatory badges that the minority groups were asked to wear in those benighted times. Since the tribal and Taliban values give importance to lynch law, no modern justice system can evolve out of their sway. And I do not even need to remind you of the Talibans attitude towards women.
Another problem with the Taliban ideology is that it is contagious. Anyone who interfaces with a Talib has chances of succumbing to his ideology. Let us now imagine that during the negotiations with the Taliban, a group shows readiness to surrender and take part in the political system. Will there ever be any guarantee that such a group will be honest in the armistice and will not try to destroy the system from within? I think not. After nine years of battling militancy, this is one hell of a risk. Pakistan has witnessed such a scenario already when in Swat we tried to mend fences with the local Taliban. It turned out to be another Taliban manoeuvre to fortify their position.
Let us now focus on Pakistans plight. Somehow our establishment does not recognise the threat posed by the Taliban worldview. Now that our country has already fought them for nine years and in doing so risked its own existence, will our sins ever be forgiven? I think not. You can already see the damage done to our own defence establishment by the Taliban. Those who advocate negotiating with the Taliban have actually been brainwashed by them and are still labouring under the delusion that somehow Pakistan can control Kabul through such groups. The only way Pakistan can play a role in todays Afghanistan is by winning the hearts of the Afghan people and not trying to impose rogues on them. Inclusion of the Taliban in the current administration will only be a ticking time bomb and will destroy the countries on both sides of the Durand Line.
What else can we do then? It is clear that warfare is not solving everything. The Taliban are growing and the neo-conservatives in the US are painting a doom and gloom scenario, especially because in the current situation they cannot make any capital either political or financial out of Afghanistan. They now want the Obama administration to commit a final and irredeemable mistake in Afghanistan so that he becomes totally marginalised.
What should be done if dialogue with the Taliban is not a good idea and war does not seem to be achieving anything substantial? If war is not succeeding we should reflect on the nature of the war, not its rationale. A lot of lip service is paid to winning hearts and minds but has anything substantial been done? Not to my knowledge. In the name of winning hearts and minds what we have witnessed is lucrative contracts being awarded to multinationals. Anything that thrives on greed cannot solve the deep problems of a war-torn country like Afghanistan. If you are still not convinced then you need to read Jeremy Scahills Blackwater.
Propaganda is an effectual part of warfare and so is development. If appropriate means are employed there is absolutely no reason that the likes of the Taliban can be successful. Instead of bonding with the Taliban, what we need is to build bonds with the common man on the street. If that cannot be done, then Afghanistan, Pakistan or even the US will never be safe again.
