The decision of Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Hameed Dogar, regarding the disqualification of ‘Sharif brothers’ once again threw Pakistan back into the worst politics of 90s.

Such a verdict of the Supreme Court was not unexpected and many political analysts and pundits from the very outset had feared that the coalition of Pakistan People Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab and centre is shaky and fragile which soon will collapse. The prophecy of the pundits proved verbatim and the coalition fissured in the midway, hardly going for one year. For all the setbacks the coalition received, and its backlashes that have erupted after the court decision, PPP have lost its fame and weight it had received with the blood of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. Irrespective of legal aspects, the decision of the court was politically as vitriolic for the colt-democracy in Pakistan as poison. After a great deal of efforts, sever opposition, and hues and cries against Musharraf’s dictatorship, at length he was bowed down and he had to resign, because of the mounting pressure from different flanks.

For restoration of democracy in Pakistan, only PPP is not praiseworthy, which lost its elegant leader—Benazir Bhutto, far greater in every respect than Zardari, rather it also is indebted to the lawyer moment, yes the same lawyer moment, which paved way for the entrance of self-exiled political leaders to come Pakistan. Now it is the same lawyer fraternity, which has been thrown away by Asif Ali Zardari, the president of Pakistan and widow of assassinated Benazir Bhutto, as discarded and used as stale food.

Is not the derogation of the wishes of Benazir Bhutto when she claimed, “Muhammad Iftikhar Chaudry is my Chief Justice”. Contrary to the wishes of his late wife, Asif Ali Zardari took a sharp u-turn and walked on branched road instead the main highway of democracy. Sensing the political heat in the political environment in Pakistan, PPP according to some news reports has prepared a list of political leaders to be arrested or kept confine to their residences during ‘long march’ so that the essence of the long march can be constrained. Such acts are the remnants of military dictators. In this regard Rehman Malik, Adviser to PM on Interior, has issued directives and the security in-and-around Islamabad has been tightened. Rangers would back police so that more and more arrests could be made possible. The country in such a scenario when inflation, stagflation, joblessness and the suicide bombings are at its peak, is not in the position to tolerate another challenge which is real in nature and disastrous that all is the new ones—the tug of war among PPP, civil societies and PML-N.

The government could have handled the issue of Sharif brothers’ disqualification some time else and in a better way than now. Nonetheless, sit-ins, demos and strikes are all colors of democracy and an elected government which has been boasting for its strength and fame will have to face it with open hands instead a fist. And why should then an elected government worry about it if it had and had the support of public? When the lawyer fraternity has given spleen and fierce opposition to the unconstitutional step of the former president Musharraf, then it must no be suppressed now from carrying its long march. For his brave and bold step, defying a military dictator, Muhammad Iftikhar Chaudry was awarded with Harvard’s Medal of Freedom previously awarded only to Nelson Mandela and Thorogood Marshall. While at home he was humiliated by Asif Ali Zardari imitating Musharraf. This step earned the wrath of public and made the lawyer moment ever popular.

By doing so, there is a torrent of doubts and questions for instance; is it a crime to demand for the restoration of unconstitutionally deposed Chief Justice, Iftikhar Chaudry? If the answer is no then why Asif Ali Zardari preferred Hameed Dogar to Chaudry Iftikhar? Is it because of nepotism or he wanted to use Dogar as a sword and shield?

Though PPP has been denying the allegations of PML-N and most of the masses that the decision had a political touch but still one cannot ignore the close links of Asif Ali Zardari and Dogar. The entire government machinery in Islamabad shook with the case of Farah Dogar’s numbers.

Why Asif Ali Zardari placed his own party’s fame in ‘salt mine’ by supporting Dogar? There is and was some thing black at the bottom.

Is it a sin to demand for the abolition of 17th Amendment, which has been introduced by Musharraf, a military dictator, only to embank his regime? The answer to this query is also that it is fair in democracy to demand for the abolition of such unconstitutional weapon. Why Asif Ali Zardari has adopted toxic silence over the issue and what is the difference between Musharraf and Zardari for he also had the power of 58 (2b) and Zardari has also. There is no difference between the two except the former was a military dictator and desecrated democracy and the latter is a civil dictator defiling democracy.

Does, the president feel fear of his own prime minister; Yousuf Raza Gillani that Zardari is obscuring the path of democracy by prolonging the issue of 17th Amendment?

Did Zardari come to power through unfair means? If the answer is no, then why he wants to keep this weapon at his hands?

It shows that he is not diligent and sincere in bringing healthy democracy to the country and because of this game; Pakistan went back to the stagnant politics of 90s.

Let me say it with out any hesitation that it is the tug-of-war among politicians that has always paved path for military interventions in past and in near future it can invite for this monster. After them comes the name of judiciary that has always bolstered up dictatorship by providing the ‘cloak of legitimacy’ to unconstitutional regimes of the past military dictators. The person who was a strong believer of ‘doctrine of necessity’ and allied the self-proclaimed Field Martial of Pakistan, Ayub Khan in his snapping of constitution, was then Chief Justice of Pakistan, Munir.

And now following the path of Munir, the Supreme Court of Pakistan-led by Chief Justice Hameed Dogar, passed the verdict of ‘Sharif brothers’ ineligibility.

According to the court decision, senior Sharif is ineligible to contest poles while junior Sharif is disqualified for holding any public office. The decision related with the disqualification of the junior Sharif itself has brought a big question mark on the face of Election Commission of Pakistan. If he was ineligible, why then Shehbaz Sharif was permitted by the Election Commission to contest in general elections from his constituency PP-48 Bhakkar-II.

Another question which badly is poisonous for the credibility of the government is that why Asif Ali Zardari ordered for governor rule in Punjab for the situation there was not so uncertain and out of control? Is not an intrigue against an elected provincial government? Then why to blame others that journalists are terrorists, civil societies are traitors, and PML-N has been engaged in conspiracies against PPP? By imposing the governor rule in Punjab flew out at us that it is PPP itself that wants to undermine its government.

For this service PPP has already extended the tenure of Chief Justice Hameed Dogar for two years so that it can block the way of deposed Chief Justice Chaudry Iftikhar. In case Hameed Dogar leaves the office, there was a chance and probability of Chaudry Iftikhar to come into office once again on his seniority bases. But Zardari is Zardari. He played well on all the fronts. He sidelined Ameen Fahim who was the senior most person of PPP and a reliable hand of Benazir Bhutto. With the tragic murder of Benazir Bhutto, the fame and importance of Ameen Faheem was also murdered. Mr. Yousuf Raza Gillani was placed in the office of prime ministership so that to devaluate Ameen Faheem, who could have made many problems for Asif Ali Zardari. He would have demanded for the parliamentary system of government unlike Yousuf Raza Gillani, who has surrendered to presidential form of government and now he merely is a puppet in the hands of Asif Ali Zardari. What Zia did with Muhammad Khan Junijo, his own introduced Prime Minister, and what Musharraf did with Mir Zafarullah Jamali, is before Yousuf Raza Gillani and he will never commit the blunder to stride for parliamentary form of government. Since the very day of his appearance on the political pulpit as Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yousuf Raza Gillani has been going through the agony of inferiority complex for he has been a pawn in the hands of Asif Ali Zardari. Once, Sir Winston Churchill was asked that whether England will win the war against Germany? Upon this question he asked the questioner that whether the courts in England are working impartially and honestly? The questioner replied in ‘yes’. Then he said this historic sentence “if our courts are working transparently and honestly nothing can defeat this nation”.

Unlike England and other free and independent nations and countries, here judiciary has been a tool to play with, and used against political opponents in almost all governments. It is the same judiciary which passed death sentence against PPP founder and elegant leader Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and allied then dictator Zia-ul-Haq. And now it is the same judiciary which has allied PPP against PML-N.

And once again the court decision and political dispersion has unhinged the political atmosphere in Pakistan that has prepared the grounds for another likely military coup. It seems that Pakistan is not familiar with democracy and it always has been very dear and heavy for the public.

After Munir, the judiciary has been used as a stilt for the military regimes. Ayub Khan, the first dictator, Yahya Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Musharraf, all the four military dictators came to power with abet of judiciary. Chaudry Iftikhar has been an accomplice for taking oath under Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) for two times but for third time he as an expiation of his past two sins stood as adamant rock in the path of stern Musharraf, and became champion of freedom.

PML-N, by demanding for the restoration of deposed judges, the abolition of 17th amendment, went in heights with flying colour whilst PPP came to the ground and smashed for its deceptive role.

PML-N had the support of private media in this fair game of restoration of free and transparent judiciary and it is the only reason that Asif Ali Zardari’s attitude has been becoming intolerant against the journalists.

The political atmosphere still is not that much worse if Zardari tries for rapprochement with PML-N lest the genie will come out of bottle with irreparable damage to the nation as it has endured four military coups partially because of political blunders and partially because of military quest for power politics.

The writer is a FATA-based freelance journalist.

Once an indolent cobbler got a tear in his shoe. He observed that there was only a single split in his shoe and went on ignoring it that some time else he would mend. For nine days, he could not stitched it, because he was too busy in mending the shoes of others. After nine days, when he sit to mend it he found that the single split has reached to nine rips. As repentance, he felt that, had he repaired it in time, the matter would not have reached this point. The moment he accepted his sloth, this valuable saying came out of his mouth that a stitch in time saves nine. Similarly the NWFP government after receiving a huge loss, at length, inked a truce with Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM). The provincial government in this peace deal has full support of the president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari.

When, he visited Peshawar February 06, 2009, Asif Ali Zardari, who is Karachi-based Balochi, threatened the militants in this language, “the militants must know that I am also a tribal and we (the government) will never be lily-livered before them.” Most of the people, who have no political education, whistled that the government this time, is serious enough in coping with the issue of terror, in FATA and Swat. With that he also announced different developmental projects, (but I am sure none of them will come true as I have been hearing such announcements since my childhood but on the ground there is no development either concrete or abstract), will be carried out. For instance, the establishment of factories, the construction of Bara dam, and educational institutions, were the main points of his address to tribal elders. Nonetheless, contrary to past and present announcements, you will see only bleak and barren land, bleak and barren mind and bleak and barren future. These are elusive promises, and announcements, made by the rulers of Pakistan, since the creation of Pakistan. Because of such hollow slogans and keeping the masses of eastern Pakistan deprived of their basic rights and sidelining them from the mainstream of politics, we lost it forever. Now the same has been in repetition here.

When Richard Hollbroke, US special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, called to Asif Ali Zardari, he ensured the envoy that, it will be a temporary deal. It, indeed is, a hazardous path. If it is a temporary peace deal, then what would be done for those displaced people, who are making their return to Swat. In case once again the violence breaks out, it will let loose a more catastrophic series of violence and vitriolic abhorrence and consequently the returnees will join the ranks of militants. Why did the armistice and peace deal in 1994 could not last? The only reason that I could remember is that the government was not serious in overcoming the issue created by TNSM. The then Chief Minister of NWFP, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao played a ploy with TNSM by replacing the word ‘Magistrate’ with ‘Qazi’ and the when Maulana Sufi Muhammad felt that he, and his TNSM has been beguiled into signing the peace accord, it disappeared like a rainbow. One thing, which must be brought into focus, is that, at that time, insurgency was not that much vitriolic and organised, as currently is. Then, in 1999, the peace treaty with TNSM did not bear fruit, and the whole peace journey, dashed headlong.

And once again let me say, the governments since the creation of Pakistan deliberately have ignored this part of the world so that they can milk out aids from America and international philanthropist organisations.

Those, who have some know-how of political education, turned down the announcements of Asif Ali Zardari, mere announcements.

Shortly after his visit the news echoed that NWFP government with the support of Asif Ali Zardari inked truce with Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM), a banned Taliban outfit led by Maulana Sufi Muhammad, instead meeting the militants with iron hands. I am not lamenting that why the government carried out truce with those who had challenged the writ of the government rather I complain that why the government let off them with such a long-margin. The militants did surge overnights rather they made their debut one by one. That was a pragmatic season for their blockade.

The chief minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti called it an historic event but it sparked a volcano of controversy. Since then there is an endless debate on media. It will encourage other factions across the country to impose their own brand of Sharia. It is too much controversial and convoluted. Sun can rise from east, lion and lamb can drink water from same spring but religious leaders belonging to different schools of thoughts cannot be yoked under a unanimous Sharia Law. Each group declares and considers the others to be ‘Kafirs’ or infidels. For instance, a high level judicial Committee of Inquiry (into sectarian riots in 1953), led by the country’s two most prominent judges, after summing up the evidences taken from all major religious groups wind up as follows: Going through the collected evidences it is concluded that neither Deobandis nor Ahl-e-Hadith nor Barelvis nor Shias nor Sunnis, are Muslims. And in an Islamic state, if the government is in the hands of the group, which considers the others to be Kafirs, then in such a case they (Kafirs) must be sentenced with death penalty. When we have seen their intolerances and now been witnessing then why to allow them for such an act, which does not go in favour of nation, and state also. Is not lunacy and madness? According to Einstein, it is lunacy when an experiment is repeated for so many times, chasing different outcomes when it is already gone barren. When there is no unanimity among the different religious outfits and Taliban factions then enforcing of Sharia is a kind of collective suicide. It will yield disastrous and irreparable chaos and cracks.

Indeed, there is no gainsay that before 1969, in Malakand, Sharia was functional, and going well, but now it does not go with the trends of the times. Imitating them, Tehreek-e-Taliban in Waziristan will announce its own brand of Islamic Sharia, and another faction elsewhere. Consequently the state will fall into the hands of intolerants.

The spokesman for Awami National Party (ANP), Zahid Khan extolled the peace deal to the extent that he called Maulana Sufi Muhammad a non-violent Taliban leader. It is as if to call a snake, non-poisonous, and sans fang. A militant cannot be non-violent and a non-violent cannot be a militant. Here we will have to accept that according to the ‘Zahid Khan Theorem’ A is equal to B; hence violence is equal to peace. Accepted, but still there is a “but”. And that “but” is, it can be his political kiting and political jugglery and he must be doing it for his party’s fame that it has succeeded in bringing Taliban to the table of dialogues but Maulana Sahab is not a non-violent leader.

It is vivid than sun that, he is the same Maulana Sufi Muhammad, who led a group of thousands of gullible Pathans to wage a holy war in Afghanistan against America and leaving them in the bleak and barren land he fled back to Pakistan. Hundreds of ‘holy warriors’ were arrested in Afghanistan and kept in cells where they have been languishing until the Afghan government handed over them to Pakistan.

Upon his return he was arrested and thrown behind the bars.

It is also worth mentioning that it is not the duty of a citizen to wage or declare jihad (a holy war). It is the duty of state and its strong organ–army. It is the dilemma in Pakistan that has created the havoc and hellhole in the country. The day until we change our mindset there would chaos in the country in one form or the other. And the day until the government does not introduce FATA and tribals into the mainstream politics, there would be no development in the country. As Sharia Law is parallel to the constitution so is Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR). Is not the duplicitous role? Beyond any doubt it is. Instead enforcing Sharia the government must have abrogated FCR, which is anti-constitutional and anti-humanity. Why the people of FATA want to have Sharia law? It is because; FCR allows collective punishment, where a political agent is omnipotent and more than a monarch. He is judiciary, he and he is executive. It means if he wills he can punish you and if wills he can absolve you. And a tribal has no right to defend himself. This is why tribals prefer Sharia to FCR. It is this black law, which has erupted a sense of hatred and abhorrence among tribal against the state and system. It is on the record that Quaid-e-Azam, the founder and first Governor General of Pakistan was not given permission by the then political agent of Khyber Agency to visit Torkhum then what is the value of an ordinary man in the eyes of a political agent. This is why there has been always revolt and insurgency in this land. Looking into the past peace deals and accords one can easily connote that this one is also a fragrance, which will disappear soon.

The first augury of its failure is that the second day of armistice, Musa Khan Khel, a Swat-based correspondent to Geo News, a private channel and an English daily The News, was killed when he was covering the TNSM-led peace-march in Swat. It is the fourth case of journalist’s murder in Swat. The killing of a journalist was that still there are some forces, which don’t want peace in the valley. Muslim Khan, the spokesman for Tehreek-e-Taliban Swat, denied that its outfit has involvement in this case. Since then different news organisations and civil societies have given vent to their fierce resentment to the murder of Musa Khan Khel. The third day (on February 19, 2009) of peace deal with TNSM, Dera Ismail Khan witnessed a violent scene of suicide bombing. A young man ran into the funeral prayer of a Shia leader and blown himself up. The suicide bombing resulted at the loss of 35 human lives and 150 other casualties. It is the second incident of suicide bombing in funeral prayer. It means the situation is not coming to normalcy.

Though these incidents reduced the importance of the armistice yet there has been a series of debates.

The delegation of TNSM met with the faction of Maulana Fazlullah, the son-in-law of Maulana Sufi Muhammad. Now it is also worth mentioning that how much exertion TNSM and Maulana Sufi Muhammad has in Swat, which is a district of Malakand Division. Maulana Sufi Muhammad has a good circle of influence in Malakand while Swat comes under the noose of Maulana Fazlullah. If there is no consensus between father-in-law and son-in-law, the peace deal will be undermined.

In such a scenario it is not hard to say that the story of Swat and FATA has gone worse. And the truce will be nothing more than a rainbow-armistice, which will disappear soon.

No other profession demands for the sacrifice of one’s life except army whilst equally with that in South Asian context is going the profession of journalism, which demands sacrifice of life. There have been 8-12 cases of journalists’ murders only in Pakistan the past year, which is a clear indication that this ill-fated community has been facing myriad challenges and hurdles. Here it would not be futile, if said that state and non-state actors are responsible alike for obstructing the free flow of information and impartial analysis.

Once a Soviet nonconformist, Yevgeny Yevtushenko said, “when the truth is replaced by silence the silence is a lie. ”

He may have said it for the deadly silence of rulers when they prefer to stay mute especially when there is an hour of crisis, nonetheless if media remains silent then it not only comes under the category of lie but a sin also. A country without rule can go well than a country without press and media. Being impressed of the force of media one of the kings of England said that Times newspaper is powerful than river Thames. It is the fear of press that President Asif Ali has banned, “The Duel: Pakistan on the Flight Path of American Power”–a critical book penned by Tariq Ali. As it is beyond one’s capability to check and gag the flow of information altogether then he must have faced it with open heart instead banning it. And this bane could not mitigate and gag his voice rather the ban catapulted its fame many notches higher than it could have. Going through the history of past despotic monarchs of the world, one can conclude without hesitation that they had faced failure in burying the voice of truth there must not be any uncertainty that in present age of information it will be gagged. And the people, who think that by killing those who raise the voice of truth, they will be triumphant, are badly mistaken. The voice of truth is like flowing water and flowing water makes its way through any means.

The clamant of Islam must keep in mind that it also says, “confound not truth with falsehood, and whosoever confound it, he surely, is a sinner.” Thus beyond any doubt it comes quite clear that it is the utmost duty of a journalist to provide the masses with factual information. In a society like Pakistan and many other developing countries it is possible only when one keeps his or her head at palm. In most of the developing countries the threat is more from non-state actors than governments. Still it is the splendid deed of media that it paved way for democracy in South Asia. It is media, which lashes the rulers for their lapses and voice the grievance of afflicted. It is media in Pakistan, which played a vital role in the knocking down of bigheaded Musharaf. It has been performing its duty well and dauntlessly against the military dictators since long. Many dictators tortured journalists but it was under the regime of Zia-ul-Haq, wherein they were lashed and whipped physically. Beside that many journalists were granted perks and parks but his policy of ‘carrot and stick’ could not prove a magic wand for him and the criticism goes abreast with his persecution. Though, he succeeded in corrupting many journalists and his successors also the same path but could not chock the voice of righteous and conscious.

Musharraf went ahead of him and introduced vilified tradition of ‘abduction and missing’.

During his regime hundreds of journalists mysteriously were abducted which still is a dilemma, as no one knows about their whereabouts.

Still, the dauntless journalists kept free voice up, where as Musharraf had to leave the political arena while licking his wounds. The quandary did not remain only confine to Pakistan but it also affected the entire South Asia.

One can title 2008 as a harbinger of change, as it witnessed general elections in Pakistan. The same year the Rana regime in Nepal came to an end because of the pressure from in and out of the country. In this regard different civil societies including media is worth praising.

Afghanistan is enjoying a bit little freedom but still it has to go a circuitous way against the non-state actors.

Bhutan also said adieu to the centuries-long kingdom and a swanky welcome was given to democracy. In Maldives, the 30-year long dictatorship sagged to pressure from media and other civil societies. When criticism and denigration mounted from multiple corners, at length, general elections in Maldives were held, where the despotic monarch, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom faced a drub by his rival, Ibrahim Nasir, who was journalist and an adamant critic of dictatorship. It all was, is, and would be, indebted to the blessings of media. The freedom that it has today has not been achieved in charity rather journalists watered it with their blood and liver. It is, though relatively a bit little free in west and the US, but to claim that there exists absolute freedom of press and media is no less than a myth. In the US one cannot discuss American foreign military bases, which speak volumes of its military adventurism. And similarly one cannot discuss the US and Israel close ties with a candid-pen.

As media is supposed to be fourth pillar of the state, and reaching this point media fought a long way against the elements, which trammeled its path with iron obstacles. With that change there was a great uproar and tumult not only in Pakistan but also across South Asia. If not exaggeration across the globe the situation remained the same. And 2009 has arrived in a great episode of violence. The past year remained really very much fatal for the journalists in Pakistan where at least eight journalists washed their hands of their lives. The report, issued by the Paris-based Reporters without Borders, says that Pakistan had the second highest death toll for journalists after Iraq where 15 journalists hugged the lap of death. But the report of International Federation of Journalists says that 12 journalists in Pakistan sacrificed their lives in their line of duty. Both the reports are crdible but the latter report was issued recently than the former one.

During the past few years Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad were plague spots for journalists while the environment for journalists in Tribal belt and NWFP was relatively normal. These days the order seems inverted and FATA, PATA and NWFP is a black zone for journalists. Ibrahim who had been working for Express TV and Daily Express from Bajaur was silenced forever in 2008 but those who wanted to burry the voice of free conscience failed and the reporting of violence news goes constantly from that area. Another journalist, Shoaib, who had been a correspondent for Pakistan Press International (PPI) from the militant infested area Mingora, Swat, was shot dead by security forces when he was coming home, back from a hospital of the vicinity after visiting his daughter. After a great deal of resentment the security forces confessed that he was killed mistakenly. The same year Abdul Aziz from Swat linked with daily Azadi was killed in the hideouts of Taliban when the security forces pounded their havens. Allegedly he was abducted by a gang of Taliban and confined to jail until the security forces shelled the entire area.

Such is the life of journalists in the region nonetheless the threat is hovering over the heads of hundreds of journalists still they are carrying their duty out. Currently at least 200 hundred journalists have been working in tribal belt but facing an inscessant series of threats in one way or the other.

A few of them, while giving way to the menaces from state and non-state actors, have preferred to say departure to thier journalistic career. And above all is the cruelty of media owners, who have fired more than 400 journalists across Pakistan under the pretext of global financial crisis. The media owners even did not think for a while how they will feed thier innocent childern in this sheer times of materialism.

The writer is a FATA-based freelance journalist.

Deliberately or ill fatedly this gharib nawaz shehr (a poor friendly city) is now under the grip of this devilish air of beheadings and women kidnappings.

This Shehr-e-Haft Zaban (a city of seven dialects/languages), in the near past, was a thatch and canopy of tranquility and peace for poor and elite alike and where the people from its surroundings used to come in search of their earnings but all that is over now.

Peshawar is also a city, which is quite resembled to Jalalabad where you will see outnumbering Afghan refugees having a flavour of rich Afghan culture. As it has given place right at it’s heart to the Afghan refugees, is a solid example of its openness and tolerance. With that it has also accommodated a huge number of tribal from different agencies.

Ask any elderly man about Qissa Khawani, and he will outburst his nostalgia for this loveliest city of the world. He, even with a choric tone, will say you that it was an akhkulay khar (lovely city) where they used to bring woods from tribal areas for selling it and enjoy its Chapli Kabab (grind meat cakes) and spicy curries available at very low prices—annas (the coin of that age). For the elder tribal Pukhtoons, Dabgari and Qissa Khawani had been favourite places in Peshawar. Now it can be called a golden past completely shrouded in past memories and buried under the dust of history. When the former President, Pervaiz Musharaf took a sharp U-turn on Pakistan’s foreign policy, the air of this intolerance was not unexpected in this city for it is home to different races. For that, the grounds were prepared since long but he was here just to win all the disgraces and blames for this intolerance and widespread anarchy in the region.

It is now a city where the business class feels itself very much insecure. It is the business class, which provides capital to the business wheels of an area. When such a class becomes the target of kidnappers and terrorists they prefer to take out its investments from the area. Such an act of capital-drain occurred a few days back when most of the investors felt themselves, their families and investments at risks. Most of the businessmen who were residents of Hayatabad, a posh township on the west of Peshawar and east of Khyber Agency, have transferred their businesses to Islamabad. According to the president of Anjuman-e-Tajeraan (the council of traders), Haji Muhammad Afzal, this fear of insecurity has badly affected the business of Peshawar. It has nearly brought the business on the brink of collapse. The factories for their owners have turned into no go areas. As it is said that belly teaches all the arts. This need of belly and stomach has dragged ‘he and she’ both in this black game of kidnappings.

Male kidnappers have carried out nearly 15-20 cases successfully with the accomplice of women kidnappers.

This has seriously affected the daily wages of factory workers and there must not be any doubt that the fresh glut of jobless in near future will join hands either with kidnappers or Taliban. For, Taliban also provide its supporters with 10-15 thousands rupees. And for a poor person usually unskilled and a good-for-nothing who barely earns such a handful wage else where surely will join the ranks of the Taliban, using the cloak of religion where he feels contented and his mind never makes him restless that he is doing a wrong. Rather contrary to it he feels that as if he is doing a good job. As the Taliban have killed many rogues elements in tribal areas so the kidnappers have turned their faces towards cities where they are fully absorbed in kidnappings.

With the advent of 2009, more than 14 people have been kidnapped including a child. Among them only Alam Zeb Mujahid, who is a celebrity name in the world of Pushto comedy, was kidnapped by a religious group and was released on the condition of joining Tablighee Jamat (the preachers constellation). Rests of the people have been kidnapped for ransom. The owner of Arshad cinema in Khyber bazaar Peshawar was also kidnapped, and after a great deal of efforts, he was released. The past year Hayatabad and many other places like Kohat road, Mathra road and Pushtakhra road were no go areas for the ‘haves’ people. And this year also these areas are favourite hunting places for the kidnappers.

They not only kidnap but also kill very heinously if someone resists. The past year, the kidnappings which made headlines in news papers and news channels were the cases of Afghan designate-Ambassador, Abdul Khaliq Farahi, Saeed Ahmad an American nationality holder and owner of a pharmaceutical, Iranian Consulate Commercial Attaché, Hashmatullah Athar Zada, and the Director of an NGO, Shakir Ishaq.

Nearly 160 people were released either by the ransom or police efforts. By now more than 145 kidnappers have been nabbed during the police crackdowns but anyhow it has not discouraged the trend of kidnappings, as it still is rampant in the capital city of the province. Overall the number of kidnapped the past year was 220 including women and children and this year also the rate is going with same pace. Within a span of just two months there have been no less than 21 cases of kidnappings. Yesterday, four people were kidnapped from this capital city in different cases on Feb. 3, 2009.

The natives of Peshawar have never seen such horrific scenes of humans’ rights violations since partition, as these days it has been witnessing. There must not be any doubts when the British Raj took Peshawar in its clasp, a reign of terror was unleashed and before them the Sikhs under the rule of Ranjeet Singh who had the support of France had opened the floodgates of persecutions against the natives of this land. The Sikhs used to scaffold every day two believers from the dazzling minarets of the historical Masjid-e-Muhabat Khan. That is past, and Peshawar once again is under the rule of tyranny and terror unleashed by the kidnappers, criminals and the Taliban. But this time Muslim is under the reign or horror by Muslim.

In such a scenario one bewilders and it is really very hard to decide where to seek shelters and where to go.

Peshawar has been bleeding profusely and such inhuman trends crept in at the capital city of NWFP, and also its adjacent areas, which were completely unknown in the Pukhtoons three thousand years recorded history. Among such devilish trends, the kidnappings of women and the beheadings of men are blemished examples. There have been many cases of kidnappings but it could not harass the inhabitants of this capital city as the recent two cases of kidnappings and beheadings.

Rafeeullah, a Pabbi-based Peer (a religious leader who belongs to Sufi school of thought and believe in witchcraft and amulets), was kidnapped from district Nowshehra on January 17, 2009. After a few days his beheaded body was found in Pushtakhara, Peshawar. The letter, which was found near his body has the inscriptions; “the people who run the businesses of amulets, blowing and witchcraft will hug the same fate.” It means that this one is a bleak example of sectarianism. The previous day —February 1, 2009, two Afghan women were found dead in Achini Khwar (the gully of Achini) Peshawar, completely disrobed and nude. A few days ago, they were kidnapped from Peshawar. The letter, which was found with the dead bodies of the two women, had the caption, “the consequence of moral perversion and lewdness is the same.” The kidnappers have very cunningly tried to avert the public fury by labeling them as immoral and showing it a case of honour killing.

To the expectations of the kidnappers, some of the people consider it a likely case of honour killing. But many skeptical people rejected it as a case of honour killing. If it were the case as many people think then why a relative should be a (father, brother and uncle) throw away the defaced dead body in a nude state for a nightlong duration instead burying them. It is not that simple to call it a case of honour killing, like the one in Balochistan where two women were buried alive the past year. Indeed that was purely an honour killing case and their relatives confessed where as in this case such a statement did not appear.

Beside it at least 38 women including some teenagers also were entrapped in elopement and later they were kidnapped or handed over to tugs. At least eight women have been released either by police raids or ransom and rests of the women still are entangled in the hands of the kidnappers.

As it is said that nothing is sure except death in future, this maxim comes very true to the atmosphere in Peshawar. If you steps out of home, no one can guarantee you that you will be back home and safe, such is life these days in Peshawar. Every day you will hear the howling sounds of emergency-horns as if some foreign power is to invade Peshawar. But in reality these are the sounds of mobile-police’s vehicles, the vehicles of provincial ministers and its’ security guards. Just 7-8 years back this capital city was totally unfamiliar with such airs.

This is not an exaggeration but a long-sustained reality.

In such a scenario, majority of the people believe that the current wave of Talibanisation is a by-product of allying the US in its war on terror so they believe that the appearance of kidnapers is the by-product of Talibanisation. It simply means, when Pakistan allied the US in its war on terror, Taliban surged on the land of tribal and when they made their debut so the kidnappers also but on the land of Peshawar. The Taliban have challenged the writ of government overtly while the kidnappers have also but covertly. Both the factions (the Taliban and the kidnappers) stand apart ideologically but they have one thing in common and that is the use of allegation. Like the allegation of terrorism, which the US has been using against its enemies as a lethal weapon, the kidnappers and the Taliban have also adopted the same weapon of allegations. It is an easy and effective tool to blame a murdered person by keeping a letter to mitigate the chances of public fury. In northern-Waziristan, the Taliban used it for the first time by labeling their enemies as involved in spying for the US. It traveled from there to Bajaur and now the kidnappers have been using it in Peshawar.

The day Pakistan allied the US in its war on terror, such anarchy, rule of terror and inhuman crimes were destined for the region. Before that one fails badly to grope out such acts of crimes and inhumanity in the history of Peshawar and its adjoining areas.

As Islam says that human is black by nature and many western philosophers also believe the same. When the Second World War brought devastation on a massive scale then western philosophers start thinking whether human is black by nature or lenient. And now we are observing that human is black by nature. It is education, society and the rule of law and the threat of punishment that keeps him or her abstained from doing inhuman and brutal acts. Simply it means where the rule of law and the writ of government ends, starts from there the rule of terror and inhumanity. And it is no denying the fact that anarchism fans the fire of intolerance and Peshawar these days has come in the grip of kidnappers and zero tolerance time.

The writer is a FATA-based freelance journalist.

Swat is that ill-fated region of the country, which witnessed world’s longest curfew, and FATA since long is under the rule of fear. Not only FATA but also Peshawar, which is the capital city of NWFP and once a valley of flowers and fragrance, is now the valley of horror. Like that Balochistan’s capital city Quetta is also bleeding with sectarianism and is jerking with separatist movements. Amid all the chaos we hear news- statements that all is normal. It does not come from the media or the masses but from those who are sitting in the echelons of power.

Two Balochi businessmen were killed by the police in Karachi a few weeks back, which unleashed a widespread condemnation from Baloch nationalists across the country and the other day two Punjabis were shot dead by some unknown people in Quetta. As it is obvious that the capital city of Balochistan has been bleeding with sectarianism but this act of terror is apparently an act of retaliation to the loss of two Balochis in Karachi. If the government either in center or province had tackled it properly the situation must not had taken such a rapturous turn. The nations who don’t learn lessons of the history lost their self-ego and respect in world community and also go into bondage of another nations. Because of this deadly denialism we lost our eastern wing of Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh. But it seems that our leadership did not take lessons of that great historic debacle.

And the same story and episode of denialism that culminated at the breakage of Pakistan in 1970s has been once again in repetition. That was because of our wrong domestic policy and it is today our wrong domestic policy that is responsible for all the chaos around us. Tariq Ali, a UK-based left wing journalist and editor of New Left Review, exiled in 1960s from Pakistan on account of his candor, says “it is a country where everything is on sale. And it is a country, which is on the flight path of American power.” Looking at his views, it is easy to deduce that every country chalks out its foreign policy in accordance with its national interests but here the story goes opposite.

Gallop Survey conducted the past year says that 2008 stood one of the worst years out of the past 25-year. As the government has been in addiction to denialism so denied the Gallop Survey also.

Like past year, 2009 came with a myriad of challenges and crises. But to hear the statements of government officials one feels that as if Pakistan is vying with Norway, a country, which did not, witnessed a single event of violence the past year.

But very much spiteful to the hopes and wishes of the nation are the statements of Yousuf Raza Gillani, the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the NWFP minister for information. According to them there is quite a normalcy in Swat and FATA. It means all the hues and cries of the masses against the government and the self-styled Taliban is nothing but gibberish. And the news broadcasted and telecasted is nothing but propaganda against the government.

And equally it means that every body is wrong except the elite class in Pakistan. When the elite class has gone intellectually bankrupt and has fissured a trust deficit between the rulers (themselves) and ruled (the masses) then there must be an end to this culture of elite class exceptionalism. And I think media in Pakistan is playing its role well against this culture of exceptionalism. Though it is rooted in human nature that it does not accept its lapses and wrongs but one at least must try to overcome this fatal trend, which is growing among the elite with leaps and bounds these days. The politicians must keep in their bleak desert of mind that it is not that simple that a reality well loss its weight just to deny it. We have a Pushto proverb that deems fit on the statements of the government officials; “Nmur pha gotha nha pategei,” which can be surmised in English as “a finger cannot conceal the sun rather it is the eye of the seer that feels so.” It is usually said in such times when some one tries to belie a glowing reality. Here it must not be construe that the new government must accept its weaknesses and abdicate the power center. It will bring more disastrous consequences to avoid a possible military overtake, as it has been in murmur that a possible military overtake is to come.

When the government has lost its credibility among the masses, then it is its duty to rebuild it instead defacing it further with denying the ground realities. And it would be no less than a miracle to rebuild its credibility. For that it will have to go a long and pragmatic way. And that is possible with devotion and good governance. For that the leadership will have to put the masses on a pragmatic track, for no supper natural being will come to ameliorate the worsening situations in Pakistan. We have been hearing the masses blaming their leadership, which seems acceptable but yester-night I heard a politician in his interview to a foreign media organisation blaming the masses for all the upheavals in the country. Strange enough it is when he exaggerated his views with a rubbish of arguments. For instance he embanked his frail notions with arguments that the masses rarely pay their taxes and also are responsible for electricity line losses. At that time he must have kept in mind his party’s leadership which has been famous for money-laundering case and which came here after a long exile because of a clandestine deal with the former unquestioned president of Pakistan (Musharraf).

It is very saddening that the federal government is crazy after enlarging its cabinet size and gave space to five new ministers in federal cabinet.

Imitating the federal the provincial government is running after increasing the salaries of its provincial ministers. In such a scenario what the masses should do and where it should go? Should they look forward for Taliban to come and snatch the power of these political jugglers? Surely no. For, they also are vandalists and deeply sexists.

Then the government must end the fiasco of terror. The rulers must keep in view that now the age is over when the politicians had the art of befooling the masses with hollow slogans.

Mian Iftikhar Sahab no parents will to put the lives their children at bet by sending them to schools in Swat. Then what meaning should be taken of your statement that all the government schools would be opened in time and the schools were not closed because of the threats from the Taliban but winter?

If it is so, then why the government has decided to deploy well equipped and quick response security teams on educational centres in Swat? The decision of government is welcomed but it is not an affective solution of the issue because it is equal to playing with the lives of the children of the nation. The issue is not that much easy to be addressed. It turned more convulsed when Maulana Fazlullah issued a list of 86 politicians keeping them in “wanted” category. The list includes the names of former ministers and incumbent ones and it became public when he named them during his speech on his illegal FM channel.

Now it is the real test of the government and the politicians that whether still they deny it or take it serious, for this time the monster has fallen on them. And the government officials will know whether the entire region is under the reign of abnormality and anarchy or not which they have been belying. A person is free until he or she is let free by the Taliban. If they want to kill their targets they can kill anytime—day or night. Some militants, near Bajri, an area which is an appendage to Sarband Peshawar or in simple words where the writ of the provincial government and its police ends and the writ of political administration starts, snatched away a van of lady teachers. When the teachers went to the near by police station to lodge an FIR, the police refused to register it, calling the area out of its duty-line and when they went to lodge FIR with Khyber Khasadar Force, it also refused to do so. It does not mean that the area does not come under the duty-circle of either party but because of fear and terror from Taliban, no party was ready to investigate into the case.

Then the question is what the government really wants by assuring the masses with hollow statements instead seeking ways and means for its solution?

Does it mean the candid journalists, who put their lives in risks for fair reporting, are constantly misleading the public, providing them with first hand and critical information as the president in Peshawar Chamber of Commerce during his visit called the journalists as terrorists. Its forerunner government under the dictatorship of Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf used to allege the journalists responsible for fanning Talibanisation by depicting the Taliban as heroes. Being a dictator, Musharraf did not attack journalists in Pakistan that much seriously as Asif Ali Zardari has been doing now. Looking at his attitude it is far easier to conclude that civil dictator is more detrimental than military ones. Here the comparison must not be taken as the appreciation of military regimes. Dictatorship in any form and any dress is condemnable and intolerable. But is it fair to call journalists as terrorists, and it is then, when they are reporting the stark facts.

By now the self-imposed and state agencies grown Taliban have torched more than 175 schools and other dozens of government buildings in Swat but the masses hear the statements emanated from the government officials that there is no chaos in the region and if there is a small scale disturbance, and soon it will be subdued. The masses are waiting since long for that “soon” to come and see the chaos at it wannig scene. The demolition and detonation of the educational intuitions have affected the future of nearly 75,000 students in valley Swat. Each single school requires Rs. 03 million to be rebuilt and collectively it will take 525 million. The construction of a school needs a span of two years. Now it is easy to feel the aggregate loss inflected by the Taliban on Swat. With that equally goes in the region the tourism and hotel industry in loss.

Looking to the bitterness of the situations in Swat the Eliot Police Force of 3,000 Jawans has refused to carry out its duty in this terror-stricken region. It is a region where Maulana Fazlullah-led Taliban have severed the ears of police constables and many have been hacked to death. Then where is the weight and reality in the statements of the government officials? And where is the writ of the government. And blaming neighbours is also futile and immature. I f there is a tinge of reality that RAW, Mosasad and Khad are hell-bent on creating violence in Pakistan then why like India it does not take the case into UN’s Security Council?

Surely there is no tinge of reality. That is all acts of naked hypocrisy against its own masses by its rulers and Islam says that the lowest place in hell is reserved for the hypocrites. And quite resembled to that says Danton, a great French revolutionist, “the lowest place in hell is reserved for those who opt to stay neutral in an hour of crisis.” But here the people who are there in the helms authority have not only stayed neutral in this hour of crises but also denied it. I don’t know which place in hell they will find but it is obvious that equally accomplice with the terrorists and vandalists, the denialism of the rulers is a deadly dilemma.

The writer is a FATA-based freelance journalist.

Dear Mr. Barack Hussein Obama,

We, members of the “Afghanistan’s Students Movement” congratulate you for your success in the Presidential elections of the United States of America, which we consider a sign for a better future. Your presence in the political arena of the world will rearrange many political equations and will create a different system that we hope can bring about the opportunity for global peace. We are optimistic that you, not only as an aware political organizer, but also as a charismatic and wise leader, will be the initiator of another generation of powerful leaders committed to human values that the world has been waiting for.

Let us admit this honestly: We have all lost hope. The flame of hope that had been lightened in our hearts after year 2001 in Afghanistan has been transformed to a blind knot of doubt and darkness due to the misleading policies and political disability in Afghanistan. The hope and will to live has decreased in last six years while terrorism and drug production has increased. The highest rates of mother and infant mortality are in Afghanistan, (MMR 6500 in Badakhshan). For every four kids, one dies before reaching age five. (Afghanistan Human Development report 2007 p.27).

Poverty, social disorder, kidnapping, violence against women and children and many of other problems have struck the heart of society in Afghanistan. We think that your attention and focus in Afghanistan should shift from the Taliban’s terrorism to Afghanistan’s society. Our society is in such a painful and deteriorating situation that it has inevitably become a cradle for terrorism and fundamentalism. We should not forget that Afghanistan has been a victim of the West’s struggle against communism, a struggle that continued for two decades with the resistance of people of Afghanistan and saved the countries in region and world, a resistance that left nothing for Afghanistan’s people but a malfunctioning social system, more than two million dead, five million emigrants, three illiterate generations, fundamentalism and wide poppy fields.

We have no doubt that the neglect by the international community and USA after the departure of Soviet forces, and the fall of the Communist state led to civil war and then emergence of Taliban in Afghanistan. This neglect provided an opportunity for development of the most dangerous and darkest fundamentalist regime on the globe in Afghanistan in less then seven years.

The attention of the international community and especially the United States should shift to Afghanistan’s society. A society that is sick and on the brink of death can only be saved by a well thought out and efficient method and a collaborative international effort. Fundraising and providing loans alone can not prevent a crisis; there is a need for coordinating the country’s political direction. We believe that if the future leader of the USA continues the mistakes of George W. Bush, and fights the world with the ideological simplification of good and evil, we will soon witness the fall of Afghanistan’s government which is a symbol of global governance and influence, and the sad result will be that an unforgivable and irreversible catastrophe will shadow the region
and the world.

You must know that although branches of terrorism are in Afghanistan, its roots are in the depths of oil reserves in Saudi Arabia and the nuclear weapons in Pakistan. The free tribal regions in Pakistan can be a safe shelter for development of fundamentalist power equipped with nuclear armament in near future. The future US administration should also know that the Taliban had reasonable opportunities in the last seven years that, intentionally or not, were provided for them by the West and the Government of Afghanistan. The Taliban that the USA will be fighting in 2009 are not the Taliban of 2001. The empowered Taliban now have modern armaments, know the tactics of organized war, and have a budget, financial power, and more support in the region. The Taliban are now more organized and have attracted many local militia groups. Experience shows that negotiation and power-sharing with the Taliban will not change the situation, but will help the injured snake of Taliban fundamentalism become a seven headed dragon.

We believe that the contradiction between the structure and essence of government has led to political failure in Afghanistan. The structure of Afghanistan’s government contradicts its nature. The government has a modern and democratic structure, but a tribal and traditional essence. This hypocritical incompatibility has caused increasing political and economic corruption and has led to destruction of society. The tribal structure of government has led to rechanneling the American reconstruction aid to the Taliban’s terrorism. This structure has allowed for the presence of heads of political parties, members of Taliban, Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami (Islamic Party), and ex-communists in parliament, government and smaller branches of power. In fact, these people are the main decision makers in the political process of country.

Most of the members of the parliament do not have the least legal literacy and have come to power through a process that has a legitimate cover (elections), but is in nature undemocratic. Decision makers in provincial councils, parliament and cabinet are representatives of ethnic and linguistic divisions and interests of leaders of various factions. The procedure for election and functions of Senate (Upper House) are similar to that of an ethnic Jirga. The members of provincial councils, Parliament and cabinet have come to power depending on support of ethnic and linguistic fractions and are not committed to formation of a stable, sustainable and encompassing national value system.

The concept and position of political parties is ambiguous and vague in Afghanistan’s power structure, and the leaders of parties in the government use the opportunities and public resources for strengthening their parties. The leaders of parties like the Afghan Millat Party, the Republican Party, the Wahdat (Unity) Party, and a few other parties have seats in important government branches from the ministries to the presidential office and this has created a conflict of interests and inefficiency within the power structure. Decision making and effective action at a national level requires cooperation between different government organs, but with the current state of power imbalance, coordination and cooperation is almost impossible. Each party tries to please its own supporters and its loyal sub-groups and this has led to increasing corruption and has created obstacles for reconstruction. Without an efficient and implementable reconstruction program, poverty and the reach of fundamentalism will expand and increase.

In addition, the modern state with a free market economy, which was a direct suggestion of President George W. Bush for Afghanistan, has led to poverty and increasing class disparity. The current economic model in Afghanistan has created a breeding ground for economic mafia. All the governmental (public) sectors and national mines and resources of Afghanistan have been handed over to private companies that are managed by a network of corrupt politicians and politically influential business owners. We believe that the information that is given to you from the official sources of Afghanistan’s government and even their partners in power (The National United Front) is usually incorrect and misleading and is packaged to create a vague and unreal optimism. In fact, the international community has not been able to create the most primary form of stable and influential government in Afghanistan despite a huge expenditure of aid. Each election carries the risk of a coup.

Complicating matters, a misleading image of the situation in order to justify the Western “war against terrorism” and the expenditure of billions of dollars. The military budget of the USA in Afghanistan and Iraq, derived from the taxes of American citizens, and which was supposed to bring security, health and prosperity for Afghanistan’s women and children has instead provided the Taliban with modern armaments that kill dozens of innocent people everyday. We are certain that Afghanistan’s problems will not be solved only with militarism and sending more troops. With the current state of affairs, this plan is far more certain to worsen the situation.

Our suggestions:

1 – Change in political structure: Ratification of the presidential system in constitutional Loya Jirga in 2003 prevented formation of a strong central government with the natural participation of all ethnic groups. By suggesting another convention of Loya Jirga, you can create an atmosphere of trust and ensure the presence of all ethnic groups in the Afghan government and a shift from a presidential system to a parliamentarian system. That will allow all Afghanistan’s citizens to feel equal belonging and responsibility to the political system of the country for the first time. This will also create the opportunity for abolition of ethnic quota that only benefits the former Jihad leaders. It will allow people from all different ethnicities to participate freely and equally.

2 – The parliamentarian government and federal system has proved efficient in Iraq. Participation of all ethnic groups and parties in the federal system has ensured the rights of minority groups and their participation in formation of a stable system. You should also suggest the federal system for Afghanistan. Five zones of Afghanistan can be five independent states which will help formation of strong local economies, and the non-concentrated political system can be more coordinated and efficient. In Afghanistan, formation of a concentrated powerful government system is very difficult due to its geography and limited resource. The almost homogenous
ethnic, linguistic and religious population of each state (zone) can prevent conflicts.

3 – Strengthening civil society: We believe the situation could be improved dramatically by decreasing the military budget and investing more in the social sector. There is no doubt that this shift will have a more positive influence, be an easier strategy, and will result in quick and long lasting outcomes for ensuring peace and stable society in Afghanistan. Afghanistan needs social change and this is only possible by strengthening civil organizations, not by increasing the military force.

4 – Stabilizing the issues related to political geography of Afghanistan. The 2700 Kilometer southern border of Afghanistan with the free tribal regions of Pakistan has helped terrorism to have a continuous movement in the region.

5 – Be firm with the Taliban. The US and international community’s soft policies against Taliban has led to strengthening fundamentalism in the region, and especially in Pakistan, and will continue to do so. The possibility of terrorists’ access to nuclear armament does not seem far away anymore.

6 – The bureaucratic system in the country is still run in the communist style and is inflated. It needs to be reduced, and there needs to be a move towards more regulation and transparency.

7 – The economic system should shift from the uncontrolled free market economy. Formation of monitoring governmental bodies can prevent waste of national resources. A mixed economy system is the best option and economic model for a country that does not have anything. In the current situation, the government and ministries have given over their responsibility to private sector that has weakened public services’ ability to serve the poor.

8 – Any big aid package to Afghanistan’s government should be conditioned on lack of corruption. Corruption is one of the biggest reasons for discontent among Afghanistan’s population. Request transparency and just and equal distribution of aid. The unjust distribution of international aid has led to estrangement of different groups of Afghanistan’s population from government and the international community. This critical issue, if not remedied, could, in the long term, further encourage people of these regions to support armed opposition of government.

Mr. President, we have hope that you will not let humanity be disregarded in Afghanistan.

In Solidarity and Cooperation,
Afghanistan’s Students’ Movement - The overseas office

13.02.2009
Shaharzad Akbar
BA student (senior year)
Anthropology and Development
Smith College in Northampton, Massachusett
Email: shaharzadakbar[at]yahoo.com

Sayed Asef Hossaini
MA Student
Erfurt School of Public Policy
Germany
Email: s_asefhosaini[at]yahoo.com

Every December 18th, Qatar celebrates the National Day in commemoration of the historic day in 1878 when Shaikh Jassim, the founder of the State of Qatar, succeeded his father, Shaikh Muhammad Bin Thani, as the ruler and led the country toward unity.

This national occasion emphasizes the identity and history, embodies the ideals and visionary aspirations that this country was founded on, and pays homage to the great men and women who participated in building Qatar’s nation. December 18th is the day everyone remembers how national unity was achieved and how became a distinct and respected nation out of a society torn apart by conflicting tribal loyalties, devoid of security and order, and overrun by invaders.

Just few days ago – December 2008, Qatar celebrated National day in style! It was a day to cherish and a night to remember as Qatar’s history, achievements and visions were presented in all its glory to an admiring public and curious onlookers.

Thousands gathered at the Corniche to witness the shows—from the parade in the morning, to the light and water show in the afternoon and early evening, to the spectacular display of fireworks at 10pm. Under the motto Day of Unity, Loyalty and Pride, Qatar celebrated its National Day to commemorate Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammad bin Thani’s victory against the Ottomans and later achieved statehood for Qatar. December 18, 1978, marked a turning point in the history of modern Qatar. On that day, Sheikh Jassim was proclaimed Emir and is remembered in the history of the Persian Gulf as the tribal ruler who stood against the Ottomans at the battle in Wajba in March 1893. He died on July 17, 1913. An Army Show was presented on the 18th morning along the Corniche. The military parade, which was included the Armed Forces, the Interior Ministry and the Internal Security Forces “Lekhwiya,” the Emiri guard, all led by soldiers on horseback and camels wearing traditional uniforms, lined the streets along the Corniche at 9:30am. Cheers and applause greeted the participants of the parade. A one-and-a-half hour air show followed, where members of the Air Force participated. Not to be outdone, the Navy joined in the revelries using old sailing vessels and speed boats with the supply boat Mikhbat. Viewers witnessed the slide shows about Qatar’s history, heritage, achievements, values and visionary aspirations on the giant screens positioned on high-rise buildings and in Doha Bay.

The Muslims and Hindus lived for at least 850-year together in India but without overt enmity, oppression and violence.

Indeed the Hindus looked towards the Muslims as aliens and invaders but preferred them to the British. Both the cow-eaters and the cow-worshippers fought combined against the British Raj. Consequently they succeeded in expelling the Britishers from this land of odd traditions. But the colonial power shattered the frayed unity of both the Muslims and Hindus by unjust distribution of assets, keeping Kashmir unsolved. And the issue still is a bone between the two dogs–here the word dog must not be taken for disgrace and contempt rather for instance. Both the countries chalked out their foreign policies on hostile lines. Since then the enmity has mounted many times. Today, Pakistan is more religiously intolerant than was achieved. Same is the case of India. The purported and self-styled religious clerics in both the countries have dripped the venom of hatred so much that the two–Muslims and Hindus stand poles apart. Here is the need to rewrite the foreign policies in the two countries. It is needed to expurgate the textbooks in both the countries that teach the language of hate and sentimentality.

Pick any book from Pakistani institutions and you will see what is wrong with. And pick any book from Indian state sponsored educational institutions and you will see how its nascent buds are taught and an anti-Pakistani secret message. As both the countries are developing where most of the people cannot go higher than graduation and they don’t know the hidden hands behind their curricula which try to mould their mind set in the way as the hidden hands want. What is that hidden hand? It is the elite class which has been using and exploiting the masses. It sends their children to Europe and American, who has the right to know, to mould and to rule. It is the same hidden hand, which has divided the Muslims and Hindus in South Asia.

There are more than 38 illegal FM channels in Pakistan wherefrom the religious clerics teaches its followers the language of abhorrence, hatred and sectarianism. And they don’t talk much about India but its own Muslims in Pakistan to be tortured and killed. Then who poses a serious threat to Pakistan. For me these stations, its runners and the self-styled Taliban have been posing a serious threat to the masses of Pakistan than India. In 1965 Pak-India war the death toll was nearly four thousand and causalities were less than unleashed in the current wave of terrorism. If we compare the loss of lives and causalities inflected on the masses from these terrorists is four times greater than that. Then why not to call them a threat?

If India attacks, let suppose, and most of the intellectuals believe it will never attack, but we would be united and will fight it with unity. And the enemy would be obvious and opposite. But in case of Taliban–or homegrown enemies, they are carrying out bomb explosions, killing the innocent and down to earth natured poor people, and persecuting but without declared war. It is an enemy in dark. Who carried out more than 17 suicide attacks only in Swat during the past year?

Who masterminded and carried out no less than 70 remote-control bomb explosions in Swat? Who razed 122 schools to earth and colleges including 84 girls’ institutions? More than 18 bridges have been damaged but who is behind it? More than 12 police stations have been assaulted and damaged but can any one explain who, by whom and why? Who kidnapped more than 68 security personal personnel during the past year? Who invoked to the military operation in Swat, which resulted at the destruction of hundreds of houses, and migration of more than 50,0000 people from the area? The terrorist or India? Only one masjid (Babri Masjid) was demolished in India and that shook not only Pakistanis but also the entire Islamic world but more than 40 masajid have been destroyed but went unsung. It is either because of the fear of the Taliban or because it is all done in the name of religion. But the fear of Taliban rules only in tribal belt and NWFP but why the rest of Pakistanis preferred for silence. As a journalist one cannot put life at stake for candid reporting from FATA and Swat. By now three journalists had to wash their hands of their lives in Swat. Who has banned the polio vaccination in the remote areas of NWFP and tribal agencies? And why to sharpen our teeth and show honed jaws to Indians. The word Indians must be taken in broader context contrary to BJP, VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal’s definition. Such Indianism comes under the definition of Hindutva-fascism. To all these questions the answer is not India. Then why to blame India? That is very easy to blame others for one’s own faults and lapses. Unfortunately the government officials and the politicians are already addicted to it instead seeking ways and means for solutions. And always they are at it to exonerate themselves, which indeed is not the solution. We have a proverb in Pushto, “che ghal de da kora we no mela ba de spora we”. It can be taken in English; “an in-home thief /enemy is sufficient for your destruction”. When we have an enemy in home there is no need to have from outside. And the statement of Tehreek-e-Taliban and other militant outfits is beyond understanding and is really ridiculous. According to these outfits they are as patriotic as the rest of Pakistanis and if India attacks they will fight them abreast with Pakistani forces. Is it not their insanity? If they are so patriotic then why they have set their home ablaze?

We must put our home aright than to blame others. India is not that much a threat as these miscreants who have unleashed a reign of terror specifically in FATA.

This all is carried out under the nose of the establishment. The government in NWFP has coined an attractive but lethal excuse that FATA is not a part of the province.

We have been hearing this excuse since long and the federal is also escapist on this issue. Escapism and allegationism are tools, which have been in use, but the terror and the military operation in Swat is enough to be an eye-opener fact. Ask any Swati about the Taliban and abruptly he will start cursing the government and abusing Taliban. Have you ever seen a human yoked for plowing fields instead ox or heard a story. If not, you can see and hear the story in FATA.you must have seen or heared about the stories about hurling acid at the faces of schoolgirls but must have not seen or heard about yoking and plowing by men.

This trangression against the mild and lenient laws of mild and true Islam. And such acts of bleak barbarism have defaced the true picture of religion.

It is also unripe and misleading to allege India for all the chaos in FATA. Even, if it is accepted then comes the question that who is behind the terror game in valley Swat. Because it has no direct frontiers with any neighbouring countries and it is not a part of FATA–an area that is being considered in Pakistan, as unruly but is an area, which comes under the control of provincial government. Then wherefrom Swat (once the Switzerland of Pakistan and one of the favourite tourists spot) is receiving aid in money and weapons? Why the state agencies have not traced out the hands behind it. Or they know it but deliberately look the other way. If that is so, then the masses have the right to know the expediency of the government in it. Since 2002 more than 700 terrorists have been handed over to foreigners and more than 3000 have been put behind the bars but none of them were dragged into the law courts. And none of them were proven guilty and punished. Had the governments in Pakistan done so, it would have discouraged the rest of terrorists and would have overcome the sagging confidence of the masses. No nabbed terrorist has been shown on media punished for his or her crimes but we hear news-statements just about figures. No journalist knows about the sequel of the detainees. In return the outcome is doubt from the masses.

A few days back I had a chance to hear Voice of America and heard the comments of different callers from across the Pakistan especially NWFP.

Ignorance, religious and anti-Hindu sentimentalities gushed out of their mouths. And same is the attitude of those Indians who can be kept under the catagory of haves not. They are the selfsame emblem of religious intolerance, ignorance, hatred and anti-Pakistan sentiments. Here ignorance does not mean the lack of education but the famine of well and timely thinking. Their sentimentalities don’t go with the trend of the times as of the Taliban in Pakistan. The political classes in both the countries know very well that there is no enmity between the two states at all and when they meet in foreign, they meet like friends. Even there is a rumour that some of the political elites from India and Pakistan have combined businesses in foreign countries. If the rumour is true then why this duplicity? Is it not a deadly and contemptuous game against the poor people of the two countries?

But this is all done under the cloak of jingoism, nationalism and patriotism. And it is all done from elite but for misleading the masses. The day when the masses will realise that it is all a game, will they allow their politicians and governments to allocate a huge portion of its fiscal budgets for defence. Will they allow a third world country like Pakistan, where the 40 percent people live under the poverty line to construct new general head quarter (GHQ) in Islamabad. It requires more than 70 billion rupees ( Pakistani currency). Is it fair and just to builed it at the cost of poverty, low literacy rate and militancy in a country where the poor are committing suicides because of searing poverty. A few years back 23 percent people in Pakistan were below poverty line while in India the ratio was 40 percent. Today the order is totally opposite.

The new GHQ in Islamabad would be constructed on the design of the five-sided building of Pentagon. For that purpose 1400 acres of land has been allotted which is phase-III of Defence Complex project. It is appreciable that General Ishfaq Pervaiz Kiani has ordered to stop its construction because of global recession. Here it must not be construe that we must not be strong in defence but at least those who chalked out the project must have taken the poor into consideration. India also has the same mentality and allocating huge defence budget for its military adventurism. It is doing it under the pretext of bolstering its defence but like Pakistan at the cost of poverty and religio-perversion of its masses.

It woul also be better to concentrate on the in-home enemy for it has demonised Pakistan among world communities as a plague spot. And it is necessary to change the militant psyche of general public into a moderate and tolerant one. It requires a long and steady efforts to mittigate it. India also has to do the same if it wants peace in the region. If the Muslims and Hindus could live in past as a nation for centuries with out violence and antagonism at least they can live as peaceful neighbours for millenia in future.

With that ther is growing need to re-write foreign policies in the two states with the ink of not only tolerance but sympathy on the paper of devotion, wherein there is no hint of hatred. And that is it.

The writer is FATA-based freelance journalist.

Since the Mumbai carnage the clouds of war have been hovering over the heads of the two nuclear states.

With each passing day the war-hysteria was mounting which invited to the foreign influence. From America to the Britain and from China to Saudi Arabia all the countries exerted their influence over the two countries. The issue was bedeviled by the obduracy of India. The media in India, Pakistan and the US fanned the war phobia equally. Especially the electronic media left no stone unturned in igniting the war hysteria. The three media in the countries behaved ridiculously and the US media had already done it in the case of Iraq invasion.

According to Atique Saddique who writes from New York for an Urdu daily being published from Peshawar, says an his column that in the US, the public opinion is fully moulded for the invasion on Pakistan. According to the American media, Pakistan is a plague spot for nursing and importing terrorism on this planet. His prognosis surely is convincing that public opinion in America is leveled for the attack on Pakistan whereas it is debatable that the US will attack. It will never until it hopes that the war on terror is winnable in Afghanistan. If it fails, then beyond any doubt, it will kick back at Pakistan. If it succeeds then also it will try to smother its non-Nato ally. But right in a few months it is premature that such an evil befall on Pakistan.

The US is not here really to combat terror rather it is here to fan it alive. In this regard possibly Russia and even Iran will burry the hatchet and will join hands with the US against Pakistan.

Since the Mumbai mayhem of 26th November 2008, wherever I went the words, which stroke my ears, were whether India will attack Pakistan or not? The answer they received from my side was surely not now. It was their discussion that dragged me towards writing this article. Why it will not? Is Pakistan is cousin to the US? Indeed the answer is no. Then why it is not attacking Pakistan or why it is exerting India not to attack? The reason is not that it is a nuclear state rather the environment is not fertile for the invasion. As a part of the great game the anti-Pakistan hands want to bleed it so profousedly that it will succumb without any invasion.

A few months back when the Tehreek-e-Taliban plundered the trucks of Nato forces in Khyber Pass, the Nato forces refused to attack Pakistan. And the US is also fully aware of the importance of Khyber Pass that it is as important for the Nato and American forces in Afghanistan as a windpipe. In case the US forces attacks Pakistan the Pass can go to the hands of Taliban and the war on terror in Afghanistan is lost. Moreover, destabilise Pakistan means a safe haven for Al-Qaida and other militants’ forces. And destabilise Pakistan means a constant threat for India, for it will be easy for the Al-Qaida and Taliban to expand its area of operations to the revered land of Baharat Matha. Initially India was searing with rage and the smell of possible war was clearly coming from New Delhi towards Islamabad. But the recent statement of its Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee that terrorism is not a bilateral enemy rather it is a global enemy and hence should be fought congregationally, shows the u-turn of Indian aggressive policy towards Islamabad, which was likely to erupt war. It was also alleging Islamabad that New Delhi has provided proofs of its involvement. However Islamabad went on denail and the issue wnet from bad to worse. India intruded its aircrafts into the Pakistani air-bordr but Mr. Asif Ali Zardari tried to avoid the possible clash by calling it an outcome of a technical mistake. Interpol which is a global police agency termed the stance of India unsatisfactory. The Interpol Chief Ronald K. Noble visited Islamabad also after his visit to New Delhi on December 20, 2008. After that the clouds or possible war saw its decline. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mehmood Qureshi demanded Indian government to relocate its troops to peace-times position.

Condollezza Rice has been harsh on Pakistan but in today’s visit to India she will exert its pressure on India to tone down its pungent language. What the US all is doing to assign Pakistan the security over the Nato supply. Hence in the US interruption the threat of war is gradually coming down.

The India External Affairs Minister, Parnab Mukargee also discussed the issue with the Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al Faisal durinh his visit to India on 26 December 2008.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to visit Saudi Arabia in coming few months where he would request Riyadh to scotch funding Jihadi outfits in Pakistan. By now India has plying well but it has concerns over the statement of Obama.

When Barack Obama exposed that he will take a keen interest in Kashmir issue the next day, daily “The Pioneer” published an article as a reaction to his statement carrying the headline “Mr. Obama, Kashmir is not an issue”. Here it shws that India is creating obstacles in the solution of Kashmr issue. It is the major hatchet between the two neighbouring countries since partion of india in 1947.

It is Indian obduracy that compels it to make it a part of its constitution.

Indeed in Indian constitution it has been declare “Uttoot Ung—unbreakable organ” but it is the public of Kashmir who has the authority over the fate its land, the UN and the world community to solve the issue. Among the world community the US is the only power, which has the propensity to solve the Kashmir issue, and no doubt a ray and air of hope went over the heads of Kashmiris and Pakistanis that as Barack Obama has shown his interest in Kashmir issue, so a possible solution will come in way. The Mumbai mayhem disillusioned the Kashmiris and Pakistanis that it will remain still a hatchet between the two rival countries. There would be war between India and Pakistan but one thing, which was witnessed that New Delhi drubbed Islamabad in ambassadorial efficiency across the world. The statements and steps taken by our leadership caused us ridiculous and the image of Pakistan received a sever setback. Like the masses of Pakistan, China also is stunned with the attitude of our leadership that how it gave way to Indian pressure and how India succeeded in trouncing it in the UN.

The US and India have been making efforts to lasso ISI since May-June. But they got the opportunity after the Mumbai mayhem.

We are the runner in the war on terror not the US, India and the Taliban or Al-Qaida. The whole fiasco of Mumbai carnage was carried out very deftly and India succeeded in demonising Pakistan and banning Jamat-e-Dawa—formerly Lashkar-e-Tayyeba, which has been operational in Kashmir against the eight lakhs Indian troops. The Mumbai incident also affected the Kashmir freedom movement seroiusly.

India has been crying for it’s banning and found an opportunity now to eradicate this constant thorn out of its path. China has imposed a technical hold on this issue in the UN and had stridden to keep it postponed. But Pakistan heaped to the US and Indian pressure and beseeched Beijing to abrogate the technical hold. Beijing, which is also facing the trouble of Muslim separatist movement but still it tried to veto the UN sanction on Jamat-e-Dawa. The US pressurised Pakistan to soothe China over the issue. After that China accepted the bane on Jamat-e-Dawa. The US and India have been striving to keep such outfits and some of the retired ISI officials including Hameed Gul and three others to keep them in the UN terrorist-list. It was only China that has been trammeling their efforts. But now, Russia, Ukraine, India and even Iran have joined hands against Pakistan. The war on terror proved very dear to Pakistan but still it is in its deep slumber when it will awake to overcome the backlashes it will be too late. The war probably will not erupt but the clouds will remain hovering. Pakistan has a short possible leeway to rethink and re-chalk out its foreign policy before it is destabilised to the extent wherefrom there is no way to come back.

Taliban have intensified their raids on the Nato logistic terminals in Peshawar.

They have torched more than 300 containers and trucks including 500 Humvees–the American armoured vehicles, since December 1, 2008.
Each single Humvee costs US $ 10,0000 and the damage of Nato military assets is estimated at billions of dollars. Since the first attack, Nato has been floundering to seek an alternative route for the supply.

In this regard, General David McKiernan, head of Nato-led troops exposed that talks with the northern neighbouring countries of Afghanistan are under way. The role of foreign forces in Afghanistan has brought a rift between the US and German forces. To conceal the security lapses the US forces have been chiding the Germen soldiers for their sluggishness. Security analysts believe that war on terror for America is not winnable. As America is hell-bent on the war or terror it is intended to send more troops to Afghanistan to curb the rising threat of insecurity.

The additional troops would be deployed in Logar and Wardak provinces, located on the southern flank of Kabul. Currently there are more than 67,000 troops and more are likely to be deployed in the next few months. In case the additional troops are deployed then the Nato will have to receive 70,000 containers in Afghanistan annually.
It has been already receiving 80% supplies through the G.T road, which goes through Khyber Pass.

The rising threat of Taliban’s organised attacks can be gauged of McKiernan’s words when he said; “the aim of the additional troops is to check the rising threat of insurgency from the southern side of Kabul”.

Like Afghanistan, here also the Taliban are a constant threat for their interests and have organised attacks on the Nato supply terminals in Peshawar.
The attacks on the terminals on one hand has totally baffled the Nato forces in Afghanistan while on the other it is also a head reeling issue for the government of Pakistan.
For the Nato, the success or failure of its anti-Taliban adventure in Afghanistan is tied with the timely supply of food-ration, and other military assets. In case the Taliban succeed in complete blockade of the route, the foreign troops in Afghanistan will surrender to them. Lashkar-e-Islam, a pro-government Taliban faction, which is active only Bara Division of Khyber Agency, is also flapping its wings for gaining control over the route. The outfit does not like the presence of Al-Qaida or other foreign elements, which indeed is a mascot for the area. Will the government be agreed to assign the surveillance of the route to a Taliban outfit, is also a question. If the government agrees what would be the conditions from Lashkar-e-Islam and will the Nato be prepared for that?

A few days back the notion was rampant among the masses and the law and order enforcing agencies that Taliban, are making their way towards the capital city of NWFP and the way is not so far that they will overrun Peshawar.

And indeed the Taliban showed this notion true to some extent when they successfully carried out seven organised attacks on the Alfaisal terminals, world port logistics and Bilal terminals in Peshawar. To overcome the issue the provincial government is seeking to recruit more police constables.

The attacks compelled the ANP-led government in NWFP to discuss it in its provincial cabinet but the sense of insecurity among the masses goes deeper with each passing day.

Every now and then the government repeats the same rhetoric that the case is under investigation and the terrorists would be brought soon in the balustrade of courts. On the ground the writ of government in Peshawar and tribal area has tumbled headlong. Since the general election of February 2008, the government has been striving to make the masses believe that the situation will come towards normalcy but inversely it has left the masses totally frustrated.

Because of the fear and insecurity, some of the residents of Hayatabad, which is near to Khyber Agency, have already sifted their families from the township wherefrom the terrorists have already kidnapped Iranian attaché and other important foreign diplomats.

According to the Pakistani Taliban the attacks on the terminals will go on until the ISAF stops its drones’ attacks in FATA.

The recent drones’ attack at Miranshah challenged the determination of Taliban and disillusioned them that the foreign forces in Afghanistan will bring a halt to its aerial attacks in tribal belt.

Observing the whole scenario it is not hard to deduce that it will turn out to be a stiffhinged and thorny issue between the US and Pakistan.

In both the cases Pakistan will come under pressure.

If Nato succeeds in getting an alternative route, it will fearlessly carry out more drones’ attacks in FATA. And the increase in the drones’ attacks will add fuel to the already flaming fire of public rage against the government.

If it fails in finding out alternative path for the supply then also Islamabad will come under more severe lashes. The worsening situation can deprive Islamabad of its millions of dollars that it has been receiving in trade and aid from Washington. The Taliban have inflected a huge loss on America with these attacks, in case, any further damage is inflected on the Nato forces’ terminals in Peshawar, the US will surely be not hesitant to ask for the indemnity of its losses.

Thus the government is convulsed with the attacks on the Nato logistic terminals and the issue has turned a bone for Pakistan, stuck in its throat, which cannot be swallowed or spit out.

Russia has already offered an alternative route for the supply of goods and military assets to the Nato forces but there is also a barrier because it has no direct frontiers with Afghanistan and the route will go through the Central Asian States, which will add to the US economic burden in its war on terror.

Moreover during the snow falling season there would be secession in supply to foreign troops in Afghanistan. Like Taliban the Qazi-led Jamaat-e-Islami also demanded of the government to cancel the trade agreement with Washington and must shun the shipment of the Nato’s containers through Khyber Pass. It is another topic whether the demand of Qazi Hussain Ahmad was apt or inapt but he tried to pressurise the government anyway. The Taliban are fully aware that the Terminals and route is double-edged weapon and it is as important for the Nato forces in Afghanistan as a windpipe. On one hand they want to lasso the Nato, so that it can be pressurised in stopping the on-going series of drones’ attacks in tribal belt. On the other hand they want to destabilise the already frayed relations between Washington and Islamabad.

If the Taliban succeed in gaining control of the route it will worsen situation for both of the parties–Nato and Islamabad. The day when the Taliban will get control of the Khyber Pass it will be a jinx for the foreign forces stationed in Afghanistan. According to some reports the security lapses have brought a rift between the US and German forces in Afghanistan. The American troops have been constantly chiding German troops for all the lapses and rebuke them for their sluggishness. Their main aim is to conceal a likely defeat and security lapses.

And the defense analysts infer it with the sagging confidence of the foreign forces in Afghanistan.

No doubt the US has intended to send more troops to Afghanistan but the defence analysts believe that the war on terror for America is not winnable.

For the Taliban also it is hard to get control of the route and Khyber Pass because the whole it is already proliferated with Frontier Constabulary and Khyber Khasadar Force. It is also said that Nato and Islamabad are pondering over the use of aerial transportation system so that to bypass the use of G.T road, which goes through the sinews, and terrains of Khyber Pass.

But here comes also a hurdle because for that purpose the Taliban can target Peshawar airport or the Budhbair airbase. Looking to the complexity of the issue the governor of NWFP, Owais Ahmad Ghani has ordered for the deployment of 1000 security personnel to be backed by quick-response security squad and jet-aircrafts. The erection and construction of more security check-posts is also under discussion. This seems a bit realistic approach but require a tough vigilance on the part of the security personnel and any laps in security will invite to more disastrous attacks from Taliban.

When the number of security forces will be exceeded in Afghanistan as it was exposed by McKiernan in his press conference, it will require more supply and the demand for more supply will fourfold the importance of the Pak-Afghan international route. It means the issue is going from bad to worse and the ultimate pressure will come on Islamabad, which has been already mired in the bog of afflictions since the attacks on Mumbai hotels. The contractors and the drivers have also denied to keep continue the supply of goods and military assets to the Nato forces in Afghanistan. To mitigate the fear of contractors and for a quick vigilance the government has decided to back the containers with helicopters.

It shows the Nato needs supply through any means and Islamabad will have to deliver the supply by any situation. In case it fails for the surveillance of the route and terminals, America can demand to take the route in its own hands. But here a question mark arises, whether Islamabad will accept such a demand, which will tarnish the already defaced image of the government. And such a step will put at stack the already crippled sovereignty of Pakistan. Overall the new government in Pakistan seems the runner in the race and the US will use its traditional weapon; the allegation of terrorism and it will not be diffident to label Pakistan as a terror exporter country and supporter of Taliban.