ALI SUKHANVER
One morning someone knocked very gently at the entrance door of my office. That time I was going through some very important files and did not want to be disturbed. Unwillingly I said, “yes-Come in!’ The door opened very calmly and smoothly and then I saw a young man of twenty five , supporting himself with a walking stick in his one hand, I must say, with the only hand because his other hand was in such a crumpled position that it was almost of no use. His face was full of scars and injuries. It seemed as if someone had pushed the whole of him into a burning fire turning him into the worst picture of a man. I really got frightened. He had to struggle a lot to settle himself in the chair when I asked him to have a seat. A bag was hanging around his neck; he unzipped it and took out some papers. “Sir, I am Ahsan Khan from Peshawar,” he said presenting his papers to me, “I did my MBA with distinction in 2008 from Peshawar. Unfortunately I was there at the Qissa Khawni Bazaar Peshawar when a suicide bomber exploded him, a few months back. The blast snatched away the lives of so many innocents and injured countless people like me who have nothing to do with international world policies. I was there to buy some medicine for my ailing mother. I don’t remember how it all happened; all I know is that I lost my right leg and the left arm just in a flickering of an eye; my face deformed my dreams shattered. Now I am searching for some job but wherever I go people get scared of my miserable plight, they have a lot of sympathies for me but no job. “
I did whatever I could do for that pathetic young man but till now I am in a state of depression and disappointment. His crumpled body and deformed face, always haunting my memories; his helplessness asking me so many unanswerable questions. What are these innocent people punished for? Does that heaven belong to the Almighty God for going where one has to take lives of his own brothers? Are the suicide bombers doing all this knowingly? Are the master minds behind this slaughtering the real Taliban? I don’t know who is going to answer all these questions.
Pakistan has been facing the worst consequences of terrorism for the last many years. Suicide bombing and car blasts have shattered the whole social fabric. A very strange type of fear is always surrounding the people. Trade, commerce, education and even the politics, each and every section of society is badly affected by this unending wave of terrorism. Though the government of Pakistan in collaboration with the Pakistan army is doing its best in all possible ways to crush this menace but yet it is not out of woods. Although the military operation in the affected areas is going well with a high success rate yet it is not the solution to the problem. The Pakistan army has no doubt all required skill and ability to tackle with the miscreants but the situation could never be made better on permanent grounds unless the terrorists are sponsored and financed by the so-called ‘well-wishers’ of Pakistan. No act of terrorism could be called a one-man show; there is always a huge supporting set up behind every terrorist activity. The international peace-makers who are always harping on the same string that Pakistan should do more, must provide a positive and sincere help to Pakistan if they really desire for peace in the region. The army has its own limitations. In the present ongoing operation it has sacrificed hundreds of its soldiers and faced uncountable losses; all for the sake of regional peace and security. It has achieved almost next to impossible type of aims and objects; its courage and determination is still very sound and solid but even then it requires a very strong international favour and support. This operation is not an action against a limited group of miscreants; it is purely a battle with an army of terrorists which is firmly favoured by some gigantic nuclear powers.
The people of Pakistan are of the opinion that no Muslim could be involved in any type of heinous terrorist cruelty. The wave of terrorism in Pakistan is simply a conspiracy against peace of this country on behest of foreign elements. That is the reason that the military operation in South Waziristan and Swat has won full support of the entire nation and people are taking this operation as the last solution to the problem. They are very much hopeful and confident that the security forces will succeed in this operation due to their firm resolve, determination and a very strong public support. The Pakistani media is also playing a very important role in this regard by mobilizing the nation to eliminate the factors of so-called militancy .It is doing its utmost by bringing to light, the social links, the facilitators, the hideouts , handlers and vulnerabilities of the militants. In short the whole nation has joined hands together against terrorism. People are very well aware of the fact that the terrorists are causing irreparable loss to the nation in the garb of Islamization. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) is regarded and ranked by every religion ‘The messenger of Peace’ who never used even a single harsh word to any one throughout his life. The followers of such a kind man could never be involved in slaughtering of innocent children and women. The people behind all these terrorist activities can pretend and portray them as the Muslims but in fact they are not.
A very strange practice with reference to the terrorist attacks in Pakistan is that of targeting the Friday prayers. This practice is sufficient to prove that the terrorists are not the Muslims but simply a tool in the hands of the enemies of Islam. Friday prayers are very special prayers in Islam and Mosques are sacred places where Muslims worship God by bowing before Him begging for forgiveness. How can a Muslim attack inside the Mosque during Friday congregations? The perpetrators of these attacks must acknowledge the fact that by attacking the innocent Muslims busy in their prayers inside the Mosque on Fridays, they have earned nothing but hatred from the public. Targeting innocent civilians especially women and children during their shopping activities at public places like Lahore Moon Market, Peshawar Meena Bazaar, Qasim Bela at Multan, Khosa Market D.G.Khan and Peshawar Press Club, killing innocent Namaziz in the mosques , all in the name of Islam are criminal acts of those who do not have any faith, religion or belief system. Public has painfully suffered during terrorist attacks conducted by anti state militants but they have totally rejected the militant philosophy and tactics of oppression /and obliteration. People have openly rejected the militants and their suicide bombing by uniting together and showing their firm resolve to cooperate with the law enforcing agencies in the war against terror. The terrorists are heartless savages who rigidly follow their narrow mindset and un-Islamic thoughts. They kill innocent civilians including women and children. They hire teenagers as suicide bombers for few dollars and persuade them to carry out suicide missions to achieve their political goals. They have forgotten that by doing so they are bringing a bad name to Islam and they would be questioned about this cruelty on the Day of Judgment.
Pakistan is fighting an imposed battle which specifically does not belong to it but in the larger benefit of the world peace, Pakistan has accepted the ownership of this battle. The nation stands united to fight this menace; The Ulemas have issued Decrees against suicide attacks, the Tribal lords have also joined hands with the law enforcing agencies, the media is also doing its best, and above all many of the Taliban leaders are condemning the terrorist activities against innocent Muslims. All we need at this critical juncture is a strong and solid International help in term of finance and in form of technical support. The world must not forget the reality that this wave of terrorism is simply like a wild fire. It would engulf the whole world if ignored. The world must share the ownership of this war against terror with Pakistan.
The writer is a Pakistan based bilingual analyst on national and international strategic and defense affairs.