Lies, lies and more lies

21
286

We are gullible. We lap up any tosh that is fed to us. We were told in 1965 that India attacked us and we defeated it. The reality was that we were the ones who attacked and India attacked Lahore and Sialkot in retaliation. In 1971, we were told that Indian-trained Mukti Bahini is carrying out terrorist activities. The reality was that we launched an offensive on East Pakistan. We were also told that Mujeeb-ur-Rehman is a traitor and that he wanted to break the country with his 6 points. The reality was that he was ready to pass the constitution of joint Pakistan in collusion with Bhutto. He himself told me in a meeting, “Am I crazy? Why would I want to break the country and rule a province when I instead rule the whole of Pakistan?” We were also told that we were conducting guerrilla resistance or “jihad” against the Soviets because their expansionist plans extend to Karachi and Gwadar. In actuality, we were America’s proxy in a war between two superpowers. The Russians left but the motley crew assembled in the name of Jihad played, and is still playing, an unholy game of bloodshed unabated. We were also told that the mujahideen had conquered Kargil but the reality was that our jawans were sent there in civilian garb for conquest but the Indian army apprehended them and our prime minister had to flatter the US to facilitate their return.

We weren’t really interested in Osama bin Laden. Many lunatics in our midst consider him a warrior of Islam but the world views him as a deadly terrorist. The deluded class of people doesn’t consider him the architect of 9/11 even though he himself praised the perpetrators initially and then eventually 4 years later accepted the responsibility for planning 9/11. But this particular group of people will not even be dissuaded by his own admission of guilt. They are mourning openly in newspapers. But the people who wrote obituaries in columns did not have the daring to attend his funeral prayers conducted in absentia in Rawalpindi and Lahore.

Anyhow, our military rulers milked the US and Britain for fighting terrorism and maintained that OBL was not in Pakistan whereas America insisted the opposite was true according to its reports. But we kept denying it in the strongest terms. But we Pakistanis kept believing what our protectors were telling us. We always do, but what to do when the world refuses to believe them as easily as we do. The Americans kept searching on their own. And the day our protectors and guardians were slumbering, American helicopters in flagrant violation of Pakistan’s airspace flew to Abbottabad and smoked out OBL. They got their man and took him back to Afghanistan with ease.

President Obama addressed his nation to inform them of this victory. At 11 am PST, the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, also conducted a press conference and clarified his stance and stated clearly that the world’s most wanted man had been found in Pakistan and our contestation that Pakistan is the hub of terrorism has been proved. But the keepers of our defence kept their lips sealed till 12 pm. Why? The only reason was that their lies had been indubitably exposed and there was no room left for denials or cover-ups.

Finally, the Foreign Office’s spokesman issued a loose and meaningless statement which stated that Americans have conducted an operation as they have stated against OBL. The horrifying fact that Pakistan had been aerially attacked was not even alluded to. Our borders and airspaces violated. An operation was carried out a mere kilometre away from the country’s biggest military academy but our defence systems remained dormant. We neither stopped the helis from entering our borders, nor condemned the aggression committed. The statement was drafted with such nonchalance as if informing of a routine matter. As if the occurrence had taken place elsewhere. As if it did not concern us in the least bit.

The Pakistanis who remember 1971 will relate that while a full-fledged war was raging in East Pakistan, we were being told some Bengali terrorist were merely disturbing law and order and the situation would soon be under control. On 16th December, a table was set up in the battle-grounds of Dhaka on which the commanders of our military sat down with the enemy commander-in-chief and signed the deal to surrender. But we were told by our Commander-in-Chief that it was a “temporary ceasefire.” His words did not belie at all that the ignominy of the world’s biggest military defeat had befallen us. That united Pakistan was no more. We learnt of the reality when the radios across the world were announcing that India had captured East Pakistan.

The events of 2nd May were no ordinary events. They exposed the hypocrisy of the people who are supposedly our guardians and exposed the discrepancies in their words and actions. Our lie had been called out. We denied for eight years that OBL was in Pakistan but he was caught here. We kept calling the world mendacious when we ourselves were liars. Because of this lie, our defence system was reduced to tatters but our government was pretending as if our sovereignty and defence remained unscathed.

On the evening of 2nd May, some people caught their wits and then it was thrown around that we had “aided” the US and our help is what led the US to bin Laden. But what the world really wanted to ask was that why did we repeatedly lie to them? The CIA Chief, Leon Panetta, told the representative of Congress that Pakistan had either willfully hid OBL or it was incompetent. The army’s own retired general, Talat Masood, said that the presence of Osama in Pakistan was due to the incompetence of our institutions and if they knew, that was an even graver mistake than incompetence. Whether it was collusion or incompetence, our defence system and the people responsible for it have failed unequivocally at their professional obligations and national duties. A failure in defence responsibilities is unpardonable. If court-martials had been conducted when necessary, we would never have seen this day. It’s the mistake of a few people; but the humiliation and disgrace is the lot of the entire nation. How much longer will we have to take this? How many times will we pay for the crimes of others?

 

The writer is one of Pakistan’s most widely read columnists.

 

21 COMMENTS

  1. What Mr Naji is saying is half truth only, because he has a history of having played the role of spin doctor for every regime from the days of ZAB, to Zia ul Haq, to Nawaz Shariff, than Musharraf and now Zardari. A journalist, with intellectual honesty, whose assets conform with his declared income and assets can speak the truth and unfortunately Mr Naji does fare well on this count.

  2. This is a grave embarrassment that Pakistan today stands shamed and isolated because of the incompetence or else collusion of our top men in uniform, who were granted extension by the Zardari government. The least that should happen is that the Defence Minister and his ISI chief must resign, and we need to than bring in some honest men of integrity into the cabinet, so that men of honor can play some role. Instead what we saw was that more corrupt men joined the cabinet, which already had men with no credibility. Today the biggest crminals from PPP, MQM and PML(Q) are in the cabinet and they will allow anything to happen if the price is right.

  3. MR Naji should not forget that electronic and media community at the same time and in Pakistan are 90 percent (columnists,TV anchors,newscasters,editorial staff of mass dailies etc)are liars,cheats,double speak,devil advocate which they choose to their monetary or else gains.Not alone some are beneficiaries of aliens or they are 'ghulams' of MQM,terrorized,shivering in their legs to speak one word against MQM,Altaf Hussein and present him as 'messiah'.They speak to MQM leaders regularly to project MQM lines.Even TV anchors,newscasters of many TV channels as ARY,Express,Samaa,Dunya,Newsone etc are only as it appears chorus the MQM scripted questions to demean those whom MQM wants and elevate whom they wish so serves MQM purpose or their allies as PPPZ,MLQ etc.The real villain of Pakistan all along has been MQM during Musharraf days increasing by millions of times by their blackmailing arm twisting methods alongside target killings of thousands,bathakhori of billion of dollars which PPP-Zardari never would investigate,redeem to serve his most imperial,despotic, extra constitutional power by the courtesy of MQM,MANP and now -MLQ and gutter conscience men in electronic and print media community who with the most corrupt present politicians,government in power are resp[responsible for the disaster that has happened to Pakistan,economy:ten thousand billion corruption in three years,enslaving Pakistan to IMF,UK,Nato,USA etc to perpetuate their astronomical ill gotten wealth especially stashed abroad.No less to reflect is evil-complacent,arrogant,obstinate role of MLN (not to let democracy derail,no matter country is ) and also partly of SCP, not to curb extra constitutional,political,partisan role of President on state expense which has destroyed every fabric of country enslaving us to USA and disgracing nation on 'Osma' killing due to his break-divide,rule putrefied politicking twenty four hours a day taking attention of every institution from the real issues,sovereignty and independence of nation which is none of his bother and men of meanest conscience within us everywhere and this writer is no exception nor pretend saint and others as well.

  4. alot of what you said is influenced by the media in itself. what really happens in such events , ordinary people like you and me would never know. there is always a third story, a story thats the real story and public is always kept in the dark about that true story.

  5. well writen artilce.this incident has exposed our so called highly professional military.i still remembr claims made by our professional air force chief that airforce has the capability to hit drones.but when the time came air force couldnt hit even helicopters visible by naked eyes. i think we should review the budget of military and public should not believe on the big claims made by so called highly professional military.

  6. MR Naji should not forget that electronic and media community at the same time and in Pakistan are 90 percent (columnists,TV anchors,newscasters,editorial staff of mass dailies etc)are liars,cheats,double speak,devil advocate which they choose to their monetary or else gains.Not alone some are beneficiaries of aliens or they are 'ghulams' of MQM,terrorized,shivering in their legs to speak one word against MQM,Altaf Hussein and present him as 'messiah'.They speak to MQM leaders regularly to project MQM lines.Even TV anchors,newscasters of many TV channels as ARY,Express,Samaa,Dunya,Newsone etc are only as it appears chorus the MQM scripted questions to demean those whom MQM wants and elevate whom they wish so serves MQM purpose or their allies as PPPZ,MLQ etc.The real villain of Pakistan all along has been MQM during Musharraf days increasing by millions of times by their blackmailing arm twisting methods alongside target killings of thousands,bathakhori of billion of dollars which PPP-Zardari never would investigate,redeem to serve his most imperial,despotic, extra constitutional power by the courtesy of MQM,MANP and now -MLQ and gutter conscience men in electronic and print media community who with the most corrupt present politicians,government in power are resp[responsible for the disaster that has happened to Pakistan,economy:ten thousand billion corruption in three years,enslaving Pakistan to IMF,UK,Nato,USA etc to perpetuate their astronomical ill gotten wealth especially stashed abroad.No less to reflect is evil-complacent,arrogant,obstinate role of MLN (not to let democracy derail,no matter country is ) and also partly of SCP, not to curb extra constitutional,political,partisan role of President on state expense which has destroyed every fabric of country enslaving us to USA and disgracing nation on 'Osma' killing due to his break-divide,rule putrefied politicking twenty four hours a day taking attention of every institution from the real issues,sovereignty and independence of nation which is none of his bother and men of meanest conscience within us everywhere and this writer is no exception nor pretend saint and others as well.

  7. I wish India has Journlists like you . The Media in India toes the line of Govt and so called Nationalistic attitude which is same as Journlists who toe the Military's line in Pakistan. I regularly watch Dawn/ARY/Geo/PTV in USA and find more even handed covrage/Talk Shows than the Indian TV Timesnow/Aajtak/Samay/HeadLine news/NDTV
    We south Asians are very emotional.We need to learn control our emotions.That's why we burn our own cars/Buildings for things happening elsewhere. For Pakistan and India ,only way to Prosperity is peace.Biggest stumbling Block-When people care more about Religion than Humanity.its bound to happen

  8. "Pakistan had either willfully hid OBL or it was incompetent" is true, the degree to which it is so is the question. Either way Pakistan has caught the proverbial tiger by its tail.

  9. "American helicopters in flagrant violation of Pakistan’s airspace flew to Abbottabad and smoked out OBL. They got their man and took him back to Afghanistan with ease." Why does it say.. "took him back to Afghanistan "..The story is that he was shot and his remains were eased into the ocean…????????

  10. Hats off to this bold piece.
    Over the last days I have been reading and listening to the Pakistani media and I have to admit that what I have seen and heard is fair, incisive and thought provoking.
    I think this crisis is an opportunity for Pakistan to chart a new future. There is so much economic opportunity, especially in Asia. We in India are already seeing some of the benefits. We too have our own set of problems, corruption, social inequities to name a few. But I think we are moving in the right direction to tackle them.
    Pakistan and its people have the same resources (brains) as we do, its just a matter of setting a new direction. We don't really have to end our rivalry (it would shame to be robbed off the passion of an India Pakistan cricket match). 😉 .
    I think we could simply move the battle field to other areas; development, economy, space, science, sports and so on.

Comments are closed.