Taliban and Not Taliban

The MQM and its one-size-fits-all defence

The Taliban has had it in for the ANP. For anyone not living under a rock, the animosity the “student militia” bore the party has been clear to see. More than 700 activists and leaders and far many more injured, not only in KP and the tribal areas but also in Balochistan and Karachi. And not without reason. As opposed to other parties, including the PPP, the ANP had been against the jihadist-madrassa culture since way back when the Islamists were first courted by Pakistan to counter the communists in Afghanistan during the ZAB era. In 1996, it was the only party that had pleaded with the Pakistani government not to recognize their regime in Afghanistan.

This is not to comment on the ANP’s governance or corruption. This is merely to illustrate the ANP’s stance specifically on the Taliban. The point: if the MQM, when threatened by the ANP in Karachi, can call the latter agents of the Taliban, then how is the MQM’s accusing the BBC of the same any more hilarious?

This wasn’t a rhetorical question. Because it was, somehow, far more hilarious. The whole conversation was. The ever acerbic Jeremy Paxman asks Farooq Sattar on BBC’s News Night, in a mock-earnest tone: “When Altaf Hussein says he is going to tear out somebody’s abdomen, is he planning to do so personally?”

Farooq Sattar: “Jeremy Paxman (full name, in the I-know-where-you-live tradition) what I have to say…is that BBC, though it is a very reputable organisation, but it seems there has been some influence of the pro-Taliban and radical forces.”

The richest political party in the country (yes, another debate for another day) is also said to have the best media management team in the country. And, much like the Borg out of Star Trek, the talking heads all say the exact same thing. Since about a decade now, they have tried exceptionally hard to fashion an image of opposition to the Taliban.

The dividend that could be achieved through presenting oneself as a bulwark against the rising tide of religious militancy was first presented by Gen. Musharraf, whose own public statements on the subject, prior to War on Terror, were lovely. “The Taliban are a success story; we should soon bring them around to our way of thinking and action when necessary (Karachi, 1999).”

Après moi le deluge!

Soon, when the MQM were cornered in any debate, they would refer to their opposition to the fundamentalists, along with that other favourite bogeyman, feudalism.

Following this were the accusations hurled at the ANP and now, the BBC. There is no doubt that if Malala Yousufzai were to, tomorrow, have something to say about the MQM, even she would be, through this automatic process, be labeled an agent of the Taliban.

The problem with having a one-size-fits-all response to all accusations is the risk of looking silly.