The real agenda

The right wing is clear about its goal and is willing to tolerate as much violence as possible to achieve its goal of a Sharia-based system in Pakistan

It has begun to fizzle out even before it started rolling. But the slow and steady process of yielding the state to a pack of blood thirsty wolves is going on steadily. The whole talks circus with TTP has exposed the weakness of the state and the incompetence of its leadership. Imagine this: a nuclear capable state boasting the fifth largest military in the world that consumes one third of its budget is not able to neutralise a bunch of ragtag militants operating on its territory. What this shows, other than a complete failure of leadership, both military as well as civilian, is a steady decline of the state. By initiating talks with banned outfits the geniuses of this state gave legitimacy to the TTP. The TTP sympathisers germinated as apologists and are fast blooming into accomplices. If you read what the so-called government negotiators have to say about the Taliban, you will be hard pressed to find out who the real TTP representatives are. This so-called talks circus, perpetuated by Imran Khan and approved by a gutless prime minister, goes to show the reality of a failed state.

The so-called talks with TTP were never going anywhere to begin with. The only major beneficiaries of this farce have been the right wing Islamic parties that plan to use the opportunity to impose their archaic ideological views on the state by pushing for more Islamic clauses in the constitution. This backdoor approach is a favourite tactic of Jamiat and other Islamic parties. These parties know their limitations. Politically weak, their power lies in empty rhetoric, religious blackmail of mostly an illiterate population and street power. But they are more than street thugs. Their power and influence has been amplified by the military establishment that has needed them to carry out their jihadi fantasies. The Islamists have cashed out this need of the khakis to carry out their agenda domestically. Having historically never fared well in Pakistani elections, supporting military dictators has been a tool which has paid off well for them. In their heydays during the Zia era, they were able to wield considerable influence despite being a light player politically just because they had the ear of the dictator. It was during this time that major changes in the constitution were pushed in and which remain part of it to date.

The Islamists know that they will never be able to impose Sharia. The Mullahs can’t even agree on the Eid date, let alone forming a State running system of governance. But what they can do is disrupt the discourse by bringing in more Islamic clauses in the constitution and shoving it down the throat of the State. Read and listen carefully to what the TTP selected government negotiators are saying: the justification for the terror tactics of the TTP is suddenly not due to American presence in Afghanistan or the drone attacks; it’s about the unislamic constitution. Now we find out that the holy warriors of Taliban are fighting for Sharia. This is where the ultimate interests of the Islamists of Pakistan merge with Taliban. The fact that TTP is using brutal tactics to achieve that goal does not worry the Islamists. Use of violence has never troubled them both ideologically and otherwise. Maulana Maudaudi after all was of the view that Islam spread at the tip of the sword. A case of ends justifying the means.

For Islamists such has Munawwar Hassan, Ansar Abbasi and Orya Maqbool Jaan this war is all about ideology. They are pretty clear about this. For them, the imposition of Sharia and so-called Islamic clauses is the destiny of this country and no price is high enough. For them the odd seventy thousand killed by Taliban are just a collateral damage for the greater good. No number of outrageous acts is enough for them to even think about criticising Taliban. Is it a surprise that terrorists like Osama Bin Ladin remain a hero for Islamists in Pakistan even when they have been shunned away by their brethren such as Muslim Brotherhood in other Muslim and other Arab countries? It just goes to show how extreme the Islamist mindset has become in this country.

Hence, this is where the weakness of the moderates and liberals of this country lies. The right wing is clear about its goal and is willing to tolerate as much violence as possible to achieve its goal of a Sharia-based system in Pakistan. On the other hand, the moderates are divided along ethnic and ideological lines and seem to lack any direction or a unified leadership. The state is withering away slowly as the mass killers slowly take over it.