After the Dec 16th attack on Army Public School, Peshawar, Pakistani nation was given the impression that both government and security establishment have mended their ways and now on there would be zero tolerance for terrorists whether they fall under good or bad category.
An All Parties Conference (APC) was called, attended by politicians and military top brass. A National Action Plan (NAP) was rolled out to counter the menace of terrorism all across the country. After the massacre of 47 Ismaili community members in Karachi, May 13, let’s see where do stand on NAP. Sadly, nowhere. If the only purpose of NAP was to establish military courts and to initiate action against MQM, then it’s OK, otherwise nothing has changed for the ordinary people of Pakistan. Where is the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) which was supposed to be fully functional by now, even its website is under construction for the last many months, let alone it ever exists on ground.
Where is the action against factories of hate speech and Takfiri fatwas — banners in Islamabad demanding execution of federal information minister for speaking out against Takfiri madrassas are an indication of who rules the country. Fatwas against Ismailis and other sectarian minorities are regularly issued with impunity. Where is the action against proscribed religious and sectarian outfits. Till today the government is unable to even publish a list of banned outfits, then how do you expect action against them? Where is the Federal Home Minister? Apparently he doesn’t have any job other than defending Lal Masjid clerics. He was absent from the high level security meeting held in Karachi soon after May 13 massacre. Where is the Home Minister of Sindh? This province is without a home minister for last many years; austerity measure or inept carelessness?
To me, both the federal and Sindh governments seem to be irrelevant in the present scenario. They have no clue, no say in security issues other than declaring financial compensation for victims of terrorism. They also take pride in attending photo sessions with dead bodies and injured ones. For the security establishment, it’s a matter of mindset — how to take action against the so-called ‘strategic assets’?
You can’t win the war on religious and secretion terror until you defeat the narrative which is centred around a narrow interpretation of the religion. Unless preaching of such narrative is stopped, the nexus of masjid-madrassa-social network is broken, nothing will change; instead terrorists will induct more young blood. Time is running out for the state; cult of sectarianism is eating away the economy, security, harmony in the society. If no action is taken today, it will eat away the entire state.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia