The monster of terror has unleashed its metastasising, lethal tentacles devouring Pakistan from FATA to Karachi. Recent terror attacks have claimed nearly 200 lives in 12 days. It has impacted Pakistan both in blood and treasure. The militant outfits tend to be stronger and unified despite major operations by security forces.
Meanwhile, the state law enforcement apparatus and mainstream media have sparked off a feeding frenzy by equating Pashtuns with terrorists and their facilitators. In a clear display of racial bias, the Punjab police has published and aired an advertisement for identifying terrorists in which citizens have been asked to report any persons of Pashtun descent to the Punjab police. This clearly exposes the Punjab police’s rampant politicisation and chronic lack of professionalism.
Have the KP and Quetta police issued pamphlets depicting non-Pashtun, Baloch ethnicities? Do the masterminds of transnational terror attacks live only amidst the Pashtun belt? If terrorists are threat to the world’s peace and stability then is it crime to disclose terrorists’ whereabouts wanted to the world at large? Is it justified to ban movies of neighbouring country depicting religious demagogues as terrorists?
This blatant, sweeping generalisation defies logic and is based faulty racial profiling and micro aggressions against specific ethnic population. This illogical, misdirected initiative could boomerang paving the way for breakdown of public and police liaison which serve an integral component of counter terrorism strategies.
The recurrent theme of dehumanisation and romanticisation go hand in hand in Pakistani media. The former occurs when the state is at war with its existential enemies both domestically and regionally while the later occurs when the state is threatened by neighbouring countries. Both positions depict them either victimised or well-armed holding little respect. The mainstream media need to play the role of being watchdog, practicing principles of objective, free and fair journalism. This will put an end to racial segregation and political polarisation given the fragmented national scenario.
It’s high time the state come up with viable, concrete counter extremism and terrorism measures, targeting them without making distinction. Terrorists are our common enemies and we must present a united front against them. Xenophobia and racism trump the romanticism of Pakistan’s unity as a stable and strong federation. United we stand, divided we fall dictates unity in diversity.
SAEED ULLAH KHAN WAZIR
Islamabad
