On the way to Talibanisation!

Running with the democratic hare, hunting with the Taliban hounds

The overseas Pakistanis as well are concerned by the increasing mayhem of those who support democracy, liberal and civilised way of life back home. Premeditated violence against liberal parties and escalating Taliban terrorism to close doors of political arena on them is being strongly manifested in growing number of protests by those parties who are being singled out by Taliban as their obvious targets. Enough have been said, demanded and protested for protection and establishment of level playing field.

While protests/strikes are being observed every day in the affected three provinces, in London a similar rally was held outside Pakistan High Commission on April 28. The British media too is not oblivious of the dangerous situation and doubts are being cast about the legitimacy of the elections. Some are even describing it all as deliberate pre-poll rigging to defeat liberal elements and victory at gunpoint for the obscurantist forces or their supporters.

The three parties most affected by the violence are seeking common strategy to secure themselves in what they describe premeditated terrorism to keep them out and their voters away from polls threatening democratic transition in Pakistan. Daily strikes by terrorists as are being witnessed largely in Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta targeting the ANP, the MQM and the PPP have made it clear that it is more of an ideological war – a war between progressive forces and those who want to Talibanise Pakistan. More so it is a battle between liberal forces that want to revert to Quaid-e-Azam’s egalitarian Pakistan to save it from those extremists who want to capture it and convert it into a Talibanised state of their own.

While one can understand the predicament of the liberal forces that are so far undeterred – at an enormous cost in lives – in bravely facing the increasing bloody onslaught, it is time for others who are on the other side of the political divide to stop running with the democratic hare while hunting with the Taliban hounds. These short sighted elements blinded by their pursuit of possible immediate electoral gains do not realise what could ultimately be for them in store in the longer run.

Students of World War II history would instantly recall the memorable and hair-raising words of German Protestant pastor Martin Niemller (1892-1984) – words that earned for him immortal fame for being an outspoken critic of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi rule. Why I recall him now is extremely relevant to the fast deteriorating situation due to widespread and ever-increasing terrorism by Taliban and birds of their feather in Pakistan.

Though a German nationalist, Martin Niemller emerged during the Nazi rage as an unconcerned and unaffected spectator only to burst out in desperation words that were to become a lesson in history for those who remain silent witness to the elimination of their political opponents thinking themselves safe in any society or country where retrogressive phenomenon such as Taliban raise their head. I quote here Martin Niemller’s ‘First they came’ and why he remained silent to be followed by a deluge: ‘First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.’

We are just few days away from elections. There is wide spread Taliban terrorism in cahoots with other anti-state elements marring the prospects of elections. The PPP, the ANP and the MQM, the three major political parties with liberal and progressive ideological credentials, have been singled out by them as their cold-bloodied victims while others who can be described as rightist or religious parties have been spared of their wrath.

This is reflected in the lukewarm condemnation of the massacre of innocent supporters of their ideological opponents by those who have been allowed a field day in electioneering in the biggest province of the country because they see eye to eye with Taliban. No doubt there is reason to believe that there is something more than meets the eye – almost unwritten collaboration for obvious electoral gains.

History is a great teacher for those who are willing to learn a lesson from it. To carry the point home it needs urgently to be realised that no doubt today the liberal elements are the targets and others opposed to them might get results in polls favourable to them. That would be too good to be true.

What matters is to understand the end game of the Taliban. It is not just victory against those who oppose them ideologically. The Taliban want to capture the state of Pakistan first by defeating their opponents and then to move on by having pliable elements in power who could pave way for them to attain their ultimate goal of converting Pakistan into a Talibanised island cut off from rest of the world.

As such who do not oppose Taliban for their immediate political gains in the elections would ultimately find themselves to be in a predicament much similar as Martin Niemller’s when there would be nobody left to speak for them. Our political leaders and all others who matter must stand up and speak out before Taliban take over. Their strategy is self-evident. They are trying to prove that the state of Pakistan is toothless and they can bulldoze their ideology and impose it too as an alternative to democracy. It is a battle for now or never.

The author is the High Commissioner for Pakistan to UK.