Attack on Bacha Khan University should not bring any surprises; so far tens of hundreds of primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities have been targeted in Pakistan. Regardless of our day-in day-out statements that terrorists back has been broken, that 90% of North Waziristan has been cleared of terrorists, that these attacks represent sheer frustration among terrorists on the run, that our resolve against terrorism is unmovable, TTP, Daesh and other sectarian outfits are not much interested in this useless rhetoric. The video released by TTP’s Khyber Agency Dara Adam Khel group of Khalifa Umer Mansour clearly puts the terrorists’ targets in perspective.
They are now after our education system and its institutes across Pakistan who are producing, in Khalifa’s words, faithless political leadership, military leadership and judiciary. After getting westernized education, these politicians, army men, lawyers and judges work against the will of Allah; make laws in parliament which are in contradiction with Sharia, fight against the mujahideen, lawyers and judges implement western laws. Therefore, the only way to dismantle this anti-Allah system is to hit its very base — the education system.
This is exactly what Boko Haram has been preaching and enforcing in Nigeria since last decade (literal meaning of Boko Haram is ‘Western Education is Forbidden’). It’s time to forget the conspiracy theories and look for enemy within. Not only Pakistan, the entire Muslim World needs to undertake a surgical operation to fight this medieval mentality. In 21st century, we need to choose between an armed Jihad against anyone who doesn’t subscribe our views, and education, science and development.
But an enemy within will never let you take against yourself. And that’s our main dilemma.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
