The proxies

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  • Principles of biological control and politics

Attempts to apply laws specific to biological sciences to social processes have caused large scale human suffering in the past as the use of Eugenics by Hitler best illustrates. Despite several tragic failures, translated into social disturbances and considerable loss of life, the recourse to biological control in politics continues unabated in Pakistan. Ziaul Haq created the MQM in Sindh and Sipah-e-Sahaba in Punjab to suppress the pro-democracy movement by dividing the population. When MQM went out of control of its handlers, they made use of a laboratory created and more vicious strain called MQM (Haqiqi) as its predator leading to more killings ad unrest. Consequently Karachi, the economic hub of Pakistan, became ungovernable. The lab has now introduced PSP to contain MQM. Sipah-e-Sahaba, turned into LeJ, continued to be patronised despite its acts of ethnic cleansing till it started attacking army personnel.

Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) was used by Zia against liberals, leftists and pro-democracy students and faculty members in the universities and colleges of Punjab. When IJT violated some of the stage directions, it was brought to heel through an armed wing of the MSF.

Jihadi networks were created, trained and armed to fight the Soviet army in Afghanistan and to act as Pakistan’s proxies after foreign troops had left. They eventually turned into TTP. Pervez Musharraf provided patronage to organisations of Deobandi denomination in return for their political support. The JUI-F and JI were rewarded with government in KP and share in Balochistan cabinet. Their policies helped terrorists establish themselves in FATA and KP. The Defence of Pakistan Council comprising banned groups working under new names was created to keep elected governments in line.

To reduce the JUI-F and other Deobandis to their size, attempts are now afoot to woo the Brelvis who are seen as their natural predators. The way TLYR was allowed to block access to Islamabad for three weeks could not have been done without support from backstage players. Use of ethnicity, religion or sect to advance a peculiar political agenda has harmed Pakistan in the past and will do so in future.