O politicians and generals, wake up!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

The storm of Talibanisation, like an unstoppable twister, is on the rampage. The civil administration, local police, law-enforcement apparatus and district courts have been dismantled and replaced by gun-toting murderers. The semi-literate and bigoted mullahs are in-charge of the areas under their control. The writ of the government is nowhere to be seen.
Yet our president, the incompetent federal government and the passive military leadership continue to make statements such as "terrorism will be wiped out", that the "government will not allow the creation of a state within a state", or that the "armed forces are prepared and ready to defend the country" even as the terrorists and Al Qaeda proxies sweep across the country with complete immunity and impunity taking town after town under their control. It is all talk and no action from all of our inept leadership, civilian and military alike, without exception. To put it quite bluntly, this rhetoric from our incompetent leadership is bull crap.
When they hear such empty and meaningless statements from our leaders, the likes of Baitullah Mehsud, Fazalullah, Mullah Omar, Ayman Al-Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden must be laughing their heads off. The current PPP-led government is afflicted with utter confusion, lethargy, incompetence and inaction and the intellectually bankrupt administration does not know what to do and how to tackle the rampaging Taliban. For the past over 60 years, the armed forces have been consuming the biggest chunk of the national budget, but not once have they given a reasonable level of confidence to the nation that the defence of the country was in safe hands. The nation has always been left to lick the wounds and fend for itself after every military defeat.
Perhaps it is time for us to seriously consider 'out-sourcing' the defence of the country to other groups who would be willing to take on these terrorists. The silence of the Taliban apologists, the likes of Imran Khan, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, people like Hamid Mir, Ehteshamul Haq and the holier-than-thou Ansar Abbasi, who is perhaps vying for the post of the Taliban's foreign minister, is both appalling. These individuals always talk of the drone attacks but utter a word against attacks on the civilian population by the Taliban murderers.

M S Hasan
Karachi

*****

I am shocked to see that these Taliban with beards and turbans say that democracy is un-Islamic. Our Prophet (PBUH) consulted his companions at the time of the Battle of Uhad and went against his own will to honour the opinion of majority (which was to fight outside Madina). At the time of Battle of the Trench, it was one of the companions who gave the idea of building trenches -- i.e. it was a fruit of consultation. The Rightly Guided Caliphs established the Majlis-e-Shura. I ask the Taliban that if this is not democracy then what is. Our Prophet (PBUH) did not make such laws and say such things -- so who are the Taliban to make such laws and call themselves Islamic?

Hamood Mazhar
Faisalabad

*****

A headline in your newspaper on April 23 said "Taliban cannot cross Margala hills: DC". Really, Mr Deputy Commissioner? Wow! That's a revelation. I feel much safer now that I've been told that the militants won't be stopped until they reach the Margalla hills. What's that you say? You detect a hint of sarcasm? Oh yes that, well you see, last time I checked the map, and it was very recently mind you, the Margalla Hills were not located somewhere in far away China, but in fact are in full view of my home in Islamabad (yes that's the capital city of Pakistan just in case you aren't aware) and that of every home in the twin cities, and also a place where many like me go for rest and relaxation and are proud to call a part of this city and country.
So you understand if I, like the many millions of others (I'm sure) am not merely satisfied or heartened by your assertion that the Taliban will just be allowed up to the Margalla Hills, and nowhere nearer. I'm hoping you have a small foot, Mr Deputy Commissioner, because if it's even a bit large, you might have trouble fitting it into your mouth, which you will need to do after this statement. Good Day.

Muhammad Bin Naveed
Islamabad

*****
I fail to understand why our army cannot deal with the Taliban? What has the army been doing for the past 61 years -- getting the biggest chunk of the budget and now what are we -- Pakistanis -- getting out of it?

Somayya Athar
Peshawar

*****

Are we waiting for miscreants to take over Pakistan? Why our leaders are so calm? Is this a gimmick to receive more foreign aid and send a message to America? If it is, then that's very dangerous. And if India and Russia are creating problems in Balochistan, what is our leadership doing sitting in Islamabad/Rawalpindi? I request them not to demoralise the public but take appropriate measures to correct the situation immediately.

Moazzam
Wah Cantt

*****

In all the debate and discussion, and the considerable heart-wrenching, on the advancing Taliban, no one has asked what I think is a very important question. Who is supplying the Taliban and financing them? If we get the answer to this question, then maybe we could cut off their supplies and their source -- surely one would think that the government and the military establishment would know the answer to this very important and pressing question.

Aliuddin Ahmed
Karachi

*****

I don't know whether to laugh or to cry when I see statements by our rulers like the one given by the prime minister that the government will not allow a state within a state or parallel courts to be set up. What is he talking about? Can he not see that there is already a state within a state -- and it is growing with each passing day? The people are now fed up with your shallow statements. If concrete measures are not taken and that too on a war footing then I am afraid the dream of the Taliban is going to materialise.

Zia ul Hassan
Islamabad

*****

Pakistan is a country with a population that is almost 98 per cent Muslim and has an agreed-upon constitution which cannot have anything contrary to the Holy Quran or Sunnah. With these institutions in place, any effort to further 'Islamise' the country and that too by barbaric force is nothing but a pretext to seize power -- and this has been rightly hinted in your editorial "The final fall?" of April 24.
The fact of the matter is that Talibanisation in any garb will result in balkanisation of Jinnah's Pakistan.

Humayun Bashir
Riyadh