Mazari vs. Patterson: Clarifications By Jang Group, Shireen Mazari & PakNationalists

A AHMEDQURAISHI.COM Report
Edited by Khalid Ashraf
Monday, 7 September 2009.
WWW.AHMEDQURAISHI.COM

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—The Editorial Board of the Jang Group issued a clarification published today, Sept. 7, reacting to a written complaint by US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson that resulted in knocking Dr. Mazari's regular column off the pages of the newspaper for one day last Wednesday, Sept. 3.

The newspaper published the regular column a day later, on Thursday Sept. 4, after back and forth with Dr. Mazari.

The clarification in The News also indirectly referred to a report published at PakNationalists/AhmedQuraishi.com and carried by several websites where the US ambassador's letter to the newspaper was described as 'private'. The paper says it was not 'private'.
It is unfortunate that a letter by the US ambassador, which was not printed or made public and as such can be legitimately misconstrued as an attempt at undue pressure by an envoy of a foreign government, has resulted in a misunderstanding between the esteemed columnist and the respected newspaper, ending a long relationship that goes back almost a decade.
The two- The News International and Dr. Mazari – are especially remembered for the bold decision taken last year by The News, one of Pakistan's largest English-language newspapers, to publish an exclusive report, written by Dr. Mazari, which prevented the Bush administration from quietly appointing an anti-Pakistan US army general as a defense attaché in Islamabad.
The ending of this relationship [Dr. Mazari joins The Nation as editor, columnist and television host as of tonight] must have engendered many smiles at the US embassy in Islamabad. There is a history between Dr. Mazari, a renowned defense expert, and the US mission here. In 2006, the US ambassador at the time reportedly approached Pakistan's Foreign Secretary to request that Dr. Mazari, who was heading a think tank financed by the Pakistan Foreign Office, be asked to stop writing columns critical of US policy in Afghanistan. Mr. Khokhar, according to Dr. Mazari, resisted the pressure. But last year, Dr. Mazari was unceremoniously removed from her post in one of the first few decisions taken by the new elected government. Mr. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's envoy to Washington and one of America's most vocal Pakistani apologists, personally supervised the move.
The following is the clarification as published in The News International today, followed by the reply sent by Dr. Mazari to the newspaper [also received by us], and then a reply from PakNationalists, written by Ahmed Quraishi.

Clarification by The News
A press conference of Dr. Shireen Mazari was reported in the newspapers of Thursday (September 3) in which it was indicated that The News International had been pressurised by the US Embassy into dropping her article, although it appeared in the same day’s issue. Some websites have also alleged that the US ambassador has written a ‘private’ letter to the Jang Group pressuring that Dr. Mazari’s article be dropped. We are surprised that someone as familiar with the Jang Group’s editorial policy as Dr. Mazari — an official turned politician and Information Secretary/ Spokesperson of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf — should level such unfounded allegations. The facts of the matter are as follows: * The US ambassador had sent a letter to the Jang Group complaining that in her article published in The News the week before, Dr. Shireen Mazari had levelled certain incorrect allegations that had endangered the life of a US citizen. * In accordance with our policy, and accepted international norms, we referred the complaint to Dr. Shireen Mazari — for her feedback and comments. * While this complaint was being investigated, Dr. Mazari sent another article on Tuesday (September 1), which was to be published the next day — that is on Wednesday. In this article she had again levelled certain allegations, which were also without attribution. Since certain contentions in the previous article had been refuted and were under investigation and she had not produced any evidence or reliable reference to prove the same (nor has she been able to do so till date), we reverted to Dr. Mazari and asked if she could substantiate these allegations. The concerned editor also informed her that her article had been referred to the concerned department to make sure that it was not libellous. As it happens, on receiving supporting comments from her, as well as advice from the concerned editor, the article was published the very next day — that is on Thursday. * It is normal for embassies, political parties and other affected people and institutions to complain against perceived bias and the letter from the US ambassador was in the same vein. She neither asked us in the above letter nor any time in the past to drop articles by Dr. Mazari or by any other contributor holding similar views and writing for many years in The News. The ambassador also did not desire that the letter be kept confidential. While we take all complaints seriously, we allow them to exert no pressure on us or influence editorial policy or decisions. Therefore, at no point did anyone from the management or editorial staff of The News suggest to Dr. Mazari that this, or future, articles by her would not be published. * We not only publish articles by some of the most respected columnists in the country, but as a matter of policy, give space to people holding strong and diverse opinions. Since years some of the fiercest criticism of US policies has been voiced on the pages of The News. We are sorry that she chose to go public with accusations that have no basis in fact. — Editorial Board.

Dr. Mazari's Response
This is the response sent by Dr. Mazari to The News in response to the clarification [as received by us]:
With reference to my press conference on Wednesday, 2 September, I was clearly premature in assuming the newspaper would succumb to US pressure given its past stance on such occasions. So on that count I stand corrected by the paper’s clarification published on 7th September and appreciate the fact that I have not been victimised for my critical stance on US policies.
However, the thrust of my press conference was on multiple efforts by the US embassy to intervene in the media and I had cited my own earlier cases. Now The News has substantiated my position on this issue.
I am glad that The News has referred to US ambassador’s letter in which certain objections were made to one of my columns. My point is that she levelled a serious allegation against me – that of endangering the life of an American citizen. What proof does she have of that from my columns? Did I incite anyone to kill an American? Did I print pictures of the citizen in question? On what grounds did she come to this conclusion? Did The News editorial team ask her for substantiation of what is a serious charge? After all I was asked for so many “proofs”! Here was a foreign emissary levelling a serious allegation against a Pakistani citizen and where was the proof? My columns discuss issues and do not include any form of incitement.
The normal practice that one has seen in newspapers is for embassies to have their objections published which then allows the writer to respond to the allegations. It is strange that the US ambassador chose not to have her objections to my column published so that I could have directly responded to these.
Finally, I simply want to correct one error in The News’s clarification – I was never an “official” – otherwise I would not have been able to write a regular column. I was an academic for 16 years before I headed a research think tank as a researcher/technocrat.
I am presuming again that The News will, in its policy of fair play and equal access to all, publish this response and my appreciation once again of the paper’s ability to withstand all manner of pressures.

Shireen M. Mazari


PakNationalists Comment

Ahmed Quraishi comments:

1. The issue in question is not The News. The issue in question is a letter sent by US ambassador Anne Patterson to a Pakistani newspaper accusing a Pakistani columnist of endangering the life of a US citizen. Since Ms. Patterson provides no proof and does not seek to publish her letter, as is the custom when you dispute a published report, there is a possibility she is intimidating a known critic of US policy into submission.

2. The accepted practice is for politicians or ambassadors to send a letter that is published and then the concerned writer gets a chance to respond or apologize if he or she is wrong. This never happened. Dr. Mazari never saw a copy of the ambassador's letter or was provided proof from her writings that she was endangering the life of a US citizen.

3. US ambassador's serious accusation to Dr. Mazari of threatening a US citizen's life was taken at face value, without supporting evidence, and Dr. Mazari was asked to provide evidence for her opinions that she shapes based on circumstantial and/or factual evidence, which is what all established analysts do.

4. Nowhere in her articles did Dr. Mazari call for violence against any US citizen.

5. The US citizen in question was mentioned in several news mediums before Dr. Mazari referred to him. The US embassy never reacted in public or private to those stories, which were both in print and on television. This is why it is inexplicable why Dr. Mazari was singled out by the US ambassador, beyond the fact that Dr. Mazari is a fierce critic of US policy.

6. Several newspapers published the statements of a retired Pakistani intelligence officer accusing United States of engineering the assassination of Gen. Zia ul Haq. Did any newspaper ask him for evidence before publishing the story, which, according to the US ambassador's logic, endangers the lives of all US diplomats here since it implicates them in the murder of a former Pakistani president and almost the entire leadership of the Pakistan armed forces? It is strange, then, for the US ambassador to demand that Dr. Mazari provide evidence for her opinions and analysis.

7. The US media outlets have spread false alarm worldwide over the past two years by saying Pakistan's nuclear weapons risked falling in wrong hands. Did any one of these US news organizations provide evidence?

8. Dr. Mazari went public on the undue pressure by the US ambassador. She did not accuse the newspaper of anything, nor would it have been appropriate to do so in the first place. If anyone should be issuing clarifications, it is the US embassy because the US ambassador has failed to justify how Dr. Mazari endangered the life of a US citizen.

9. The core question here is this: Why should the US ambassador in Pakistan get away with accusing a Pakistani columnist of endangering the lives of Americans and the columnist gets a rough treatment where she is asked to produce evidence for her analysis? How do we know that Dr. Mazari is not being attacked by the US ambassador for her opinions critical of US policy?

There is no question that The News did not succumb to any pressure. The biggest evidence on this is Mr. Holbrooke's undiplomatic statement against the Geo television in June [See here].

But it is also true that the US ambassador did inadvertently get a special treatment when she got to accuse Dr. Mazari without evidence and without having her letter published for Pakistanis to see and question the veracity of her position and the position of the accused journalist, as is the custom when someone disputes a newspaper article.

In a country reeling under excessive US meddling in domestic affairs, we certainly did not need this reminder of where things stand.

Travelling with the Pak Army in Buner

Kashif Abbasi of Ary One world travelled to Buner on May 14th 2009

The Battle for Swat

As Foreign media may put it’s battle of survival’ .where in reality it is a much more complex scenario. Pakistan Army is on the offensive and Taliban are on the defensive. Those who support Sufi Muhammad were put in to question with the news coming out from the area that Moulvi Kifayat Ullah [son of Sufi Muhammad ] was killed when army responded after an attack on them ,this indeed sheds a good light on the situation , TSNM may now have completely surrendered to the authority dictated by Fazullah’s men and is therefore more irrelevant now.

In times when Pakistan army needs support more than ever and fortunately public support is with them earnestly . The actions that were taken in the President’s disgraceful trip to US must make every Pakistani regret of their choices in the face of these politicians . However more interestingly, those who were very much taking charge of this visit are all those who had nothing to do with the people of Pakistan and were instead installed by their bosses in UK and US. Rehman Malik, Hussain Haqqani , Zardari and now Bilawal Zardari comes in the picture. sounds more like a monarchy.

Sadly as things unfold the nation will be made to suffer more , as news coming from the trip are not so rosy, After the shameful Press conference appearance of our President where he and his BROTHER Karzai were dealt in a manner must like school boys sitting with their counselor ; Hillary Clinton , all Mr.Zardari had on his paper [ handed to him by none other than “Washington’s Ambassador to Pakistan”, Mr. Hussain Haqqani] was about DEMOCRACY, and his much cherished FRIENDS IN US. There was no word on drones, civilian lives lost or US’s support to india. It seems trade is more important in these times and that too not for us but for INDIANS .so that Pakistan suffers and Zardari prospers.

Also when foreign and LOCAL media who has this strange JUDGEMENT issue in their scrutiny , criticize the Pak Army when they oblige due to Nizam E Adal Regulation in place for having secret ties with Taliban , is now again on the offensive blaming them of not taking care of civilian lives and the displaced people.

It is however a serious situation that is emerging and the corrupt and slave govt of ours is not at all ready and concerned about those who are continuously fleeing the area in the wake of operation. It is not the job of Pakistan Army but the job of Federal Govt to provide them with food, and shelter. No tangible work has been done so far. Fortunately and unfortunately [coz it makes the elite more complacent] Pakistan happens to be a nation that comes in top 5 list of Generous Nations , it’s the charities and welfare trusts that are helping these people who never before had to sleep in the open.

Finally for those who criticize Pakistan Army, here is a documentary made by Raageh Omaar of Aljazeera [ and is not a Army funded film in anyway] so that we get a flavor of what our soldiers do to protect us .Its easier said than done.










Note: this documentary was Filmed in Dec ..thats when Loee Sam was not captured and Bajaur was the most active zone of the Tehreek E Taliban Paksitan. As of today..Bajaur is in COMPLETE control of Pakistan Army ..and Mohamand and Orakzai are the trouble zones.

Pakistani Taliban Movement & US Agenda

Pakistan president signed Swat peace pact as demanded by parliament, NWFP government, locals of Swat and Malakand Agency. Government and Armed Forces fully endorsed the pact with the hope of establishment of permanent peace in the area. The political leadership has favoured the government steps towards restoring of peace but some black sheep present amongst Taliban are still trying to enforce their self composed agenda with the support of foreign hands. Murdering / abducting of police and security elements, lashing of a girl, capturing Buner , not dropping weapons, challenging government writ, un-acceptance of high and supreme courts authorities, threatening media declaring political parties and democracy as “Kufar” (un-Islamic) and rejecting NWFP act of establishing Darul Qaza reveal, (one) either Sufi Muhammad do not has any control over the armed wings of Taliban, (two) some of Taliban groups supported by foreign elements are continuously trying to sabotage the peace process while challenging the government writ ,(three) Taliban desire to enforce their agenda only through force, (four ) Taliban are playing deliberately or unconsciously in the hands of anti Pakistan forces/ countries, (five) some of Taliban groups headed by Baitullah Mehsood are not interested in restoring of peace in the area. Anyhow Pakistani nation has seriously started thinking that why Taliban of Swat and surrounding areas are not behaving and abiding by the state’s laws despite that government has accepted their demands and enforced the Islamic Justice System in the area. They seem to be working for the instability of Pakistan which is in fact the Americans and her ally’s agenda. Pakistani political parties (including Jimat-e- Islami & Imran Khan’ Therik–e–Insaaf) and military leadership condemned the Taliban and Sufi Muhammad statements regarding democracy and others affairs.

The western media coupled with some of Pakistani political leader has started propagating that Taliban is going to take over Islamabad and its nuclear assets. Mr Obama is advocating for hot peruse since his pre-elected era as US President has started yelling again that Islamabad Government is very week and is unable to control Talibanization in Pakistan . On April 29, 2009 while addressing a news conference President Babrak Obama said that civilian government in Pakistan is very fragile and don’t seem to have the capacity to deliver basic services: schools, health care, rule of law, a judicial system that works for the majority of the people. The US aim of squabbling Islamabad government and propagating Talibanization of Pakistan indicate that Pentagon has launched preemptive prior to carryout some physical actions deep inside of Pakistan territory .

At the same time he also stated that Pakistan military had begun to realize that home-grown militants are more dangerous and not India posed the biggest threat to stability. Obama also told in the news conference that he was confident about the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal and that the Pakistan Army recognised the dangers of weapons falling into the wrong hands. On the contrary, in the recent past the American administration criticized Pakistan Armed Forces, ISI and also tried to malign these agencies for supporting Taliban. The questions arise, why this shift in policy and pressure on Pakistan is being mounted on prior to start of three nation’s talks which will be held in next week. The answer is, “Washington is probably now interested to make a dent in the relationship of political and military leadership”. US authorities has also started showing carrot to Mr. Nawaz Shiref, which means that they have selected an alternative of the present government and will try to create another political turmoil in Pakistan.

The changing stance and giving such type of statements once the three nation’s talks are going to be held soon in Washington have increased the tension particular between Pakistan and US. Henry Clinton very rightly said that Presidents of US, Pakistan and Afghanistan will carry out the talks under the tense environment. Mrs. Clinton and her colleagues should know that tense environment is because of biased policy of America and its allies in relation to war against terror. India is being given undue advantage in the region against Pakistan and China. Obama administration seems to be living in fool paradise once she says that India is not a threat to Pakistan. Here I would also say that launching any physical campaign against nuclear Pakistan by US or any of its allies will be a suicidal mission for them.


In this context one can simply say that Obama deliberately wants to close his eyes on the core regional issue i.e. Kashmir and just asking Pakistan to do more by pitching her in so called war on terror. It is wroth mentioning here that American top brass has the strategy of controlling the states while admiring and encouraging one or some of the components of any targeted government. Thus, we can say that Washington believes in the policy of divide and rule. US is applying same strategy to be effective now on Islamabad. Let’s hope that our government tackles this situation wisely. The statements of Obama and some official of his administration will also be taken as their futile efforts at the time of President Zardari visit. Here I also want to add that such type of statements of any head of the state or official should also be termed as unethical part of diplomatic norms and customs. Unfortunately, in this regard, American leadership is on the top of the list. On April 30, 2009 Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani responded promptly on Obam’s current statement while saying that US supported a dictator, Pervez Musharraf, for eight years and the present democratic government continues to suffer from its effects. As usual American government now explained that Obama’s Statement have been published in the media without any reference to the context and they believe that present government is capable to handle all types of crises.

Now coming to the ongoing Taliban Problem of Swat and Buner the exaggerated, situation have been painted by the foreign press to carry out media trial of Pakistan. The world probably does not aware of the facts that these few Taliban will never be successful in taking control of Pakistan; since it is an Islamic moderate nuclear state and its majority is true believer of real Islam. We also know that the current situation occurred as a result of the demand of few uneducated persons, which is not even closer to the actual concept of Islam. The Taliban movement has nothing to do with Islam or ideology. They are illiterate and jobless people. Not a single Taliban belongs to a well-off family. In Swat three types of people reside i.e. (1) kissan (peasants or working class, which are Gujjars and Kohistanis), (2) Kashran (nominated people by jirgas who help implement orders), and (3) Mashran (advisors, lumberdars or deputies of the Maliks). Above them are Maliks who rule. The Taliban leadership forcibly employing the jobless youth and paying them monthly salary from Rs. 3,000 to 8,000 along with arms and weapons. For money they do everything which they are ordered to do as the saying goes you can win “the Pakhtoon by bribe and Baloch by tap”. From where this money is coming, from where these weapons are pouring in – this is not a million dollar question, which has no answer. Obviously there is foreign backing and support of all kinds.

These Taliban have not only defaced Islam or Shariah but they have also destroyed the Pakhtoon culture. Pakhtoons are traditionally hospitable and respectful. But the Taliban have demolished this concept. They deceive, cheat and betray – contrary to the Islamic code of ethics. They in the name of talks hold hostage government officials, police or FC men and demand ransom like thugs and kidnappers. They raid mazars of pirs, have desecrated Rehman Baba and Khush-hal Khan Khattaks tombs and kill the spiritual leaders – basically for the sake of looting money from their abodes. They have threatened t Many ask why the Taliban fighters wear masks and hide their faces, while Islam prohibits such a practice, kindly refer to Surah al-Baqara’s Ayaat number 11 and 12. If it is because they do not want to have photographed as it is forbidden in Islam, then why Muslim Khan and others hold press talks in front of TV cameras. Many of them must have got their NADRA cards and passports with their photographs. The only reason seems to be that the Taliban have a number of foreigners in their ranks and files who want to hide themselves from public.

On April 30, 2009 Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj-Gen Athar Abbas revealed in a media conference that due to the successful operation, launched jointly by the FC and the Pakistan Army, life was returning to normalcy in Lower Dir. He said Buner and Lower Dir have been cleared however Sultanwas and Pir Baba are still with the militants. The FC has established its headquarters at Daggar, he added. DG ISPR also disclosed that government and the security forces had been exercising maximum restraint despite clear violations of peace deal by the Taliban and moreover militants are being supported by hostile agencies and the countries adjacent to Afghan border. These hostile agencies are CIA, RAW and RAAM. Pakistan Has already asked Afghan governments and US to seize the border by erecting proper obstacles but somehow Karzai and Washington never gave positive response to this suggestion. US always insisted in increasing her forces in Afghanistan which only reflect her ultimate desire of staying in the region to contain China, Russia and capture the natural resources of Central Asian states. Though, Pakistan is passing through the most dangerous period since her inception but her nation, Armed Forces and Intelligence agencies are strong enough to defeat the conspiracy against the lonely nuclear Muslim state. There is strong perception in the masses that US never tried to hit Baitullah Mehsood due to one or other pretext and at the same time is trying to get help from Iran to make the northern alliance strong .The deliberate silence over Iran nuclear programme now , asking help from Iran in northern portion of Afghanistan, supporting India and anti Pakistan Taliban, criticizing Islamabad , Army and Intelligence agencies , backing Baloch Liberation Movement are enough examples of showing ulterior motive of Washington .

The region is contaminated with variety of Taliban, CIA Taliban, Mullah Omer Taliban, KGB Taliban, Punjabi Taliban,, warlords of the Mujahideen, drug cartels, al Qaeda terrorist groups, extreme religious fanatics, mercenaries and foreign troops all interlinked to one another, each trying to rule, plunder, loot and kill in the name of Islam. CIA with the help of her adopted kids (RAW, RAAM AND Mossad) is deliberately tarnishing the ISI image by involving the later in helping Taliban. But I will just say that Pakistani nation, its security forces and intelligence agencies are strong enough to defeat the interior and exterior anti Pakistan elements and foreign hands .Media has started positive role in the current situation.

Concluding I must ask my nation to be untied and strengthen our Armed forces, its intelligence agencies and throw away black sheep present amongst us. We must pay tribute to the troops of security forces, people who have left their area, laid their lives for fighting Pakistan Battle. American top brass must know that they are earning hate and nothing else by involving them in crushing innocent people particularly Muslims. I would also like to ask my Taliban brothers to come on right track, throw away the weapons, hold the pen and join the main stream of Pakistani nation and fight for true Islam instead enforcing self composed agenda and playing in the foreign hands.

Author : Zaheer Ul Hassan

Do more Mr, Brown..DO more

Gordon Brown received an apparent snub today as he arrived in Pakistan for talks with President Zardari only to be told that he was not available to appear at a joint press conference.

The Prime Minister, who landed in Pakistan this afternoon after talks in Afghanistan, told reporters on the plane that he would hold a meeting with the President.

But instead of a joint press conference with Mr Zardari in Islamabad, Mr Brown appeared alongside the relatively junior Pakistani Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani.

Downing Street tried to play down reports that the President had cancelled the press conference at the last minute as a snub to Mr Brown.

“It is entirely appropriate that he has a press conference with his counterpart,” a No 10 spokesman said. However, on his last visit to Pakistan in December, Mr Brown and Mr Zardari did stage a joint press conference.

The private meeting between the two leaders has so far yet to go ahead.

Mr Brown was visiting the region today to discuss Britain's new strategy for dealing with the terror threat on the Pakistani-Afghan border, as international alarm spreads over Taleban advances. The Prime Minister spoke to British troops at Camp Bastion, their main base in Helmand province, this morning.

He also visited a military hospital, before moving to Kabul, the Afghan capital, for discussions with President Karzai.

“This area and the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan is the crucible for global terrorism,” Mr Brown said, in a speech to the troops.

“It’s important to recognise that if we do not take action and we do not fight back against the Taleban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, then people in Britain and in other countries represented here are less safe.”

British troops in Helmand will be reinforced in coming weeks by the arrival of more than 8,000 US Marines, a massive influx that NATO commanders hope will reverse what they have described as a stalemate in one of the country’s most violent provinces.

Asked what Britain would do about instability on the Pakistani side of the border, Mr Brown said: “It’s clear ... that we cannot sit by and allow this centre, or epicentre, of terrorism to continue to exist without taking further action.”

Source : www.timesonline.co.uk




It is people like Brown who are too hasty to SHOW off their loyalties to the actual bosses in Washington and Tel Aviv ..in a situation where his popularity is dropping immensely in his country, and Economic situation has become more of a PERMANENT crisis, he needs his bosses more than ever and thus he will do all he can to please them.

Operation Pathway ..in any other times such as that of even Tony Blair's when lying had become more of state norm from the British Govt, no such example can be cited. A totally Farce, Racist , and Discriminatory behavior from UK govt has resulted in its alligning with all those forces who make mistakes and show the world they there were made ON purpose..

Pakistani Students ..all 12 of them were not charged of any crime despite working day and night towards doing so ..yet arrested and DEFAMED ...and harrassed.Infact not only it tarnished and tainted the face of So 'HARMONIOUS' society of UK ..it indeed exposed its true face to the world.

How to Clear the Mess !!!

BY : Imran Khan -

The reason why there is so much despondency in Pakistan is because there is no road map to get out of the so-called War on Terror - a nomenclature that even the Obama Administration has discarded as being a negative misnomer. To cure the patient the diagnosis has to be accurate, otherwise the wrong medicine can sometimes kill the patient. In order to find the cure, first six myths that have been spun around the US-led “Global War on Terror” (GWOT) have to be debunked.

Myth No. 1: This is Pakistan’s war

Since no Pakistani was involved in 9/11 and the CIA-trained Al Qaeda was based in Afghanistan, how does it concern us? It is only when General Musharraf buckled under US pressure and sent our troops into Waziristan in late 2003-early 2004 that Pakistan became a war zone. It took another three years of the Pakistan army following the same senseless tactics as used by the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan (aerial bombardment) plus the slaughter at Lal Masjid, for the creation of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). If our security forces are being targeted today by the Taliban and their suicide bombers, it is because they are perceived to be proxies of the US army. Iran is ideologically opposed to both Al Qaeda and the Taliban yet why are its security forces not attacked by terrorists? The answer is because their President does not pretend to be a bulwark against Islamic extremism in return for US dollars and support.


Michael Scheuer (ex-CIA officer and author of the book Imperial Hubris), writing in The Washington Post in April 2007, cited Musharraf’s loyalty to the US even when it went against Pakistan’s national interests by giving two examples: the first was Musharraf helping the US in removing a pro-Pakistan Afghan government and replacing it with a pro-Indian one; and, the second, for sending Pakistani troops into the tribal areas and turning the tribesmen against the Pakistan army. To fully understand Musharraf’s treachery against Pakistan, it is important to know that almost a 100,000 troops were sent into the tribal areas to target around 1000 suspected Al-Qaeda members - thus earning the enmity of at least 1.5 million armed local tribals in the 7 tribal agencies of Pakistan.

The most shameful aspect of the lie that this is our war is that the government keeps begging the US for more dollars stating that the war is costing the country more than the money it is receiving from the US. If it is our war, then fighting it should not be dependent on funds and material flowing from the US. If it is our war, why do we have no control over it? If it is our war, then why is the US government asking us to do more?

Myth No. 2: This is a war against Islamic extremists ó an ideological war against radical Islam

Was the meteoric rise of Taliban due to their religious ideology? Clearly not, because the Mujahideen were equally religious - Gulbadin Hekmatyar (supported by the ISI) was considered an Islamic fundamentalist. In fact, the reason the Taliban succeeded where the Mujahideen warlords failed, was because they established the rule of law - the Afghans had had enough of the power struggle between the warlord factions that had destroyed what remained of the country’s infrastructure and killed over 100,000 people.

If the Pushtuns of the tribal area wanted to adopt the Taliban religious ideology then surely they would have when the latter was in power in Afghanistan, between 1996 and 2001. Yet there was no Talibanisation in the tribal areas. Interestingly, the only part of Pakistan where the Taliban had an impact was in Swat where Sufi Mohammad started the Shariat Movement. The reason was that while there was rule of law (based on the traditional jirga system) in the tribal areas, the people of Swat had been deprived of easy access to justice ever since the traditional legal system premised on Qazi courts was replaced by Pakistani laws and judicial system, first introduced in 1974. The murder rate shot up from 10 per year in 1974 to almost 700 per year by 1977, when there was an uprising against the Pakistani justice system. The Taliban cashed in on this void of justice to rally the poorer sections of Swat society just as they had attracted the Afghans in a situation of political anarchy and lawlessness in Afghanistan. It is important to make this distinction because the strategy to bring peace must depend on knowing your enemy. Michael Bearden, CIA station chief in Pakistan from 1986 to 1989, wrote in Foreign Affairs magazine that the US is facing the same Pushtun insurgency that was faced by the Soviets in Afghanistan. According to him, as long as NATO is in Afghanistan, the Taliban will get a constant supply of men from the 15 million Pushtun population of Afghanistan and the 25 million Pushtuns of Pakistan. In other words, this Talibanisation is not so much religion-driven as politically-motivated. So the solution to the problem in the tribal belt today does not lie in religion and “moderate” Islam but in a political settlement.

Myth No. 3: If we keep fighting the US war, the super power will bail us out financially through aid packages.

Recently, the Government’s Adviser on Finance stated that the war on terror has cost Pakistan $35 billion while the country has received only $11 billion assistance from the US. I would go a step further and say that this aid is the biggest curse for the country. Not only is it “blood money” for our army killing our own people (there is no precedent for this) but also nothing has destroyed the self-esteem of this country as this one factor. Moreover, there is no end in sight as our cowardly and compromised leadership is ordered to “do more” for the payments made for their services. Above all, this aid and loans are like treating cancer with disprin. It enables the government to delay the much needed surgery of reforms (cutting expenditures and raising revenues); and meanwhile the cancer is spreading and might become terminal.


Myth No. 4: That the next terrorist attack on the US will come from the tribal areas.

First, there is an assumption, based purely on conjecture, that the Al Qaeda leadership is in the tribal areas. In fact, this leadership could well be in the 70 % of Afghan territory that the Taliban control. More importantly, given the growing radicalisation of the educated Muslim youth - in major part because of the continuing US partiality towards Israeli occupation of Palestinian land - why can it not follow that the next terrorist attack on the US could come either from the Middle East or from the marginalised and radicalised Muslims of Europe, motivated by perceived injustices to Islam and the Muslim World.

Myth No. 5: That the ISI is playing a double game and if Pakistan did more the war could be won.

If Talibanisation is growing in Pakistan because of the covert support of ISI in the tribal areas, then surely the growing Taliban control over Afghanistan (70 % of the territory) must be with NATO’s complicity? Surely a more rational understanding would be to see that the strategy being employed is creating hatred against the US and its collaborators. Aerial bombardment and its devastating collateral damage is the biggest gift the US has given to the Taliban. According to official reports, out of the 60 drone attacks conducted between 14 January 2006-April 8 2009, only 10 were on target, killing 14 alleged Al Qaeda. In the process almost 800 Pakistani civilians have been killed, while many lost their homes and limbs.

Despite its military surge effort, the US will eventually pack up and leave like the Soviets, but the “do more” mantra could end up destroying the Pakistan army - especially the ISI which is being targeted specifically for the mess created by the Bush Administration in Afghanistan.

Myth No. 6: That Pakistan could be Talibanised with their version of Islam.

Both Musharraf and Zardari have contributed to this myth in order to get US backing and dollars. Firstly there is no such precedent in the 15-hundred years of Islamic history of a theocracy like that of the Taliban, outside of the recent Taliban period of rule in Afghanistan. However, as mentioned earlier, the Taliban’s ascendancy in Afghanistan was not a result of their religious ideology but their ability to establish order and security in a war-devastated and anarchic Afghanistan.

In Swat, the present mess has arisen because of poor governance issues. Also, it was the manner in which the government handled the situation - simply sending in the army rather than providing better governance - that created space for the Taliban. Just as in Balochistan (under Musharraf) when the army was sent in rather than the Baloch being given their economic and provincial rights, similarly the army in Swat aggravated the situation and the present mess was created.

What Pakistan has to worry about is the chaos and anarchy that are going to stem from the radicalisation of our people because of the failure of successive governments to govern effectively and justly. Karen Armstrong, in her book The Battle for God, gives details of fundamentalist movements that turned militant when they were repressed. Ideas should be fought with counter ideas and dialogue, not guns. Allama Iqbal was able to deal with fundamentalism through his knowledge and intellect. The slaughter of the fundamentalists of Lal Masjid did more to fan extremism and fanaticism than any other single event.

Pakistan is staring down an abyss today and needs to come up with a sovereign nationalist policy to deal with the situation. If we keep on following dictation from Washington, we are doomed. There are many groups operating in the country under the label of “Taliban”. Apart from the small core of religious extremists, the bulk of the fighting men are Pushtun nationalists. Then there are the fighters from the old Jihadi groups. Moreover, the Taliban are also successfully exploiting the class tensions by appealing to the have-nots. But the most damaging for Pakistan are those groups who are being funded primarily from two external sources: first, by those who want to see Pakistan become a “failed state”; and, second, by those who wish to see the US bogged down in the Afghan quagmire.

What needs to be done: A two-pronged strategy is required - focusing on a revised relationship with the US and a cohesive national policy based on domestic compulsions and ground realities. President Obama, unlike President Bush, is intelligent and has integrity. A select delegation of local experts on the tribal area and Afghanistan should make him understand that the current strategy is a disaster for both Pakistan and the US; that Pakistan can no longer commit suicide by carrying on this endless war against its own people; that we will hold dialogue and win over the Pushtuns of the tribal area and make them deal with the real terrorists while the Pakistan army is gradually pulled out.

At the same time, Pakistan has to move itself to ending drone attacks if the US is not prepared to do so. Closure of the drone base within Pakistan is a necessary beginning as is the need to create space between ourselves and the US, which will alter the ground environment in favour of the Pakistani state. It will immediately get rid of the fanaticism that creates suicide bombers as no longer will they be seen to be on the path to martyrdom by bombing US collaborators. Within this environment a consensual national policy to combat extremism and militancy needs to be evolved centring on dialogue, negotiation and assertion of the writ of the state. Where force is required the state must rely on the paramilitary forces, not the army. Concomitantly, Pakistan needs serious reforms. First and foremost we have to give our people access to justice at the grassroots level - that is, revive the village jury/Panchayat system. Only then will we rid ourselves of the oppressive “thana-kutchery” culture which compels the poor to seek adjudication by the feudals, tribal leaders, tumandars and now by the Taliban also - thereby perpetuating oppression of the dispossessed, especially women.

Second, unless we end the system of parallel education in the country where the rich access private schools and a different examination system while the poor at best only have access to a deprived public school system with its outmoded syllabus and no access to employment. That is why the marginalised future generations are condemned to go to madrassahs which provide them with food for survival and exploit their pent up social anger. We need to bring all our educational institutions into the mainstream with one form of education syllabus and examination system for all - with madrassahs also coming under the same system even while they retain their religious education specialisation.

Third, the level of governance needs to be raised through making appointments on merit in contrast to the worst type of cronyism that is currently on show. Alongside this, a cutting of expenditures is required with the leadership and the elite leading by example through adoption of an austere lifestyle. Also, instead of seeking aid and loans to finance the luxurious lifestyle of the elite, the leadership should pay taxes, declare its assets and bring into the country all money kept in foreign banks abroad. All “benami” transactions, assets and bank accounts should be declared illegal. I believe we will suddenly discover that we are actually quite a self-sufficient country.

Fourth, the state has to widen its direct taxation net and cut down on indirect taxation where the poor subsidise the rich. If corruption and ineptitude are removed, it will be possible for the state to collect income tax more effectively.

A crucial requirement for moving towards stability would be the disarming of all militant groups - which will a real challenge for the leadership but here again, the political elite can lead by example and dismantle their show of guards and private forces.


Finally, fundamentalism should be fought intellectually with sensitivity shown to the religious and heterogeneous roots of culture amongst the Pakistani masses. Solutions have to be evolved from within the nation through tolerance and understanding. Here, we must learn from the Shah of Iran’s attempts to enforce a pseudo-Western identity onto his people and its extreme backlash from Iranian society. The threat of extremism is directly related to the performance of the state and its ability to deliver justice and welfare to its people.