The silent majority..
Air Marshal (Retd) Ayaz Ahmed Khan from Islalambad..Nation
Thanks to the world media men flooding Islamabad, Pakistan has gained a new image worldwide. The image presented by global TV networks is that of shrieking, frothing and deranged clerics and violent bearded protesters shouting, cursing, burning US flags and slapping, torching, kicking effigies of President George Bush. They look like madmen who have broken loose from a mad house. CNN, BBC, German and Japanese, French and other TV networks make it a point to film the frenzied, excited and spasmed bearded gentlemen waving arms as if hitting out on everything.
In Quetta Maulana Fazlur Rehman's followers carry hate placards, and are heard yelling, "We will destroy Pakistan, we will destroy America". In some parts of NWFP crowds carrying Osama and Taliban banners and placards, and excited by political sermons of violent Mullahs are heard chanting "We love Taliban, Osama zindabad, Taliban zindabad, mullah Omar Zindabad—down with Pakistan, down with Musharraf, down with America". This insane behaviour and rotten image of Pakistan is disgusting and is bringing shame on the Pakistani nation. It is eroding Pakistan's image as a peace loving, moderate, tolerant society and a civilized country. It is humiliating for a common Pakistani to be televised globally as terrorist look alike and terrorist supporter.
The image of Pakistanis is being tarnished by the small extremist minority. Over eighty percent of the population - going by gallup count, has endorsed Government decision to side with the world in the war against terrorism. But when people here and abroad see this lurid and frightening spectacle on their TV sets every Friday, they are bound to be disturbed by what they see. The TV projection is that Pakistani cities, towns and villages are full of Islamic zealots, who hate everything except Osama bin Laden, Mullah Omar, the Taliban and their version of fanatic and intolerant Islam. This is happening because of moral insensibility of the majority. In the present situation silence implies condoning extremism, fanaticism and terrorism.
The silent majority has yet to protest and stop the prejudiced minority from taking law and order in its own hands, disrupt public peace, and cause law and order problem. These disruptive Friday rallies if not stopped will create economic dislocation and political instability. Sensing problems for the Musharraf government, India has started redeploying its Army, air force and navy close to Pakistan borders, for possible aggression. IAF's Western Air Command has been relocated, with the Western Army Command. Most of the combat and strike aircraft has been moved to the nine forward IAF bases.
Indian Army has started shelling across the Line of Control and the working boundary to create panic and war hysteria. Pakistani politicians, especially leaders of political parties need to realize that their violent sermons urging people to take to the streets are weakening Pakistan; and are stoking India into mischief including subversion and aggression.
It is sad that patriotic Pakistanis hear torrents of abuse against their country and say nothing! The JUI has threatened to stage torrid protests every Friday. How long will the patriotic Pakistani masses be subjected to such insult, ridicule and humiliation by hate filled minority? The majority is with the government. But the government being non-elected is badly cornered.
If the Allied bombing continues, with enhanced casualties of innocent Afghan men, women and children, the protest rallies may create a law and order situation beyond the control of the Army government. The need of the hour is complete unity. Because the masses are silent and are saying nothing to rebut the vilification and abuse being hurled on the government, the worst scenario is an anarchical situation beyond the control of the government. The aim of the inimical mullahs will be achieved with disorder and anarchy.
The government is trying to control the frenzied Friday mobs, but it needs widest support including that of the mainstream political parties. The best thing under the present circumstances would be a national government. With intensified aimless bombing and enhanced casualties already about one thousand Afghans have been killed.
Time is running out for the Army regime, in spite of earlier endorsement of its policies, because public support will keep diminishing as air attacks cause visible havoc to the devastated Afghan population.
It is about time the majority wakes up and challenges the mullahs and the violent mobs out to wreck Pakistan's polity, economy and national pride. The fanatics led by the excited clerics think their street power cannot be challenged by the state. They take out uncalled for rallies in spite of Section 144. They hurl abuse on state authority and on the state itself. This must stop. And the people have to stop it.
But the government also needs to wake up. The hard-liner Mullahs and their Taliban and Osama loving followers cannot be persuaded to stop political turmoil, unless there is a pause in the bombing. During the last two weeks the Allied Air Forces have flown over three thousand sorties and have destroyed Taliban air power, but not military power. Immense damage has been caused to the infrastructure.
All the major cities including Kabul, Qandhar, Jalalabad, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, and even towns are without electricity, water, food and fuel. But US and UK have failed to achieve their political and military aims. The Northern Alliance now renamed United Front is disorganized ill-equipped and leaderless. Its 20 or so commanders have yet to devise an agreed strategy for fighting the Taliban. Their tall claims of capturing Kabul are propagandist fantasies of Western media.
The Afghan masses have rallied round the dispersed and well armed Taliban, who are eagerly awaiting the much trumpeted Allied land operations. With the winter closing in Afghanistan, land operations by Allied Forces and by the Northern Alliance will have to be postponed till April-May next year.
President Musharraf feeling as confident as ever, assured US Secretary Colin Powell of Pakistan's commitment to help US in intelligence sharing, use of air space and logistic support. But wisely the President advised Mr Powell that the military campaign in Afghanistan should be short and targeted.
The Allied bombing campaign had achieved its mission objectives after the fourth day of bombing. Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had admitted that the air mission aims had been achieved. So why is aerial bombardment being continued without respite? Protest rallies against the bombing have been held the world over. All the aid organizations including UNICEF have appealed for pause in the bombing. Infact the bombing should be stopped altogether. The Allied High Command should get down to serious rethinking and evolve a new strategy which does not hurt ordinary Afghan folks.
As a super power American image should be humane, merciful and benevolent. It will be unfortunate that in the zest to destroy terrorism, America is labeled as a terrorist itself. America's bad image will give its closest ally Pakistan also a distorted image, especially at home, because the people of Pakistan do not wish the people of Afghanistan to be hurt, and will blame their government for complicity if that happens due to continued merciless Allied bombing of Afghanistan. |
