The Asian Outlook.com

Pakistan at stake

Mir Jamil-ur-Rahman

Americans are pursuing a one-point agenda of smashing the Taliban regime. The religious parties of Pakistan are also following a one-point agenda of tearing down Pakistan. Americans may succeed, but the mullahs will never.

The religious parties have never come to terms with Pakistan and Pakistani nationhood. It is a historical truth that the forbearers of our religious-political leaders were deadly against partition. Most of them had joined hands with the Indian Congress to subvert the Pakistan movement. However, the Muslims did not fall into the trap. They followed the
clean-shaven Iqbal and Jinnah and realized their dream of an independent
state.

The religious parties are after the blood of President Pervez Musharraf. They want him eliminated because he has stood rocklike thwarting their attempts to weaken Pakistan. The religious leaders know perfectly well that Americans would have attacked Afghanistan, with or without Pakistan's help.

They are using the attack as an excuse to spread chaos in Pakistan. They have chosen this path to grab power and make Mullah Omar the Amir-ul-Momineen of Pak-Afghan confederation. Maulvi Israr Ahmed, Amir of Tanzim Islami, has made the bombastic declaration that the Taliban regime was the true example of Khilafat-e-Rashideen and Mullah Omar a replica of Khalifa Hazrat Omar.

The religious-political parties believe that Islam and democracy are incompatible.
Whatever little faith they had in the electoral process was shattered when the Muslims of the subcontinent rejected them and voted for Pakistan. Their repeated defeats in general elections held after the creation of Pakistan have disoriented them completely. They have become convinced that they could never attain power through democratic process.
They need anarchy followed by civil war to fulfill their desire for power. Their call for
civil disobedience movement is an essential part of this plan. They have learned the trick of 'civil disobedience' from Mahatma Gandhi, the spiritual leader of the Congress.

Civil disobedience was a political tactic that Gandhi had employed to force the British imperial power to quit India. It entailed refusal to comply with certain laws like payment of taxes. It was a peaceful protest deriving its strength from the traditional Buddhist philosophy of ahimsa: avoidance of violence towards others both in thought and deed. However, the civil disobedience movement announced by Maulana Samiul Haq, chairman of the Pak-Afghan Defense Council, would be violent both in thought and deed.

Six religious parties, half of which are otherwise engaged in slaying each other's followers, have formed a United Action Front (UAF) to destabilize Pakistan. These parties are: Jama'at-i-Islami, Jamiat Ulema Islam (S), Jamiat Ulema Islam (F), Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith, Jamiat Ulema Pakistan and Tehrik Jafriah Pakistan. Although these parties follow different schools of Islamic jurisprudence and are extremely intolerant of each other, but the common cause of destabilizing Pakistan have bonded them together. The
UAF in its first meeting held at Mansura (JI's headquarters) last Monday announced
a nationwide strike for next Friday, Nov 9, to protest against the American bombing of Afghanistan. This will be a 'wheel-jam' strike, meaning that the shops would be forced to close and no wheel, vehicular or industrial, would be allowed to turn.

Strike is a trade union weapon. It is an organized refusal by employees to work until their grievances are remedied. The workforce in every democracy enjoys this legitimate and legal right to press for better wages and improved working conditions. The trade unions strikes are limited in scope, apolitical and normally do not inconvenience the public. The UAF wheel-jam strike on the other hand is politically motivated, designed to subvert the
state apparatus and disrupt the normal life. The industrial workforce, private and government employees, shopkeepers, transport operators and private vehicles would be coerced into obeying the strike call. The strike would be a success by default because people would rather stay home than brave the arsonist and stone-throwing mobs supplied by the UAF dini madaris.

The major political parties, which between them command overwhelming majority of the popular vote, have extended unconditional support to President Musharraf. These political parties have suffered greatly from each other's hand and later when the military took over their leaders were condemned for every ill of the country. They are not permitted to engage in political activity publicly and resultantly the religious parties are having a field day. The religious leaders make treasonous statements; stage protests against the government and issue threats of civil war with immunity. The government response is usually confined to clarifications and bland press releases. President Musharraf has a capable cabinet but except for his Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Moinuddin Haider no other minister has the political acumen and experience to challenge the fanatic statements of the religious leaders. President Musharraf would have to give a serious
thought of strengthening his cabinet politically. Whether he likes politicians or not, the political games cannot be played by technocrat ministers.

The blockade of Karakoram Highway by the religious extremists that cut off Pakistan from Northern Areas and China was quite an eye-opener. It was an open revolt that could have turned bloody had the government not acted with patience and leniency. The demonstrators were heavily armed. They had placed obstructions on the highway and positioned themselves on hilltops daring the administration to come and clear the highway. They had challenged to shoot any thing that moved. No traffic could ply for 5 days, which created scarcity of food and other essential items in the Northern Areas and
thousands of people were stranded on each side of the blockade. The blockade was lifted last Tuesday but it took a few more days to clear the highway of obstructions. Attempts were also made, on the call of JUI, to block other highways.

The religious-political parties in their pursuit of power and in their professed hate towards the government have put Pakistan at stake. Ostensibly, its protests are directed against the Americans, but in reality they want to create anarchic situation in the country to facilitate their path to power. They call Gen. Musharraf a security risk. But in fact these religious parties are the gravest of security risk Pakistan has ever faced.

- Mir Jamil-ur-Rahman





		Pakistan at stake Mir Jamil-ur-Rahman Americans are pursuing a one-point agenda of smashing the Taliban regime. The religious parties of Pakistan are also following a one-point agenda of tearing down Pakistan. Americans may succeed, but the mullahs will never. The religious parties have never come to terms with Pakistan and Pakistani nationhood. It is a historical truth that the forbearers of our religious-political leaders were deadly against partition. Most of them had joined hands with the Indian Congress to subvert the Pakistan movement. However, the Muslims did not fall into the trap. They followed the clean-shaven Iqbal and Jinnah and realized their dream of an independent state. The religious parties are after the blood of President Pervez Musharraf. They want him eliminated because he has stood rocklike thwarting their attempts to weaken Pakistan. The religious leaders know perfectly well that Americans would have attacked Afghanistan, with or without Pakistan's help. They are using the attack as an excuse to spread chaos in Pakistan. They have chosen this path to grab power and make Mullah Omar the Amir-ul-Momineen of Pak-Afghan confederation. Maulvi Israr Ahmed, Amir of Tanzim Islami, has made the bombastic declaration that the Taliban regime was the true example of Khilafat-e-Rashideen and Mullah Omar a replica of Khalifa Hazrat Omar. The religious-political parties believe that Islam and democracy are incompatible. Whatever little faith they had in the electoral process was shattered when the Muslims of the subcontinent rejected them and voted for Pakistan. Their repeated defeats in general elections held after the creation of Pakistan have disoriented them completely. They have become convinced that they could never attain power through democratic process. They need anarchy followed by civil war to fulfill their desire for power. Their call for civil disobedience movement is an essential part of this plan. They have learned the trick of 'civil disobedience' from Mahatma Gandhi, the spiritual leader of the Congress. Civil disobedience was a political tactic that Gandhi had employed to force the British imperial power to quit India. It entailed refusal to comply with certain laws like payment of taxes. It was a peaceful protest deriving its strength from the traditional Buddhist philosophy of ahimsa: avoidance of violence towards others both in thought and deed. However, the civil disobedience movement announced by Maulana Samiul Haq, chairman of the Pak-Afghan Defense Council, would be violent both in thought and deed. Six religious parties, half of which are otherwise engaged in slaying each other's followers, have formed a United Action Front (UAF) to destabilize Pakistan. These parties are: Jama'at-i-Islami, Jamiat Ulema Islam (S), Jamiat Ulema Islam (F), Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith, Jamiat Ulema Pakistan and Tehrik Jafriah Pakistan. Although these parties follow different schools of Islamic jurisprudence and are extremely intolerant of each other, but the common cause of destabilizing Pakistan have bonded them together. The UAF in its first meeting held at Mansura (JI's headquarters) last Monday announced a nationwide strike for next Friday, Nov 9, to protest against the American bombing of Afghanistan. This will be a 'wheel-jam' strike, meaning that the shops would be forced to close and no wheel, vehicular or industrial, would be allowed to turn. Strike is a trade union weapon. It is an organized refusal by employees to work until their grievances are remedied. The workforce in every democracy enjoys this legitimate and legal right to press for better wages and improved working conditions. The trade unions strikes are limited in scope, apolitical and normally do not inconvenience the public. The UAF wheel-jam strike on the other hand is politically motivated, designed to subvert the state apparatus and disrupt the normal life. The industrial workforce, private and government employees, shopkeepers, transport operators and private vehicles would be coerced into obeying the strike call. The strike would be a success by default because people would rather stay home than brave the arsonist and stone-throwing mobs supplied by the UAF dini madaris. The major political parties, which between them command overwhelming majority of the popular vote, have extended unconditional support to President Musharraf. These political parties have suffered greatly from each other's hand and later when the military took over their leaders were condemned for every ill of the country. They are not permitted to engage in political activity publicly and resultantly the religious parties are having a field day. The religious leaders make treasonous statements; stage protests against the government and issue threats of civil war with immunity. The government response is usually confined to clarifications and bland press releases. President Musharraf has a capable cabinet but except for his Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Moinuddin Haider no other minister has the political acumen and experience to challenge the fanatic statements of the religious leaders. President Musharraf would have to give a serious thought of strengthening his cabinet politically. Whether he likes politicians or not, the political games cannot be played by technocrat ministers. The blockade of Karakoram Highway by the religious extremists that cut off Pakistan from Northern Areas and China was quite an eye-opener. It was an open revolt that could have turned bloody had the government not acted with patience and leniency. The demonstrators were heavily armed. They had placed obstructions on the highway and positioned themselves on hilltops daring the administration to come and clear the highway. They had challenged to shoot any thing that moved. No traffic could ply for 5 days, which created scarcity of food and other essential items in the Northern Areas and thousands of people were stranded on each side of the blockade. The blockade was lifted last Tuesday but it took a few more days to clear the highway of obstructions. Attempts were also made, on the call of JUI, to block other highways. The religious-political parties in their pursuit of power and in their professed hate towards the government have put Pakistan at stake. Ostensibly, its protests are directed against the Americans, but in reality they want to create anarchic situation in the country to facilitate their path to power. They call Gen. Musharraf a security risk. But in fact these religious parties are the gravest of security risk Pakistan has ever faced. - Mir Jamil-ur-Rahman