While They Fight… TTP Strikes

Last week was covered with news stories, or precisely a tug of war between our Minister for Interior Rehman Malik and CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif. The bone of contention remained varying claims regarding the existence of Punjabi Taliban, making its hold firm in South and internal Punjab.

Mr Malik, as cool as a cucumber very tactfully dodged the blunder committed by his ministry, that lead to the tragic assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti, Minister for Minorities. Where the discussion centered around missing security and his performance in the last few years, he initiated a new debate by reminding every one that its TT-Punjab which is the real culprit, as if till now they all have collectively made a folly by embarking on operations in Swat and Waziristan, instead of Punjab. Talk of the town became his resignation, even from his own party but it was well known that as long as the present setup remain, his hold is firm.

On the other side of the picture, CM Punjab was boiling with anger over the comments made by the Minister, and made sure that he throws every thing back in the Federal basket, with true warrior like spirit. Like two kids fighting over a toy, which they want for themselves, these two were seen fighting over this issue as if this decision about existence or non existence of Punjabi Taliban will solve every thing.  The result never took long to appear, and TTP (Punjab, New Delhi or Kabul whatever you name them) struck the industrial centre of Punjab, Faisalabad. Apparently, the target was an office of top spy agency of Pakistan, whose Chief is believed to have given two years extension just the same morning. So this can be seen as a welcoming gift to him by the army of barbarians… TTP.

The point I wanted to make out here is nothing more than “priority”. Effort without direction remains a waste of effort and same goes for a campaign without priority. Minister for Interior is seen dashing every alternate night to Karachi to appease PPP led coalition, while the provincial Minister goes on air to claim that the same people/ party are the real criminals of Karachi. Being a Federal Minister, its clear that his domain include Punjab and its his responsibility to take care of everything, instead of cursing the political setup but instead the blame goes on provincial setup, which I in no way name as the “angel of the offices”.

Last night I was going through a story carried by a leading newspaper, stating how silently the two prime witnesses of Wali Khan Babar, a journalist from Jang group have been assassinated in the last few weeks without a single story on this subject. The murdered journalist is the same person, whose killers arrest was guaranteed by none other than Malik Sahab, and as the news states the witnesses killed have earlier expressed concerns over the prevailing danger to their life. But as they say… case closed.

The arrest of Raymond also required many answers from interior ministry, but like before they have done their best to show complete ignorance over this issue. It was repeated and shouted by every Pakistani, regarding the ongoing activities of US contractors and diplomats operating inside Pakistan.  They have arrived under the blessing of only two parties, namely Foreign or Interior Ministry but still answers never were provided to us. Issues regarding unprecedented access to Americans in Pakistan are a serious charge, which in any respectable (or sovereign) state can land the high ups in jail but of course not here.

Even a novice knows, in case he is not insane that terrorism in Pakistan is a global as well as internal phenomena, which in no way can be restricted to a geographical area. I never heard a debate on TTP Pathan and there shouldn’t be one at all, as we face it as a nation, rather than an ethnic group. Hiding incompetency in the smoke screen of politics is highly troubling as well as irresponsible.

Collectively, it won’t be wrong to say that tragedy for Pakistan remain that although we have faced global terrorism from the front and have virtually become a shooting gallery for every spy agency in the world, those we believe to solve these issues have yet to formulate a policy. So to end………. Welcome aboard………..we are sailing in a ship without captain…….and the irony of the situation is that we have been hit by the “eye of the storm”!!!!!

May Allah bless Pakistan…………………….

Image: Express Tribune