Taliban Exploit Class Rifts to Gain Ground in Pakistan

I could not agree more with Jane Perlez and Pir Zubair Shah’s article published on April 16, 2009, as I had came to the same conclusion after reading the complete text of ‘Nizam-e-Adl regulation 2009’ which seems like a well thought-off scheme by the Taliban to hit a soft spot on public’s imagination i.e., to provide swift justice to masses. Pakistan’s civil society in general and the judiciary in particular should take notice that the onus of this regulation is on a simple fact that justice has been delayed too long. I sincerely hope that Pakistan’s judiciary should read between the lines of this regulation and realize that there is a strong need for judicial reforms otherwise the Taliban’s scheme of playing to the masses will definitely take hold once public realizes that the Qazi courts are disposing cases much faster than our conventional judicial system.

The politicians, especially the provincial government of NWFP, who came to power on a secular vote, are first to be blamed for this. All the major political parties, except one, have been completely myopic as they have no idea that they have signed their own execution order. The PPP led government is only paying lip service by giving the message to the west that “if we go, you go”, while trying to get support from the ignorant masses for what it has done. The main opposition party, PML-N has their own agenda which, in my humble opinion, would be unknown even to them. The army has been stretched to its limits because of tension with India and the ongoing fighting in FATA. Impression is given from the media that general public is content with the fact that peace will come to their doors through this deal. The ‘silent middle class’ remains confused and silent as ever. Only a few are speaking out against this and they may also be deemed ‘infidels’ by these militants.

While the west, especially Americans are constantly urging us to “do more”, yet they are unwilling to open their market for a country which has barely a total of US$ 20 billion in exports.
As a thinking Muslim, I do not agree with Taliban’s philosophy. I am not prepared to be taught Islam by some illiterate militant and fearing the worst for my children, I have decided to take up the only weapon I know how to use; my pen or rather my keyboard !