Taliban within us

Being a Taliban is not about a way of life, it is a state of mind and many of us Pakistanis are prone to suffer from this condition at least once in his/her life time. The way I see it, we are all Taliban but the degree of extremism varies from person to person. Whether we like to be called it or not, in a way, we are all moderate Taliban.

To my untrained eye, I see so many Talibans around me and it scares the hell out of me. Maybe, I am being paranoid here but just writing about them gives me goosebumps.

The below list is not complete and nor it is compiled according to any particular ranking. Psychologists need to understand this ‘state of mind’ and put a label on each for our easier understanding and comprehension.

• People who resort to violence, they are Talibans of the 1st degree, no doubt.
• People advocating holding ‘peace’ talks with Talibans come next.
• People venting their anger on America, they come next on my list.
• People who claim that their religions is the only true religion and that they are the best for ever and ever; yeah, you too buddy, you’re next on my list.
• People, who say that it is their primary duty to spread religion on the four corners of the world, are also included therein.
• Then there are others who want a revolution (in the real sense) in Pakistan.
• Some others have a problem with young men and women mingling around. These people are pretty high on my shit list.
• Last but not the least, there are people who have this unstoppable urge to cast stones at stray dogs and cats mating in the streets. I label them as ‘looney Talibans’.
  

From the above noted irrational behavior it can be safely assumed that Talibanisation can take any form of shape ranging from pure militancy to utter hypocrisy. It can exist under the roof of any high mansion or hide under the thin shelter of any poor man’s hut.

I am sure this piece of mine will not go down easily with many people and some may declare it as an outright war against religion but we need to recognize that these are not healthy behaviors and we cannot go on fighting this war against extremism indefinitely.

Here I would like to add from a recent article by journalist Thomas L. Friedman who points out that ‘in places like Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan or Pakistan have violent religious extremist movements fighting with state security services. … And while the regimes in these countries are committed to crushing their extremists, they rarely take on their extremist ideas by offering progressive alternatives. And when these extremists aim elsewhere … these regimes are indifferent. That is why there is no true war of ideas inside these countries — just a war.’ Mr. Freidman further adds that ‘these states are not promoting an inclusive and tolerant interpretation of Islam that could be the foundation of people power.’

Lessons taught by the Taliban

Besides suicide-bombing-made-easy, there are actually a lot of lessons Pakistani society needs to learn from the ongoing insurgency of the Taliban. The whole Taliban debacle has certainly opened up Pakistani society just a wee bit. People have now started talking on issues which were previously considered taboo. People now do tend to analyze religious clerics and what they stand for. The Pakistani society did stand up for the murdered Christians of Gojra and showed their rejection to the politics of hate. But we still have far to go before we can claim Pakistan as a religiously tolerant society and following lessons should be learned:

Why do we have such fiery religious clerics?

All Muslims say that Islam is a religion of peace yet we continue to see the system producing successive militant clerics. These clerics blame all our troubles to be caused either by America or Israel or India, yet they never bother to address issues which are all around them and can be solved just by taking a small initiative. Our society should look into the system which is producing such hatred. There is now a strong need that we start looking at our religion from a fresh perspective.

Can there be a moderate Taliban?

Can there be such a thing as a moderate Taliban? I certainly don't think so. Taliban follow a very rigid religious philosophy according to which they have right to eradicate social evils by taking matters into their own hand. They consider it their rightful duty to prevent girls being sent out to schools, shaving of beards, etc. Those who advocate talking to ‘moderate' Taliban should know that these moderate Taliban will always make life miserable for the people by enforcing their own brand of Islam. If moderate Taliban are let loose, we will continue to see baton-charging-burqa-brigades and morally-right-mullahs.

Education for the people

It seems that the Taliban were following a very well thought out strategy by blowing up schools in Swat and other adjacent areas. Around 100 schools, mostly girls' schools, have been blown up. This strategy shows that the Taliban wanted to keep the masses, especially women, illiterate. By keeping the poor illiterate and by allowing no commercial activity, the Taliban wanted to induct more and more deprived people to their ‘noble' cause.

Justice to the poor

Pakistanis took really serious note of the Taliban issue when government announced enforcement of Sharia Bill in Swat. The Sharia Bill called for speedy justice handed down by the Qazis (religious judges). The Taliban, through this Bill, wanted to get hold of civil administration in Swat by exploiting the corruption and inability of the conventional courts. They had very wisely realized that their movement will get strong support if they start dispensing justice quickly.

As Pakistanis, it is very important for us to take serious note of these lessons as taught to us by Taliban so that we may never again face such an insurgency.

Human rights abuses in Swat: is it a balanced view?

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has called for an independent investigation on reports of extra-judicial killings by Pakistan army. HRCP Chairperson Asma Jehangir said that the commission had documented accounts of mass graves found in the Swat valley and reports of suspected Taliban militants being thrown out of helicopters and of relatives of suspected terrorists being dragged in public. The army spokesperson, Major General Athar Abbas, on the other hand, has said that his outfit is ready for a full-scale investigation in the presence of independent journalists who would be provided full security.

Now the question which burns in my mind is whether HRCP is really taking a balanced view here? In order to analyze HRCP's stance we should consider that the army operation was called an overwhelming majority of Pakistanis who were disgusted with Taliban's utter disregard to the value of human life and were fed up a series of suicide attacks on civilians. We should also consider numerous Taliban propaganda videos showing army personnel literally being slaughtered using blunt knives.

From my point of view, it does seem that the army had been carrying that grudge for a long time and went in all guns blazing when they got the opportunity. Now I ask myself, was the army wrong in doing whatever it did?

I know that whatever happened in Swat is against basic human rights but is the other option of trying Taliban under a civilian court is even remotely feasible? They will simply be out on bail for lack of evidence and go back to their militant ways.

We should also consider the past beatings, public floggings, beheadings and other numerous other human rights violations committed by the Taliban. Did HRCP consider its duty done just by condemning those heinous crimes against humanity?

Lastly, the role of HRCP acting only as a ‘watchdog' in situations like these also comes to my mind. Is it their only duty to stand on the line and cry foul in such a deep rooted insurgency situation?

I hope if I have made the readers catch my drift as I certainly don't have any answers to these tangled questions. I would request readers to give their comments on this issue.

Pakistan: “Schools out” for legislators

ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: The federal cabinet decided on Wednesday to do away with the condition of bachelor’s degree for candidates for the Senate and the national and provincial assemblies, in line with the Supreme Court judgment of April 21 last year. Briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said Pakistan was the only country to have such a condition in a democratic dispensation. (Dawn news)

Now why do legislators need education in Pakistan, as it is certainly an exercise of futility for them and when this exercise spans atleast 14 years, it would certainly seems like a life imprisonment for them. Why would they need education when they can surely confirm parliament seats for their next generations by having this law done away? Do they need to be taught manners which education teaches us? They certainly don’t need it. Why would they need education when their entire world revolves around their huge mansion, their shiny SUV’s and their endless police escorts? Why would their children need education when they are surely to follow in their fathers’ footsteps? What good does education brings when they only have to nod at their party bosses? What good would it do to a legislator by reading this article? We ordinary Pakistanis need ask this first from ourselves and then from our esteemed legislators.

What a great rationale has been given by our Information Minister that as the whole world doesn’t have that condition, therefore Pakistan should follow suit. Do I need to remind the honorable minister that our literacy rate is one of the poorest in the world and by throwing away this a law he is spelling doom for our country? Would he even care about that?

If the same rationale is followed then why do we need education afterall? Why do we need to throw away 20 odd years of life after this exercise in futility? If I can become a legislator without having one why can’t I become a doctor or a lawyer without it?

Maybe we need more of such legislators who first hailed the enforcement of Sharia in Swat and within one week turned around and applauded the army operation. Maybe we need more of same kind who termed killing and burial of women in Balochistan as their ‘custom’. Maybe it would do good for all of us if we just let Taliban blowup all the schools allover Pakistan?

Maybe I should immediately take my child off his school and enlist him in a political party as he certainly don’t need the bloody education and I certainly don’t have the spare money to go through his laborious exercise in futility which in the end would do him no good.

Help the people of Swat

The silent majority who called for decisive action against the Taliban now must realize that they now have the responsibility to help all those who fled the fighting and are now living in desperate conditions in different refugee camps.

By helping generously through cash and kind we must show our solidarity to our brothers and sisters from Swat , Dir and Buner. We should not let these people think that all their sacrifice has gone in vain.

As in the past, the governments support to these deportees will either come very late or may not come at all, therefore, the civil society and the NGO’s must do all they can from their own initiative.

Also, the civil pressure on authorities should be continued till Pakistan Army finishes what it has set out to do. We must show our support to our army for taking on these savages.