Guest Post By Irum Sarfaraz
If the current situation in Pakistan is a source of concern for the rest of the world in the sense that it is increasing the already existing instability of the country, chances are it is less so for the 165 million in the country. For Pakistanis the current martial law translates into the instability of the past decade coming to a head. The martial law imposed by Musharaff is nothing new to a country used to living under military dictatorship; what is new is Pakistan’s current status as the most volatile ‘sitting bomb’ on the face of the earth.
According to Newsweek Oct. 29, 2007 cover story, ‘Where the Jihad Lives Now’, ‘Today no country on earth is arguably more dangerous than Pakistan. It has everything bad guys could ask for: political instability, a trusted network of radical Islamists, an abundance of angry young anti-Western recruits, secluded training areas, access to state-of-the-art electronic technology, regular air service to the West and security services that don’t always do what they are supposed to do’. If this wasn’t enough just add a devious, confirmed nuclear program to the explosive concoction and the world has a global concern on its hands that deposes Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran in its ratings for potential disaster.
Martial Law is ‘been there’, ‘done that’ for Pakistanis. For more than half of Pakistan’s history, the country has been ruled by military dictators with Musharaff the fourth ruler to seize power from a civilian-led government. The excuse for every Martial law has always invariably been that corrupt politicians were endangering the security of the country. At this particular juncture in Pakistan’s history however the security of the nation was already in peril before Musharaff’s martial law with the stamp of the ‘sitting bomb’ on it by the West. Pakistanis aren’t so foolish as to deny that the real threat is that this label of extremism is what is going to sink it, whether it is under the martial law or under any other democratically elected government of Musharaff or Benazir or anyone else. At this point there is no obvious solution to the extremist issue that has developed like a formidable disease over the years from the ‘inherited’ catastrophic Afghani genes that sunk the neighbor Afghanistan. So at this point, who cares about a Martial law when war, civil or external, is imminent? It might seem a very pessimistic view but unless even the pessimistic sides of the picture are acknowledged, they cannot be fixed. One might ask why now with this particular martial law would Pakistanis be suddenly concerned with the issue of national security, particularly from external elements? The answer is not too complicated. The US had given Musharaff, and Pakistan in retrospect, much leeway due to his full cooperation in the ‘war against terror’. Much as the majority of Pakistani resented the interference of the West in the internal policies of the country they were forced to, even if resentfully, acknowledge that keeping the US happy helps to keep the charade of security running. With Musharaff suddenly changing gears by imposing Martial law, the US and its allies are suddenly not so thrilled anymore. It would be hard to imagine how under the development of these severely dissatisfying circumstances, the US would be still be willing to let this charade continue. Musharaff had taken on the dutiful job of searching out Bin Laden and had reassured the West that the task would be handled satisfactorily. With Musharaff running in reverse gear now, who is going to take over the role of the dutiful pet? Much as the truth hurts, the US just might decide to complete the job itself that Musharaff got sidetracked with in his ambitions to continue his rule by imposing martial law. The martial law is not the ultimate calamity here; it just might be that proverbial last nail in the coffin or the straw that broke the camels’ back.
Then the question why these concerns now if the county is as used to martial law and political instability as evident from it history? Pakistan is a weak nation still struggling to get properly on its feet even 60 years after independence from India, insomuch as being declared a ‘failed state’. It is at the top of the second annual, ‘Failed State Index’ list compiled by The Fund for Peace and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The definition of a failed or failing state according to the index is ‘one in which the government does not have effective control of its territory, is not perceived as legitimate by a significant portion of its population, does not provide domestic security or basic public services to its citizens and lacks a monopoly on the use of force. The status of Pakistan being a failed state poses more an issue for the people within the borders as that is the one prime weakness that opens all doors for outside elements to strike to free themselves of any fears that they face from Pakistan, whether it is India forever adamant to resolve the Kashmir issue or whether it is the US and its allies trying to seek out Bin laden and to douse the storm of extremism in the area. The current upheaval in the ‘constitution-less’ country makes it an easy target for a wide range of external elements to gain ground. The current state of rebellion, chaos and disorder in the country is the result of already present internal elements such as the militant Islamist groups originally recruited, trained and armed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI). These groups are now considered Islamabad’s deadliest enemy nearly succeeding twice in assassinating Musharaff who used to among their strongest supporters. Pakistanis are used to these internal ‘anarchists’. It is the external ones they dread and this current state of political upheaval leaves the country ‘free for all’.
Critics claim that any hope for Pakistan out of its present situation is a swift return to an elected government and the return of the army to its barracks by taking into account the history of bitterness of the people repressed and betrayed by the unaccountability of the former military dictators. Though for these critics the only solution out of the present quagmire is to embrace democracy and a politics governed by the priority of meeting the long denied needs to the people, it needs to be realized that it may be too late for all these fairy tales.
Pakistan is no longer an isolated island in the middle of nowhere the problems of which can be fixed by clear cut solutions such as offered by ‘democracy’, ‘elected government’ and ‘ousting dictators’. Pakistan is a sitting bomb with its pin half out, ready to explode in the face of Washington. Pakistan is an issue to which half the world is demanding urgent solutions as it is jeopardizing their own safety and placing their security in peril. Needless to say, the current Martial law is the least of Pakistan’s worries at this point
About The Author: Irum Sarfaraz is a free lance writer from California.
Photo Credits: Title photo is by Abro
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It is easy to blame the messengers, but fact remains the same that we have a huge problem of religious extremism which tearing apart the very fabric of our society, we have to be honest about it. Denial doesn’t help.
Newsweek may call Pakistan the “worlds most dangerous country”, Pakistanis dont have to accept it or consider it.
The Western media sells action stories, foreign affairs journalism in the West is long dead.
Out of 160 million population and you make an issue of a few fuming mullahs on the cover of Newsweek?
12 months down the road all what you have written here would be a distant past just as people were predicting scenarios of doom and ‘failed state’ for Pakistan during the ‘democratic’ rules of Nawaz Sharif and BB not too long ago.
How can you judge Pakistan while you are living and earning in California? Do you really suppose that the folks living in Pakistan do not know how to handle their affairs? Trust Me they do and much better than what or how you can predict
Pakistani students have setup this portal (www.BoltaPakistan.com) to register protest against martial law.
Please show your support to those fighting for our rights and forward it to as many as you can.
Totally disappointed with your article because of the following reasons:
1- Problems no solutions
2- “from ‘inherited’ catastrophic Afghani genes that sunk the neighbor Afghanistan:” Correction: Extremism did not start from Afghanistan, but because of the country you are currently living in. WAR ON TERROR, OSAMA bin LAden: These are phantom enemies created by BUSH.
3-Newsweek Story: Oh please Don’t give us such references. Newsweek also had cover story for WMD in IRAQ. You see all these stories are tools to brainwash people like you, so that war could be justified later.
The summary of your article is that Pakistan is a threat to west due to its present instability. Pakistani people should worry not martial law as threats much more bigger than this exist like invasion by the biggest terrorist country on this planet (where u are currently residing ma’am) or civil war (fueled by USA).
I would like to now what would be the reaction of you lot living in USA, if USA decides to invade pakistan. Oh I know…………you will start writing more articles.
Take care All
Agreed that Martial Law is the least of Pakistan’s worries at this point, yet, this ‘new event’ has come at a time when the entire world’s eyes are focused on the country and it’s geo-strategic situation.
Unlike previous times when none of the major powers would really care about what the country’s political and military leaders were doing to the governmental system, etc., this time around it appears it’ll be hard to wriggle out of this ironic and unusual circumstance that CMLA Pervez Musharraf has created for himself.
I gather from the post by Irum Sarfaraz that what’s bothersome is the threat of Jihadi elements inside Pakistan. Agree to that as well. However, one would like to point to the fact that even that development is nothing new within the Pakistani context. It’s been a recognized fact of life since that past 30 years or so – thanks to General Zia and the Saudis/Arabs who sowed the seeds of religious extremism. Each successive government encouraged or ignored the issue in the late 80s, the entire decade of 90s and of course 9/11 was a rude awakening when it was realized how strong the roots of extremism were in that country.
What’s new is that extremism is now biting Pakistan and the people-at-large in the rear end. The worst thing is that everyone knew about this monstrous issue but nothing was ever done to deal with it. Why? Perhaps because the powers that be were either too involved in making big-time cash by engaging themselves with the terrorist activities or were ‘waiting for Allah’ to get the nation out of this quagmire!
There is strong evidence though that it was more or less a ‘high stakes’ game for the generals who opted to turn a blind eye to the nefarious activities of the religious fanatics. They patronized the mullahs and ensured that the religion pretty much stayed a part and parcel of the power play. The Kargil campaign 1998-99 is one of the most prominent examples of this argument.
I remember asking a prominent media personality from Pakistan visiting the US in the year 2000 as to how she viewed the country’s involvement with the Taliban and was it not bringing a bad name to Pakistan internationally? At that time since she was aligned to the Musharraf government, she emphatically reminded me that the Taliban were Pakistan’s brothers and that, ‘we must provide them with all possible support and assistance’. Flabbergasted as I was, I did not contest the lady’s standpoint!
Long story short, blame the scourge of religious extremism on the corrupt military generals! It’s sad but it appears that Pakistan is destined for greater and acute troubles in the years to come. Religion blended with politics has destroyed the very fabric of that society. More mosques don’t mean that people are closer to God – it only implies that politicized religion is well entrenched in the body politic and that hatred and intolerance will only grow with the passage of time.
There are no easy solutions to this problem. There is little hope that democracy will ever be allowed to prosper in that country. It is also doubtful that the mullahs will be eliminated once for all from the system. What leaves us are the 165 million people who will have to face the idiotic circus of the generals and politicians like Bhutto and Sharif. Those who care about the Motherland can perhaps only sulk and follow the events unfolding with dismay and sorrow. One wishes that Jinnah was still around us, alive and kicking with the courage and bravery of his majectically secular approach to life!
This is a thought provoking post and puts the current Emergency/Martial Law in the larger context. Indeed, there are fissures within the country that can be most dangerous to its long term prospects. However, there seems to be over-reliance on the Western media’s opinion which to say the least is biased.
Pakistan is also under transformation - education, economic progress and urbanisation have altered its social and political realities; its large middle class is struggling for rights and an inclusive political system; for the first time its judges have said ‘no’ to arbitrary executive decisions; and a vibrant media is not threatened by black-outs. And, the youth has also proved that it is not depoliticised lot and will work towards change.
The threat of extremism is real and undeniable. However, the magazines like Newsweek and pseudo indices developed by motivated think tanks (emphasis is more on tanks given how they support the expansion of imperial projects) like the Fund for Peace and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace are intellectuals to use Chomsky’s phrase ‘in the service of power’. We Pakistanis reject that.
We waged a jihad in Afghanistan; and suffer from its consequences today. This phase II of anti-Islamism is another mirror image of this proxy war for the US interests in Afghanistan but it seems that the internal resistance within Pakistan this time will not allow the replay of what we did earlier.
This is why Martial Law is A worry as it is meant to continue excluding the participation of people in decision-making and
use extremism threat as a means to carry out the imperial project in Afghanistan.
Of course the Newsweek and Carnegie foundation would not talk about the withdrawal of US/NATO troops from Afghanistan - otherwise how would ‘freedoms’ be secured there??
Whether “Pakistan is a sitting bomb with its pin half out, ready to explode in the face of Washington” or not, the establishment and media (closely related) are sure to create that image and urge for the “external” action that the author has pointed out.
This statement is also peculiar: “Pakistan is an issue to which half the world is demanding urgent solutions as it is jeopardizing their own safety and placing their security in peril.” Well this half the world should consider giving up the old ways of colonising alien lands and installing puppet regimes…
And what about the Pakistanis whose security is at peril with all the Talibans reacting to Afghan occupation and bombing of the civilians. And the hundreds of soldiers killed in the tribal areas? Perhaps our security and lives do not matter at the end of the day?
Having said that the central argument of this post is a cause for concern for us Pakistanis.
We need some radical approach to fix these issues. How about we merge with China? or ask another country to run Pakistan on contract for 5 years?