Adil Najam
To view such a video and assume that all of Pakistan is against the Taliban would be as delusional as the proposition that all of Pakistan is for them is deceptive.
The point of this video is not that all Pakistanis are opposed to Talibanization. It is that not all Pakistanis are for them.
The distinction between the two is subtle, but vital. The video puts to a lie the notion that anti-Taliban sentiment are to be found only in the so-called “liberal” and “elite” classes. Indeed, the empirical fact is that the people who the Taliban and other religious extremist forces have been killing in Pakistan are (a) nearly all Pakistanis, (b) nearly all Muslims, and (c) none of them are either very “liberal” or very “elite.”
It should not be a surprise, then, that at least some, probably many, and possibly most, “non-liberal,” “non-elite,” Pakistani Muslims would be against the Taliban and the war they are waging on Pakistan, Pakistanis and on Pakistani Muslims. The tragedy is that too many Pakistanis remain agnostic on the Talibanization threat and even more who are afraid of or reluctant to raise their voices against them.
There is clearly a need to counter the propaganda of those who would have us believe that the Taliban are opposed only by a few “liberal elites.” But equally important - even more important - is the need to acknowledge and somehow deal with the deep fissures and divisions within Pakistani society. Indeed, if there is any one unambiguous truth about Pakistan today it is that we are a deeply divided society. Deeply divided on many of the most existential questions about the country’s past, present and future: Including on questions of what the Taliban represent and how they should be dealt with. It is this division that the Taliban are exploiting. Until these societal fissures are somehow addressed neither military action, nor political strategy, nor international intervention will make any difference whatsoever.
Wadood/Salman,
I pray and hope you guys are right but the realities on ground is grim. Bigotry in guise of piety and patriotism is eating away the social fabric.
Army (State force) can not solve this issue. Common Pakistanis have to wake up and hold themselves to the higher standards of conduct.
There is nothing more I like to see than to se myself proved wrong but sorry guys that is not happening Pakistanis are their own worst enemy and combine that with Muslim IQ, it is a recipe for disaster (just kidding).
What you and I need to do is to keep pushing those silent majority to speak up.
@ Sidhas, you are saying that silent majority supports Talibans. I never knew that we all are butchers, and let me apologize to the professional butchers, for they will not be sliting throats of humans as Talibans do.
As long as we have even any resemblance of humanity we are not supporting any Talibans. If Pak Army stops wearing Chorian from Jinnah Market they should clean, flush and get back the writ of law that was abdicated in Swat and Malakand.
I am from Wana/Dera Ismail Khan, my family recently visited Pakistan for 2 months, wife & son are both “american”, scary part is that my son don’t speak Phasto/urdu (we tried and gave up) and had to be watched with body guards around them (not my call but my parent’s). They were suppose to spend 3 months in Pakistan but cut their trip short due to unrest in Pakistan and in our city. I remember growing up in Dera which had solgan of “Dera phaloon da saara” <i don’t think i did just justice to spellings but in english it means “Dera is like flowers you wear on your head during happy moments” This city used to safest city in Pakistan, no issues and now it is worst in security. It’s sad times because all i can do is pull my family out but there are many more left behind to be killed or see those killings that will ruin their lives.
The picture on your front page is even more powerful than the video. It is coffins of Pakistanis that these mullahs are giving us. Damn these enemies of Pakistan.
@SIDHAS.
Amazing how many people are willing to “speak up” for the so-called “silent majority” :-)
You are wrong, sir, it is clear that the taliban have no real support. Only through fear and terror do they keep your “silent majority” silent.
Just a cursory note I like to share with my network on Pakistaniat on Humpty Dumpty. This is the poem.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses,
And all the king’s men,
Couldn’t put Humpty together again
Since my early years of education were spent in ‘Peela School’, I did not grasp poems like the Jack and Jill or Humty Dumpty.
“Jis nazm ka Qafiya nahi milta ho janab, maaena kahan milain gay sarkar” lekin kal mujhay samjha agaya.
Yes, yesterday it dawned on me the meaning of this poem Humty Dumpty.
If Pakistan (khak moon mein) were to go down, all the kings men and the horses will not be able to put it together.
I tell you Pakistanis, we must oppose Talibans and religious intolerance. As Adil put it, we are very divided society, it will explode without a central authority.
Lets not be our own worst enemy.
Adil,
First, let me congratulate you for posting this video and your introduction to the subject. I admire your ongoing efforts to keep alive a dialogue on the subject.
The one major limitation of this discussion is that it does not fully involve (a) those people who are directly impacted the most by “Talibanaction”; and, (b) those who dread the repercussions if the current situation is not dealt with in earnest.
Perhaps, we need to emphasise the distinction between those groups in Pakistan who want to introduce the Islamic way of governance in a peaceful way, through a dialogue with the liberal elements; from those who think only their way is the only right way to live(sounds more like the “George Bush” or “Bush bin-Ladin” way!!!).
Your point is valid that based on this video alone, it would not be right to jump to the conclusion whether most Pakistanis are for or against talibanization. Unfortunately, Pakistan’s is not a society where freedom of expression is a realistic life strategy; especially for those people who barely manage to meet their very fundamental human needs of food, shelter, clothing, and a minimal level of dignity.
Is it not a fact, that (1) almost 50% of Pakistan’s population are women. Do you think, that by any stretch of the imagination, they would support what Taliban propose to impose on their lives. Are these women not human beings? Given a free choice, I doubt that even those women who may prefer to follow the traditional Islamic ways of living would support what taliban propose. (2) A substantial number of men (my assumption), who are wonderful hard working human beings, engage all their efforts and energy to do the best they can to have a decent living for themselves and for their family; do they really have a voice? Just because they do not have the money or power; and, they may be financially dependent to go along with the local power brokers; are we to assume that they support talibinazation or not? If they were not earning a livelihood in Swat or the vicinity, and if they happen to live e.g. in Lahore, or Karachi, would their thought process be the same?
Incidentally, Farid Zakaria has written and excellent book that talks about “Freedom”, “Democracy”; and the role of religion in democracy.
I am not sure if this really captures the views of Pakistanis. This media propaganda. Not going to help. Just face it. Pakistanis support Talibans otherwise, there wouldn’t be existental threat to Pakistan.
The silent majority is with Talibans. If this silent majority does ot speak out against talibans after so much carnage then they are not silent majority, they are deaf, dumb or blind and they do not have any conscience.
One must honestly say that Talibans have support of Silent Majority and there is no doubt about it.
Putting these vedios will not change the reality.