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.
Pakistanis are clearly against Taliban as this video shows and they are against Mullahs as the result of every election shows. Taliban supporters lie on this just as tehy lie on everything when they make up stories about how everyone is for them. Thank you for putting this up and making clear what Pakistanis want and who they are against.
We need to spread this video. I have also seen other ones from different cities with same message. The mullah and Taliban supporters just speak loudly because their business is propaganda and spreading lies. One way to counter that is for us to also speak more loudly like this video does
Is it not Ironic that Liberals referring Muneebur Rahman now? same Munbeed Rahman publicly talks about implementation of shariah and oppose the so called Secularism in Pakistan , the secularism which does not exist anywhere on earth. Its just like Iqbal is cited by liberals about Mullahs.. same Iqbal who talks against Nationalism and promotes Jihad in his writings
@Ibrahim: As Ghalib says,”Dil Ko Kush Rakhna ko Ghalib ye Khyal Acha hay”.. let them enjoy in their small wonderlands where everything appear right according to their dreams :-)
@ Zia m
thanks for the support man, keep the good times rolling
salam
jock
Thank you for exposing the lies spread by Taliban supporters.
This nonsense that ordinary Pakistanis support the taliban is exactly that. Nonsense. I am an ordinary Pakistani in Pakistan and everyone I know thinks these killers are exactly that. Killers. And they get so happy at murdering Muslims. I think some of the choice words used for Taliban in this video are exactly what most Pakistanis think of them.