Mumbai Blood Bath, Apparent winners and loosers

Sometime after 9/11 I had the honor of traveling with Prakash Singh, a cloth merchant and resident of Kashmore, Sindh. In our discussions during the train journey from Sukkur to Lahore, 9/11 attacks came up naturally. He gave me a simple anecdote, “ just wait and see who benefits from it the most ? one who does, has more probability of being behind it than anyone else! “

If I take myself back to 27th November, and try to weigh the events in light of Prakash's anecdote, I find myself seeing these events in a different perspective.

Victims and their families are no doubt the ones who suffered the most. Victims include the public and security forces personnel. Close to 200 deaths and 400 injured is a huge toll. Multiply that with the same number of families and extended families, you end up with a number running into thousands.

Mumbaikars in general, have lost a lot. Mumbai just like Karachi, is a place where most things at the end get measured as good for business or not good for business. Theses events have certainly affected livelihood of the residents of Mumbai, currently the world’s most populous metropolis.

Indo-Pak relations are the most hit in the bigger picture. A decade’s worth of efforts and CBM’s from both sides have been undone in a matter of 59 hours. I suspect that now there will be quite some time before No I wont work in hate films will be the headline of Bollywood celebrity magazines, and Friendship Cup cricket series will be held. Already I see people getting back to pre-Kargil frame of mind with regards to the people on the other side of the border are concerned.

President-elect Obama had given a clear signal that India & Pakistan need to resolve differences on Kashmir issue, it was the word in grapevine that Pakistani Foreign Minister’s visit to India & Pakistani presidents’ Kashmir belongs to the people of Kashmir video conference with the Indian journalists a few days back, was part of that chain. Now I think we can safely assume, this whole initiative will be thrown out of the window.

Ironically, the investigation team, probing into the Samjhota Express arson incident was killed in Mumbai railway station attack, which was probing into Indian Army‘s involvement in the incident. The attackers fled without a scratch. This has already led to many Pakistani’s belief that the attacks were totally or in part staged to get rid of the investigators, as it would have brought ill-fame to the mighty Indian Army. An event similar to what we are very much used to here in Pakistan.

Keeping in mind that Mumbai is the commercial capital of India, and the attacks have struck the business elite of the city, the ramification for Indian economy might be ten-fold. A visiting head of a business corporate from Japan, representatives of a European business delegation, people close to film industry have been killed in attacks. In this time of global economic recession, the problems for India might be multiplied.

The right-wingers from both the India & Pakistan are the ones who will make the most out of it. Already people like Mr. Modi, CM Gujrat have spun into action, and are in spotlight with exchange of heated comments regarding the neighboring country. The fingers have been raised on banned outfits that is lashkars & jaish in Pakistan, it will certainly help them ramp up their public acceptance once again and they might be operating & recruiting out in the open.

ISI & RAW are once again back in the action. The two agencies have been pretty busy in the past half a century scroing points against each other. Sometimes it was ISI training and sending people to East Punjab & Kashimr, other times it was RAW with its training camps in Bhoj sending trained people to disrupt life in Karachi and activities in Afghan consulates. Both of them had to shun their activities, surprisingly so during early 2000’s when there was a military government here in Pakistan and BJP was ruling in Indai. Now, I guess the ball is back in the Intelligence agency’s court, rather than being in Parliaments or Presidencies.

At the end, the biggest looser is the average person, living in India or Pakistan . With Pakistan spending a hefty amount, more than it can afford to, on the military, the needs of an average person are usually ignored. India on the other hand having a fair portion of the soon to be biggest population in the world living far below poverty line, had to invest in its nuclear arsenal and spend billions of dollars annually to buy arms from France & Russia to provide for its army. The amount both the countries have spent on their respective military machines over the post-colonial erra is huge, and is often the very reason that they could not address and provide for the needs of the poor of the region.

The blame game is on! South Asia walking on a thin line,once again!

The fabled 'foreign hand' is behind the recent bloodbath in Mumbai, once again South Asian politicians use this time tested term. I wonder why is it used so fluently and why do we, the people on the both sides of the border, buy it on a regular basis ?

It was only a few days ago that I commented on a blog run by an Indian blogger that

" for the first time in our lives we see that less and less Indian films are being made with anti Pakistan propoganda, & even lesser anti-India sentiments in the 50 plus Pakistani TV channels. When Jammat-i-Islami and Pakistani Maulana's on the one side and BJP and the likes on the other are not airing anti-Indian sentiments, when our PM or President is not playing the 'Indian'/'Pakistan' card anymore, when TV,papers, blogs have nuetral stance towards towards each other, it definitely means things are getting humane, and once can hope for the best. "

But I am afraid, the blame game started in the after math of tragic Mumbai terrorist attacks is taking the whole of South Asia back to square one. As if this region and the two countries did not had internal problems of high magnitude already, I worry that we may be drawn, yet again, to the cross border fueds, verbal and actual.

I do not know what the Impression of Pakistan and Pakistani people is in India, but one thing is for certain that there never has been a hate activity from the civil society of the both countries. There always were the hawkish politicians, religious right wingers, conservative newspapers, short sighted media producers which made being patriotic in lieu with being anit-Indian or anti-Pakistani.

The recent events with which the Mumbaikers had to go through, were certainly targeted towards, terrifying and intimidating them in specific & Indian population in general. It has probably hit the Indian society where it is most fragile, the ethnic religious divide. It is now known that the terrorist were of Muslim origin, a couple of them of Pakistani origin. Demolition of Babri Mosque, Killing of Indira Gandhi, Burning of Hindu pilgrim trains have already led to unrest and carnage of huge proportions.

If possible, I would just like to convey my condolence to citizens of Mumbai, that we condemn these attacks. People in Pakistan do not approve of it, and neither do they are celebrating. The effort current Pakistani government is making, is to send out a message that Pakistan on official or public level is not involved in it, at all. If some high wired self proclaimed righteous group has used Pakistani soil to do this, lets find them and bring them to justice together. We are trying to cope up with this menace as well.

The 'foreign hand' has in past and might as well in future find itself used on the both sides of the border. One thing is for sure, it helps politicians on the both sides to cover their tracks. It helps conceal their inability to counter these problems. Nawab Akbar Bugti, a nationalist Balouch Sardaar, was killed in Baluchistan and military found a few thousand dollars in cash lying there besides him, clearly indicating he was an 'agent' of the 'foreign elements'!

I remember the view of certain government functionaries and pro-government reporters regarding the resurrection of Student movement in aftermath of Nov. 3. It was stated that the 'foreign element' was active in instigating the students to protest against the Musharraf Govt. We laughed our tails of at this comment.

Pakistani people have been a victim of violent activities from a long time. Sometimes at the hand of its own military, the Dhaka Medical College massacre in 1954, 'operation search light' in current day Bangladesh in 1969, Military operation in Baluchistan 1974, Military operation in Sindh 1994, The current military operation in Baluchistan and tribal areas since 2001. And sometimes at the hands of terrorist activities that have shaken the already fragile social fiber of this nation i.e. one after the other serial bomb blasts in Peshawar and adjoining areas during more than a decade of Afghan war, the heightened sectarian violence of late 1980's and early 1990's, the unrest and communal motivated violence in Karachi for most of mid 90's and then came the grand 'war on terror' and we were on the receiving end of a continuous salvo of suicide and car bombings. The painful ordeal of People in Swat, the unrest in tribal areas, bombings in Islamabad and Lahore.

So with all our previous experiences with similar incidents, we can, to an extent, realize what people in India might be going through. Whenever a tragedy like this strikes a nation, it shifts to an aggressive stance, politicians, in order to thwart the pressure upon them and to convey a message that something is being done are quick to blame it on the 'foreign hand', we have been a victim to this term before, I hope that this time around we don't fall prey to it. Because if we do, we are back to the hate culture that was bubbled down in the past decade, and that could be a biggest obstacle in progress, that more than a quarter of the world's population living in South Asia requires to survive.

ISI closes the 'political cell'; Atlast it happened, a sigh of relief!

Mateen Haider of Dawn News, in an article on 23rd Nov. reported that the infamous 'political wing' of ISI has finally been closed down! It has been followed since by an editorial the next day.

I must say that this draconian, allegedly autonomous wing of the ISI, has been involved in making and breaking of the governments and political alliances. Specially the musical chair rounds of 90's when we saw 9 civilian and caretaker governments, and the icing on the cake with a military coup.

It is believed to have been operational by the self proclaimed Field Marshal, Gen. Ayub Khan. The questionable use of force by his Governor West Pakistan in forcing a favourable election result against Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah. Gen. Yahya used it against the Bengali public and politicians, It was taken a step further and formally ordered by the late premier Z.A. Bhutto, who had no ear for criticism to force opposition members down. It rose to its peak during the Gen. Zia's dark 11 years. The making of a favourable 'Majlis-e-Shura', an unelected parliament of the Industrialists and Landlords,and to trace the anti-Islamic 'culprits' and punish them( lashed and hanged ) publicly,most of which were the 'leftist' labour and student leaders. Then the breaking of 1988 PPP government and sponsoring the effort to make 'IJI' and election rigging in its favour was confirmed by Gen. Mirza Aslam Baig under Oath. The most recent and popular election muddling by it was in the 2002 elections to help the pro-Musharraf PML-Q secure seats, with the help of Local Governments.

I must mention here that, Ardisher Cowasjee, of one of the senior journalist in Pakistan, has been writing periodically about this wing of ISI's, not to mention that he has taken the toll for doing so (remember the anti-Pakistani, pro-American, unfaithful Zorastrian propoganda ?). A few links from this very writer showing the rubber band nature of this cell:

http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20080330.htm
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020804.htm
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020811.htm
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20070209.htm
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20070819.htm
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20080601.htm
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020825.htm
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20071208.htm
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20020818.htm
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20070508.htm

Abraham Lincoln says.......

a) Allow the president to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such a purpose - and you allow him to make war at pleasure.

sounds familiar..........?

b)Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better. This is a most valuable - a most sacred right - a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world.

how unacceptable of an American President...........

c)As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.

some idea, thankfully its not heard nowadays, otherwise how we could have the New World Order......

Sangota school no more there ........

source: A dear friend & a colleague, from Swat shared this poem & video. To reach out to many more, here it is.

This time I visit the shady town,
I see no smiles but faces frowned.

The little girl has asked me too,
where will she go for things to learn.

If they will come
and you will let the schools to burn.

O little girl, your little wish ,
your little prayers
will make amends and do repairs.

your little step to that old school
will make us smile and make us rule.

O God,
the winter snow has covered the mountain's peak.
in our favor, we request you to speak.

O God,
they are evil let them know,
with punishment and a vow.

Video Link: (couldnt embedd it in blog post)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5541890376465358826&hl=en

A summarized translation of the Pushto voice over:

"It was the best School in Swat made in 1965 known for its Discipline, quality of teaching and all the traits a good school has. It was a sanctuary to 1000 students and over. People would be proud of admitting their kids in this school. This school produced many doctors, engineers, scholars, ambassadors & politicians. But the most important thing is that it is one of the hundreds of schools burnt down or blown up."

Summarizing what the burqa clad student said: " They haven't destroyed the school, They have destroyed future of over 1,000 students. If you blow up Govt. Schools, who will provide for our education? "

in response to 'Things will get better in Swat' comment.......

Things wont get better unless people in Swaat are empowered themselves. Ever since it's annexation to NWFP, the employment opportunities, state services, educational institutes, industry, communnication, infrastructre, precious stone mining, the standard of living in general and the blood line of the valley, tourism, have been neglected. More and more locals have to get out to major cities in search of these basic amenities of life.

Now the law and order. It has been bitterly used as a showcase for the western world by the previous military govt. that how big a threat the religious extremist are, not doing anything until the new Gen. took office. Unlike rest of the province, Swaat has no gun culture, no local jirga or civilian vigilantees. The local police was and still is too weak to encounter organised terrorism. Military presence is a temporary solution, which gives the other party a pretext to attack the peace loving people of valley.

Girl schools are nothing but symbolic targets. They are actually attacking the way of life people have adopted there which includes letting there girls get educated and become more contributing members of society.

Swaat used to be the most modern, progressive and peaceful of all states in sub-continent. Untill removal of its statehood, life there thrived. People had embraced a way of life which helped them progress. They left every one in that vicinity far behind both in cultural & economic progress. And, that is the reason for attacking, demolishing Swaat's way of life. The message is clear, 'Remain whatever you are like, Dont let your girls study, dont embrace the hospitals & roads, dont let someone use a computer,if you do like the Swatians did, you'll not be left alone.'

Lost cause

In all the political juggling and manouverings we have lost two very important things crucial to our country's two provinces......i.e Balouchistan & Frontier.

Alaskan model proposed for Balouchistan was commendable, Any local produce will be owned by the province 80% and Federal Govt. 20%. This would have restored the confidence of Balouch people in Federal Govt. and things might have been moved forward, positively.

The identity issue of NWFP population was addressed by the name change to 'Pakhtoonkha', and deprivation issue with the better distribution of Water & Energy royalty from Tarbela Dam among NWFP(as its still the official name) & Punjab.

But the political manouvers led to two pre-conditions, resignation of the then President & restoration of Judges.

Even when one is done and the other not being done, we dont hear any voice regarding these matters.

We cannot solve the foreign policy issues untill we dont have the confidence of the local people, and to regain that, we will have to address their issues. situation in Balouchistan & Frontier would have been way better if the earlier would have been done.

As an example consider the Mangal Bagh issue, it wouldnt have been where it is today, if Khyber Agency locals wouldnt have cooperated, isnt it?

A LUMS Alumni who lives in Charsadda, on the day of yet another suicide attack in his hometown.

It was a sad day for me, like many of my country men. The mayhem has now become order of the day. Unfortunately, such incidents have become just another news item for many people. I am not blaming anyone, but down country, people have not realized the full gravity of the situation prevalent in here. The undercurrents of fear, tension, perplexity that have inflicted the general population over here can only be realized when one lives here. Many sane and educated people are presently more concerened with only one person, whereas, the fact of the matter is that, the situation will not change whether he is there or not. The situation has come to a point that it does not matter who is at the helm of affairs at Islamabad. The War has just begun!

There were two suicide attacks against Awami National Party (1 in charsadda and another in Miranshah). ANP is one of the most liberal, anti-army rule and anti-taliban party in Pakistan. It was specifically targeted after a series of statements by ANP leadership against Talibans. In such a scenario, which party will dare challenge Talibanization. I am afraid that next target of Talibans will be Punjab, which the Taliban see as the hegemon against Pushtoon rights.

Sorry for the lengthy gibberish, but forgive me for that. Anyhow, I hope you are doing good and have a good time.

Pakistan: Always A Martial Show

Pakistan came into being out of a nationalist cause; The ethnic Muslim minority felt that it’s rights will be preserved and well served under a separate democratic setup, rather than living along an overwhelming majority of Hindus. Also there is a theory that Great Britain also wanted a buffer state between Muslim belt and India, to save a quarter of world’s population living in Sub-Continent from effects of "Islamization", as well as break it into multiple segments, so it never emerges as a challenging power to it’s ambitions in East.(Middle East, Hong Kong, Burma and Japan to name a few). Nevertheless, we had PAKISTAN.

Sub-Continent was divided according to electoral results of 1946 elections, the area where Muslim League won majority seats, constituted Pakistan. One can assume that since the basis of a country coming into being is democratic, It will inherit a democratic culture and it will continue to be a democracy. Unfortunately that didn’t happen, owing specifically to one institution, Military.

In 1947 Gen. Gracy was Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Pakistan. The first challenge for the young army was to brace itself against the Indian advance in Kashmir. Mr. Jinnah, the democratically elected head of state ordered Gen. Gracy to counter Indian army’s mobilization. It was flatly refused by him, saying that he still took orders from British imposed Viceroy of India, not the Governor General of Pakistan.

Time taken to sort that out, proved consequential as young indigenous officers, under the is command, had seen how they can challenge authority of democratic institutes to serve their own interests.

This was the seed of poisonous ivy which will engulf Pakistan in times to come. After General Gracy, there were twelve Military Chiefs up till Gen. Musharraf. One died mysteriously during his tenure, Two were prematurely retired by suspecting Prime Minsiters, out of the remaining nine, five have been the De-Facto Presidents of Pakistan ( three for a little over than ten years each and two for a few months) primarily as a result of string of coups against the democratic Governments.

There have been various common patterns with regards to these military takeovers. Firstly, it is always done in a roughly ten year cyclic period. Pakistan came into being in 1947. General Ayub ruled from 1958-1969. General Zia ruled from 1978-1988. General Musarraf ruled from 1999-2007. Ironically they almost coincide with either the beginning or the end of an American (usually Republican) Presidential term.

All military dictators have given concessions to US and its allies in return for strong military assistance. Gen Ayub during height of cold war gave bases to American U-2 spy planes in return for 100 plus F-86 fighters & generous aid to Army. General Zia turned Pakistan as a base of operations for CIA and Afghani fighters during Russian Invasion in return for F-16’s, Combat helicopters and missile defense systems. General Musharraf once again acceded to American Intelligence and Military and gave air and ground bases for American Invasion of Afghanistan in return for U.S. $70 million a month military assistance.

As long as these dictators have served White House well, there has been minimal pressure on them from international community, each one of them has carried out their personal agenda of quenching democratic movements and strengthening their rule, via active role of military intelligence agencies in virtually every Governmental institute and society.

Each one of them had a dismal human rights record. They arrested, killed, abducted or exiled anyone and everyone from civil society raising voice of concern. These include prominent writers, poets, actors, democratic workers, labor unionists, student leaders, journalists and lawyers.

They have played havoc with country’s constitution to suit to one man rule. They have shaped Military and society alike to suit their own mental ideals.

Gen Ayub abolished provinces and states and turned Pakistan into one unit under his direct rule. He made a trusted general, Governor of the East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). His atrocities were so grand that it resulted in thousands of deaths, political instability and eventually it’s breakup from Pakistan.

General Zia "religiosized" the military to an extent that it’s motto during his time was converted to Emaan(Faith), Jihad (Holy War) and Taqva (Piousness) Fi Sabilillah(For the sake of Allah). Services Book Club printed thousands of volumes of Jihadi text, the whole fight in Afghanistan was fought in the name of religion. This resulted in elements of military sympathizing with religious and Jihadi groups, turned Pakistan into a safe haven for them, who later emerged as Al-Qaeda & Taliban. He amended constitution so that he can dismiss elected assemblies at his will, which he exercised in 1987.

General Musharraf played havoc with the constitution in place, suspending it twice, abolishing all fundamental, constitutional and human rights of a nation of 160 million. He marginalized the Balouch and Pasthun ethnicities via military operations in minor provinces. Divided the society with his newfound ‘moderate’ and ‘hardliner’ muslim themes. Intelligence agencies leashed illegal abduction operations which resulted in the ill-famous “Missing Persons” case of hundreds of people abducted by agencies and made them “disappear”.

Moreover, the democratically elected leaders, specially sitting Prime Ministers have been removed from the national political scene by military covertly or overtly, during the coups or during the tenure of dictatorships. Prime Minister Liaquat Ali was shot (1953), Opposition Leader Miss Fatima Jinnah was strangled to death, (1966) Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto hanged (1979), Prime Minister Junejo removed (1987), Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif exiled (1999), opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto shot(2007). All these cases remain unsolved till date; there has been no pressure from outside or inside to hold a fair or international investigation. The Grand Masters in Washington never bothered about it as well.

This leads to a simple equation for any Military Commander. As long as he can exploit interests of White House and serve them well, he can not only conduct coup, rule the country and can share the spoils of the power with corrupt top brass.

The Question is why is it happening so very often? We might have to consider countless parameters of this equation, but a few according to my understanding are listed here.

The intelligence machinery in democratic states is usually under civilian watch, as is the case in with D.S.T. in France, R.A.W. in India or with the CIA & US Senate. In Pakistan, the ill-famed ISI(Inter Services Intelligence) is a subset of Military. Governed and operated specifically by Pakistan Army. Since in Pakistani politics Military is a stake holder, therefore it serves military’s interest of remaining in power. Unless ISI and tens of other intelligence agencies like it i.e. the M.I.(Military Intelligence), I.B.(Intelligence Bureau) and Paramilitary FIUs(Field Investigation Units) etc. are properly “Civilized”, recurrence of coups won’t stopped easily.

Superior rights of military personal should be abolished. In the amended constitution of Pakistan, amended off course by the military, any Military officer is not answerable in a civilian court; any military authority, which in the name of defense personal welfare accumulates nearly 20% of country’s 796096 sq. km territory, or military cantonments, is not answerable to Metropolitan or Civilian governments. Hence the commissioned officers, specifically top brass specifically enjoy benefits of vast array of real estate schemes, minting millions.

Corporate Ventures of the Military which range from Banks, Financial Services, Heavy industries, Commercial hospitals, Dairy products, Arms & Ammunition Exports need to be put under civilian check and balance or abolished altogether.

Constitutional amendments made during the tenure of dictatorships, which among other things, resulted in exceptional powers for one man rule must be rolled back.

International stance especially from EU and US as well as from China (another "friend" of military dictatorship) should be of no-tolerance for dictators.

People of Pakistan should have access to free media & independent judiciary which can keep a check on excesses of military. Keep people informed and provide them relief.

I might have been a little demanding, but until these and many other things that provide military with a huge leverage over civil society aren’t roll-backed, there will be one military dictator after the other, until this country falls apart and breaks up into minno radical ethnic states, turning South Asia into another war torn Africa, which I fear is just around the corner.

The writer, Mohammad Ali, 26, is a Lahore University of Management Sciences alumni, He contributes to RiseOfPakistan.blogspot.com, He lives and works nowadays in Islamabad, Pakistan. He can be reached at RiseOfPakistani@gmail.com.