PAKISTAN – A VICTIM OF GRAND DESIGN
BY MIAN MUHAMMAD SIDDIQUE
Pakistan is a victim of grand design, being pursued through indirect strategy. Since it is too dangerous to invade it physically due to its large population, nuclear and missile capability, strategic location, large armed forces and resultant unpredictable/unacceptable consequences for the region and the world at large, it is being destroyed systematically from within using soft power. You may call it whichever generation war, but the end result is that we are heading towards grave consequences unless meaningful corrective measures are taken by those at the helm of affairs.
Manifestations of this design can be seen in the shape of situation in Karachi, unending power shortages, terrorism, media and psychological warfare against our culture/values and the national institutions in the name of human rights, rule of law and civilian supremacy with a view to further divide the society on provincial, sectarian and ethnic lines. The instruments of policy being employed by the architects of this grand design are a section of media, extensive network of NGOs (Overwhelming majority), chains of certain education networks, ruling elite with their ill-gotten money and assets outside the country, business/corporate mafias, international financial institutions, terrorist/separatist outfits, sectarian/ethnic groups and some so called friendly countries to influence our internal and external policies through which they have already created a controlled destabilization in the country.
The ultimate aim is to ideally deprive Pakistan of its nuclear and missile capability or at least take these capabilities under some kind of international control and safeguards, in addition to achieve their other geo-strategic and economic interests in the region like ensuring trade routes for India to Central Asian States through Pakistan, encircling China etc. To achieve these aims, a well thought out multi -dimensional strategy is being followed with the objectives of weakening and discrediting Pakistan Armed Forces and its intelligence agencies (These being the center of gravity of Pakistan) in the eyes of the public and foment civil war on already existing regional, ethnic and sectarian fault lines, also simultaneously keep Pakistan, s economy under constant pressure. Opposition to Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project, prolonged engagement of Pakistan Armed Forces on multiple fronts (Eastern, Western, Internal), desperate efforts to accord MNF status to India, Opposition to Kala Bagh Dam etc and recent media blitz against ISI and the army, under the garb of attack on Hamid Mir( which is most deplorable act ), should be seen and analyzed in the over context of this grand design.
The biggest theme being exploited in this regard is the issue of missing persons (Unfortunate phenomenon anyway) through NGOs, so called civil society, selected media persons and separatist elements on the notions of human rights and rule of law. They deliberately hide the fact that 99 % of them are involved in terrorist activities, nobody dares to give evidence against them and they cannot be punished within present criminal/evidence laws. These elements conveniently forget that these are extraordinary circumstances which require extraordinary measures to deal with them. After all why only few hundred persons out of a population of 190 Million are missing? All countries including USA and UK made special laws to deal with the menace of terrorism after 9/11, whereas we have still not passed the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance into a law. As regards, its misuse by the law enforcement agencies, all laws can be and are being misused by everyone who can do so in this country. Are issuance of SROs, appointment of relatives /cronies to the lucrative posts against the merit, loan write offs, corruption and commissions, accumulation of wealth beyond means within and outside Pakistan by the ruling elite and countless other crimes committed daily by the high and mighty of this poor country, not misuse of laws and power in the name of peoples mandate? Is people’s mandate, a license to loot and plunder?
The irony, however, is that we all are willing partners in this enterprise. Why to blame others for our own misdeeds and blunders? They are just exploiting the opportunities created and provided by us with so much of hard work during the last 66 years. We have double standards; in fact we have no standards. We hate the military dictators (rightly so) but elect the democratic dictators and are happy with family and dynastic kingships. For us national interest has no meaning. We only have personal interests. Our rulers never tried nation building because they remain too busy in image building, factory building and assets building.
If, we ever have any chance to come out of this quagmire and prosper as a nation, we must become a nation, united against the internal and external enemies. Intellectually, morally and financially corrupt ruling elite have to be replaced with honest, visionary and capable leadership with no interests whatsoever outside Pakistan, through reformed electoral system. All national resources must be diverted towards the uplift of general public instead of privileged few. Our priorities should be population control, education with morals and ethics, health, water conservation and storage, affordable power generation, human resource development, environments, institution building without political interference, law and order including border controls, tax collection from the rich and powerful, rule of law, speedy and free justice with equal opportunities for all and last but not the least strict measures to control corruption and punish the corrupt. A tall order In fact. A utopian world for Pakistan. Many nations have done it. Can we do it? Who will do it? I do not know. Do you?
The writer is a freelance columnist and can be reached at “ tmbspao19@gmail.com”.
