Shifting the Battlefield
ALI SUKHANVER
The recent brutal killing of Molana Moavia, a leader of Ahl-e-Sunnat-wal-Jammat in Lahore is a proof that the terrorists have now planned to shift their battle-field from other cities of Pakistan to Lahore, the Provincial Capital of Punjab. Though the law enforcement agencies of Pakistan are doing their utmost to bridle the outrageous fiend of terrorism but the terrorists are also very well-equipped and very well-determined to make this nation a slave to their cruel desire. Let us wait and see who is going to win over this battle. But one thing must be very much clear that ideologies could never be imposed by force; minds are never a conquerable piece of land. Since the terrorists have weapons in their hands; they could enslave a nation, it is a sheer misconception. But at the same time it is also a bitter reality that this growing wave of terrorism in Pakistan has become a serious threat to the existence and stability of Pakistan. We have ample examples from various countries around us which had been facing the ever worst consequences of terrorist activities; but these countries successfully crushed this menace with the help of their law enforcement agencies, the politicians and above all with the help and assistance of their common people. Sri Lanka is also one of the examples where the terrorists had deprived the Sri Lankan nation of even the basic human rights but the Sri Lankan people got united and sent the enemies of their nation to hell.
Countering terrorism is not the sole responsibility of the armed forces and other security agencies of a country but in Pakistan it is the most popular misconception that growth of terrorism is the failure of security agencies. On the desire of some foreign elements some of our paid media men have tried to popularize the idea that only the people from the security forces are the actual patriots and rest of the nation has nothing to do with patriotism. As a result of this artificially projected misconception the whole of the nation has started thinking that the defense and security of this country is the sole responsibility of the armed forces and other security agencies. Love for motherland is a natural passion and this passion never needs any rank or uniform. In this world of changing ideas and revolutionizing conceptions, we will have to demolish the wall of distinction and minimize the distances between the armed forces and the civilians. Some people are of the opinion that the people from the security forces have a built-in feeling of superiority and seclusion from the rest of the society. Astonishingly such a feeling has never been a part of training of the armed forces anywhere in the world; it is simply the adventurous nature of their job which gives the army officials and soldiers a different look and style; even a different style of walking and talking. But that difference of style does not mean they have become aliens to their own people and society. For the existence of a peaceful and prosperous society, the civil and military institutions and leadership will have to work together. Those who try to create misunderstandings between the civil leadership and the military authorities could never be called the well-wishers of their country and their nation.
Our nation will have to admit the reality that the menace of terrorism is not only shattering the whole of our social and economic fiber but also defaming and insulting us as a nation throughout the world. No one is willing to trust and accept us as a dependable nation. A few weeks back, some of the Pakistani tourists, willing to visit Australia in form of a group, received a letter of regret from the Australian Embassy in Pakistan, in response to their visa application. The letter said, “Sorry-We are unable to entertain your visa-request. The situation of law and order in your country is very much critical and we apprehend that most of your people would be trying to settle some where in other countries. At present we are not in a position to take such risk”. It is not the only example of insult and degradation that our nation has to face time and again, it is a routine matter. At most of the airports throughout the world, the Pakistani nationals have to wait in long queues for immigration, whereas the travelers from other countries are given VIP treatment. The reason behind this insulting rudeness is nothing but our own repute. Throughout the world we are known as the terrorists, the extremists and the militants. We are blamed of slaughtering our own people; we are held responsible for butchering in the name of religion and for exploitation of the non-Muslim minorities living in Pakistan. All of these blames and allegations are based on actions which have nothing to do with the actual teaching and preaching of Islam. If we don’t try to change this impression about us, this life would become a hell for us and no country would allow us enter its boundaries even for medical treatment. We will have to launch a joint venture and tell it to the world that Islam is the most loving and most caring religion and the message of Islam is neither terrorism nor violence and those who are involved in nefarious militant and terrorist activities do not represent us.
