Pakistan at Crosscurrent

Blog Monday, June 29th, 2009

Pakistan since its inception some 62 years ago has never seen a stable phase. But never has been its existence as a nation been questioned as is done now a days. The situation is somewhat like that in 1971, during East Pakistan debacle, when Pakistan was brewing in war against its own people. Then the Pakistan Army was tasked to wipe out Mukti Bahini, paved the way for the nation’s dismemberment. Some 38 years latter, the military has been charged to eliminate the Taliban, mainly comprising Pushton tribe located on both side of Durand line. Now we have a choice. Either history will repeat itself or we will learn from it; unfortunately history is repeating itself in Pakistan.

Thanks to President Barack Hussain Obama, who is shifting the American war theater from Iraq to Afghanistan and have discovered that Americans “real enemies” are operating from Afghanistan and Pakistan’s tribal areas inhibited by Pushtons. American led NATO force despite its overwhelming military might has so far not been able to subdue the Taliban who are successfully resisting the occupation of Afghanistan. American think tanks sensing the imminent defeat in Afghanistan are forcing Pakistan, a subservient ally, to help win the war on terror in Afghanistan. This help will be suicidal for Pakistan and can initiate a civil war in Pakistan especially in Pushton dominated North Western Province and its adjoining tribal areas. As the operation against the Taliban cum Pushtons intensifies in coming months on both sides of Durand Line, Pakistan will see sectarian, ethnic, and secessionist forces gaining momentum. A worst case scenario (Allah forbid) will be Pakistan Army facing a defeat or retreat from the tribal area; a probable scenario keeping in view the warring history of Tribal Area. This scenario will make the enemy forces, which are against Pakistan’s nuclear weapon, make a case of Pakistan’s nuclear assets posing a security threat to the world, in which case Pakistan might forcibly be denuclearized. One must remember the latest statements coming from American high command about Pakistan’s nuclear assets being safe as are under Pakistan Army safe custody. The loss of Pakistan Army will put a question mark on the guarantor capability of ensuring safe custody of nuclear weapon and hence left with no choice but to take the nuclear weaponry away from Pakistan. Mission Accomplished.

One must not take the success of Pakistan Army in Swat area as an example and think that the same can be achieved with matching ease in tribal areas. The Pushtons of tribal areas belong to the warring class and are concentrated in geographically adjoining regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. These Pushtons are united through ethnicity, vernacular, and traditions going back thousands of years. The Pushtons have ever since been governed with their unwritten pre-Islamic honor code, the Pashtunwali. The Islamic laws have been fused with their honor code and dictate the social behavior of Pushtons. Honor and revenge are the integral part of the Pashtunwali. Khushal Khan Khattak words are still followed in true spirit, who said that, “Death is better than life when life cannot be lived with honor.” The Pushtons will go out of their way to respect and protect their guests may it be a non-Pushton. However, any aggressor will be killed without pity.

Revenge in Pushtons requires that death of kinsmen be avenged with equal if not more deaths of enemy and no price is too high to seek revenge. Until the revenge is taken the tribe will remain restless and uncomfortable with themselves. Concept of forgiveness is alien to them especially for aggressors and foreigners. Strength of enemy will not deter the tribe from taking revenge; they can wait for generations for the right time if overwhelmed by enemy. No enemy is considered strong enough to deserve any immunity from the Pushton Code. Romans, British, Russians, and now Americans, whoever has violated the code had faced an assiduous struggle until revenge was achieved. Mighty armies have perished in this arid land of Pushtons thus earning the nickname “graveyard of empires.”

Whatever name we give to Taliban: miscreants, terrorist, anti-state elements, one could not separate them from their Pushton identity. The divide and rule policy of pitting Sunnis against Shias, as was successfully employed in Iraq, cannot work against the Pushtons; for Pushtons are Pushtons first and Muslim second. Americans and alas our present leadership has failed to read the writing on the wall and in their futile effort to change the lessons of history has closed the doors of negotiation and have started the operation to eliminate Taliban. The suicide attacks in Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar reflect the revenge element of the Pashtun Code and nothing to do with religion.

Our policy makers must keep in mind one basic thing and is that Americans will one day eventually leave this area either on facing heavy causalities or because of economic meltdown back in their mainland or by just declaring victory; but Pakistan has to live here in the neighborhood of Pushtons and we will be here to face the Pashtunwali revenge being the collaborators of the enemies.

Having said all that, the aim was not to advocate that the tribal area be left alone and allowed to become safe heaven for the terrorist but was to highlight that as a nation we have a lot at stake and need thorough deliberation and foresightedness by our leaders in formulating the policy. As the Pakistani military is gearing up for the South Waziristan operation, called Rah-e-Nijat, the government shall very clearly point out her objective like taking on Mr Baitullah Mehsud, the terrorist wanted for many suicide bombing in Pakistan. The moment the objective is achieved we should resume the peace dialogue with the Pushtons and avoid long protracted war in tribal area. Any such long term misadventure will sure be a disastrous and will resonate the East Pakistan debacle in the minds of Pakistanis.

U.K. Dar is a free lance columnist based in Manchester, UK

Short URL: http://www.daily.pk/?p=7042