Road to perdition
A RECKONING is called for, a reckoning unlike that which this nation has ever seen. It must happen now — or, as surely as night follows day, more bestial acts of violence like that which took place in Peshawar on Monday will continue to claim the lives of innocent Pakistanis. And it must come from those who sowed the seeds of a disastrous policy that is once again reaping a harvest of blood.
There is not much to be gained in pointing the finger of blame at particular individuals, though some are indeed more culpable than others. The security establishment as a whole has since decades persisted with a myopic approach to militancy, one that could only lead to perdition.
Its disregard, bordering on contempt, for any input from the civilian leadership — which had to face the public’s wrath as the body count rose — kept it insulated from what might have been wiser counsel.
Following the horrific APS attack in 2014, it seemed for a time that the state had seen the folly in its ‘good Taliban, bad Taliban’ strategy. The National Action Plan that was a response to that tragedy stipulated 20 steps towards eradicating extremism in society.
But while the civilians faltered in taking the measures they were responsible for, the establishment’s inconsistent policy towards militants remained in play and negated whatever steps the government did take.
When the civilian leadership in 2016 warned that Pakistan risked international isolation unless it cracked down on militants of all stripe, it was ruthlessly — and very publicly — cut down to size, leaving no doubt as to who was calling the shots.
Some action against the ‘good Taliban’ was only initiated when Pakistan was about to be placed on the FATF grey list. As a result, ‘charitable entities’ that had earned an international reputation as fronts for extremist propaganda and militancy were forced to suspend their activities.
Nevertheless, some extremist groups continued to find space to hold press conferences and rallies, even field candidates in elections.
Contrast that with the persecution of individuals like Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leaders Manzoor Pashteen and Ali Wazir, who were warning that militants were once again gaining a foothold in the tribal districts, some of them with the blessing of the state.
After the military-led ‘peace talks’ with the TTP failed and the terrorist outfit began to carry out countrywide attacks, it became clear who had gained from the exercise. In the fullness of time, the state’s missteps are plain to see. The glib platitudes, the doublespeak about ‘zero tolerance’ for militancy have been shown up for what they are.
A break from the past is needed, but for that the establishment must come clean so that we can start working to put behind us the confusion created by its dangerously muddled policy.
Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023
Transport tragedies
TWO tragedies over the weekend illustrate the weak protocols governing the safety of transport in Pakistan. In fact, the example can be extended to general safety considerations in the country. A high number of fatalities was reported in both incidents — a bus accident in Balochistan and a boat capsizing in KP — on Sunday. In the first case, a Karachi-bound bus veered into a ravine apparently due to speeding in Bela, near Khuzdar. As the vehicle caught fire after the accident, at least 41 victims were burnt alive. In the second incident, an outing for madressah students to Kohat’s Tanda Dam ended up in tragedy as their vessel capsized, apparently due to overcrowding. Some 37 people have been reported dead in the unfortunate episode.
Many questions have emerged about both tragedies, that, if addressed, could save precious lives in future. Apart from the speeding factor in the Bela accident, reports indicate that fire tenders were unavailable in nearby towns, and by the time firefighting equipment arrived the vehicle had been gutted. Equally disturbing are claims that the doomed bus was carrying smuggled Iranian petrol and diesel. Local authorities also say there was no presence of the Motorway Police between Khuzdar and Hub. Speeding and rash driving on Pakistan’s roads and highways is no secret. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, there were nearly 6,000 fatalities in road accidents in 2020-21; WHO estimates of fatalities are far higher. Therefore, the presence of trained traffic police units on busy highways is essential to check speeding, vehicle fitness, etc. Moreover, particularly on thoroughfares that see heavy traffic movement, firefighting and rescue vehicles need to be posted in close proximity to respond to emergencies. As for smuggled petroleum products being transported in passenger vehicles, there needs to be a crackdown on this criminal practice as it turns these vehicles into fire hazards on wheels. With regard to the Kohat tragedy, there were reportedly no divers around, while most of the children were not wearing life jackets. It needs to be ensured by the authorities that boats and other leisure equipment at tourist spots are in good condition, that overloading does not occur, and that safety protocols are followed. Unless our attitude towards safety changes, and there are actual lessons learned following official probes into such tragedies, we will be doomed to repeatedly witness such disasters.
Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023
Disqualifying Jam Awais
IT appears that there may be some kind of small punishment after all for PPP lawmaker Jam Awais, who was pardoned for the cold-blooded murder of journalist Nazim Jokhio. A legal notice sent to the Sindh Assembly speaker seeks Mr Awais’s disqualification from the assembly, arguing that the payment of blood money is a form of punishment and amounts to an admission of guilt. Nazim Jokhio was tortured and killed at the Malir farmhouse of the PPP lawmaker in November 2021 after he refused to delete a video he had posted of Mr Awais’ foreign guests hunting the endangered houbara bustard. A murder case was filed against Mr Awais and his guards, but less than a year later, Jokhio’s family pardoned Jam Awais, saying “it is difficult to get justice in Pakistan”. The case is a heart-wrenching one, for it shows how utterly powerless the family felt when up against an influential MPA, and how after months of pursuing justice, they yielded to pressure and withdrew their complaints, accepting blood money and filing a compromise application.
It is appalling that throughout this high-profile case, the PPP did not distance itself from the accused. Instead, influence was used to extricate the lawmaker from the case, with activists accusing the Sindh government of being a party to the larger effort to absolve him. The delaying of the charge sheet, the fear felt by the slain reporter’s widow and the eventual pardon all point to a broken criminal justice system. Finally, the question of Mr Awais’ disqualification has been raised, and though it is a mere slap on the wrist, the speaker should not dismiss this notice. The entire episode is a stain on the PPP, and raises questions about its support for a man who tacitly accepted responsibility by the payment of blood money. The party should at least encourage the speaker to disqualify the MPA to bring some closure to the deceased’s family.
Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023