The Express Tribune Editorial 16 December 2019

Unending violence

Blood keeps spilling in the conflict-battered Afghanistan with troubling regularity. The trauma and agony suffered by the hapless Afghan people since 9/11 is nowhere near its end. Even as the Americans, finding themselves in a quagmire of monumental depth, make a push for peace with insurgents to wriggle themselves out of the mess of their own making, there has been no let-up in violence nonetheless.

In fact, Taliban militants have intensified attacks following a pause in peace talks between the armed group and the United States delegation in Qatar’s capital Doha, as the militants have killed nearly two dozen security personnel in the eastern province of Ghazni in the latest offensive.

A Taliban spokesperson has claimed responsibility for the attack and said that the insurgents in an overnight operation had killed 32 soldiers and overrun a military base in the Qarabagh district of Ghazni province. The marathon talks initiated between the US and the Taliban outfit in October 2018 in Doha to find a negotiated settlement for Afghanistan’s lingering crisis broke down in early September this year following a Taliban-linked car bomb that killed 10 people including a US soldier in Kabul.
The talks resumed on Dec 7 but were again suspended in the wake of a deadly truck bomb that targeted the main US military base in Bagram, 50 km north of Kabul on Wednesday, which left eight dead including six attackers and injured over 70 others.

More than 60 people including 10 civilians, over two dozen security personnel and at least 30 militants have been killed elsewhere in the war-torn country since Friday. Experts forewarn of more trouble in store as they speculate the militants would step up attacks to demonstrate their power so as to secure an upper hand at any possible talks with the Afghan government in the future.

Crimes against history

When it comes to historical richness, Pakistan occupies an enviable position. Not only is the land that now makes up the country one of the busiest crossroads of history, it is also the cradle of one of the earliest civilisations.

We live over a potential goldmine for historical tourism. And yet, when it comes to historical landmarks, our history is one of missteps and persistent negligence.

The crown jewel, if one could actually pick one, in Pakistan’s rich assortment of historical sites would be Mohenjo Daro. Believed to be the main hub of the Indus Valley Civilisation, its remains present a picture of life 5,000 years ago in remarkable detail.
In scale and importance, it rivals the pyramids of Giza, the stone city of Petra or Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, to name a few. But where these sites have been cultivated into major attractions by the governments of their respective countries, ours seems to be content with letting the ancient city be lost to time once more. Only, this time it would be permanent.

When it comes to Mohenjo Daro, there is a litany of ‘crimes against history’. Improper restoration and overall negligence have led to significant weathering damage and placed the remains under threat of erosion. And then there was 2014’s Sindh Festival, which subjected the ancient site to further ‘abuse’.

Now, the PIA, as part of its move to close operations at non-viable airports, has suspended flights to the Bronze Age city, making it further inaccessible to the few visitors it attracts. Most of them tend to be foreign researchers, who at times seem to be the only ones interested in preserving our history.

There are suspicions that the step may have political motives. True or not, if the government is serious about kickstarting tourism, it needs to revisit its most valuable historic assets.

The Boris plan for Brexit

The Conservatives Party bagged a historic victory last week, paving way for the installation of Boris Johnson as Britain’s prime minister. Johnson returns to Downing Street with a stronger mandate this time. And from the looks of it, he may have pulled an extraordinary political manoeuvre.

After all, the man took over a party that was losing its position. The Tories were being challenged by the Brexit Party and the Liberal Democrats. So kudos to Johnson for saving the party of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher from being relegated to oblivion. But the reality for modern-day Britain hasn’t changed much since the election. The country still faces the January 31 deadline for its long-awaited departure from the EU. While Johnson has the majority in the Parliament to push the necessary legislation through, and there is no reason to think won’t happen on schedule, the prime minister still has to negotiate the “ambitious” trade agreement with the EU. On the other hand, Johnson has assured that he will not extend the transition period, creating a crunch point, in less than a year.

Over the next few weeks, the prime minister will be required to begin negotiations on trade. If the trade deal between Britain and the EU fails to pass through the parliament, which is a requirement, Britain will then have to seek another extension in the transition period, which goes against Johnson’s promised stance on the exit. With that, the prime minister is left with only one option, and that is to leave the union without a trade deal.

So for those hoping to hear no more about Britain’s longest nightmare after January 31, there is nothing but disappointment. Britain’s long national nightmare is far from over, and there are many challenges before it is achieved. For now, Boris Johnson has every reason to celebrate his party’s win and that he should. But over the next few weeks and months, Johnson will be haunted by his self-imposed time pressure.