National unity
Memona Firdous
Since its inception, Pakistan has been facing ethnic, linguistic and
communal problems. A blind dedication to one’s own race, tribe and creed
creates hatred in one group against the other, which ends in violence.
Economic injustices further worsen the situation as our society is
extremely divided into rich and poor classes. Regional and provincial
political leaders who exploit these disparities at the cost of
federation have hindered the path of national unity. Besides other
issues which could be resolved through mutual negotiations in accordance
with the constitution, a prolonged controversy over president’s
impeachment and reinstatement of the sacked judges might be noted as an
instance in this regard.
Concentration of wealth in few hands has created a privileged class of
landowners and industrialists who contest elections against each other
again and again. By dominating the political parties, they have
dominated the politics of the country and have always sacrificed
national interests for their personal and selfish gains. Thus they
forget the real aim of public mandate to resolve the economic and social
problems—the factors which cause frustration among the people. Formation
of alliances and counter alliances, based upon the principle of
hostility for the sake of hostility shows that our leaders are
themselves responsible for lack of national cohesion among various
segments of society.
In fact, fault can not be laid on the general masses majority of whom is
illiterate. They are swayed by emotions and stereotypes, created by
provincial and national leaders who keep on exploiting any crisis for
their own self-interest.
A renowned scholar, Prof. Hoslti remarks that “issues and situations”
have “influence on public opinion” which in turn “influences the
objectives and actions”. Judging in these terms, there is a
co-relationship of our internal and external crises which Pakistan is
facing at present as the country is vulnerable to suicide attacks and
bomblasts.
Besides, equally strong pressures from religious and nationalist forces
on the elected coalition government to refrain from submitting to the US
dictates, Islamabad which badly depends upon foreign aid is particularly
under American duress to “do more” against the Al Qaeda-related
extremists in the FATA regions.
Regrettably, most of our regional and national parties, divided on
sectarian and ethnic lines have been manipulating the ongoing phenomenon
of terrorism not only against one another but also against the armed
forces. This selfish attitude is blocking the path of national unity.
Past experience proves that an unresolved crisis ultimately leads to
military rule in the country. In this respect, taking cognizance of the
present drastic circumstances, Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq
Pervaiz Kiyani has clearly explained on March 6, 2008 in a meeting of
the corps commanders that “the army would stay out of the political
process”, and reaffirmed the army’s “commitment to the integrity of
Pakistan” which could be “possible with the full support of People”. His
decision has been overwhelmingly appreciated by the people. It is
noteworthy that some external opportunist elements like the US, India,
Afghanistan and Israel are in collusion as part of a plot to
‘destabilize’ Pakistan for their strategic common interests. It was due
to new subversive acts of the militants in the tribal areas, especially
Swat, backed by CIA, RAW, Khad and Mossad that on June 29, 2008, Prime
Minister Gilani disclosed that there were “several enemies of the
country” and “foreign hands were also involved in the acts of
terrorism”. On August 4, President Musharraf also said that India was
behind the unrest in Balochistan, providing arms and ammunition to those
involved in violence in the province.
Recently, Islamabad indicated evidence that there are a number of Indian
training camps in Afghanistan from where saboteurs are being sent to
NWFP and Balochistan to commit terrorist activities.
In this connection, a number of other recent developments like new
blame-game of America, India and Afghanistan, propagating false links
between Pakistan’s Intelligence agency, ISI and Al-Qaeda-related
Taliban, particularly accusing our superior spy agency for the bombing
of Indian embassy at Kabul, intermittent air strikes on FATA, US
hostility to tribal peace deals, president Hamid Karzai’s tough threat,
Indian shelling in across the Line of Control, collaborated with the
accusation of cross border terrorism in relation to Islamabad clearly
show future designs of the US-led New Delhi and Kabul against the
integrity of our Pakistan. To castigate the conspiracy against the
integrity of the country, our political leaders must avoid manipulating
any crisis not only against one another but also against the security
forces and ISI whose image are deliberately being tarnished by the
external plotters.
The ongoing adverse circumstances have enveloped the country from all
sides, either we gauge in political or economic terms. Drastic
implications of the situation cannot be grasped by the general masses at
large, who abruptly change their opinion without reason. Hence, they
become easy prey to the internal exploiters, unintentionally benefiting
the external conspirators who want to weaken Pakistan by creating a rift
between our general masses led by politicians and the security forces.
Apart from it, foreign agents misguide the disgruntled elements that
national institutions are not made to develop the backward areas and
policies formulated at Islamabad are not congenial to other provinces
except Punjab.
Nevertheless, even a layman can note in wake of the present multiple
crises that our country is in mess and it looks as if there is a “war of
all against all” in the sense of ‘Hobbesian state of nature’.
Acute differences on the basis of selfish regional and provincial
interests at the cost of the national ones have threatened the very
unity among various ethnic groups whose solution lies in the selfless
national unity.
And now our independence demands sacrifices of individual selfish
interests from the citizens of every province including every religious
and political organization. At this sensitive juncture, there must be a
selfless national unity among the general public, politicians and the
security forces.
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