| June 26, 2005 | Sunday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 18, 1426 |
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Reining in the Taliban
Curbing antiquities’ smuggling
THE Sheikh Rashid Ahmed affair has been characterized by rather juvenile behaviour on both sides of the border. It is silly of India to turn down the information minister’s application to travel by the Kashmir bus to Srinagar merely on account of the “disclosure” that he once allegedly ran a training camp for Kashmiri militants. The minister has denied the charge, and the man to whom it was attributed, the JKLF leader, Yasin Malik, has also said he was wrongly quoted. The former army chief and now political cavalier, Mirza Aslam Beg, insists that Sheikh Rashid did indeed manage one of the militant training camps, which had the military’s blessings, and refuses to budge from his stated position. Why Mr Yasin Malik had to make a remark during the APHC visit here that could be misconstrued itself is a bit of a puzzle. But even if we suppose that Sheikh Rashid had once organized a training camp or played host to Kashmiri fighters, that can hardly be a sound basis for New Delhi to act in the petulant way it has. People change, Mr Vajpayee has changed, Mr Advani has changed, Gen Pervez Musharraf has changed; all of them can change and even do business amongst themselves like old friends. So why can’t poor Sheikh Rashid change? The Indians should come off their high horse.
That said, why was the information minister so impetuous? It is almost as if he had suddenly discovered that he had family connections across the LoC and felt excited like a child to jump on the first bus he could get to visit them. Did he consider all the pros and cons involved and did he first talk to the prime minister and the president about his plan to go to Indian-held Kashmir? Sheikh Rashid is an important member of the federal cabinet; he also happens to be the president’s spokesman. He must speak and act with extreme circumspection. As it is, our governments have been perhaps among the most garrulous in the world. They talk more, and do little. There isn’t one subject under the sun on which our presidents, prime ministers and ministers can ever be found wanting for words. The more you speak, the more likely it is that you will say something indiscreet. This is a good, general rule to keep in mind.
The positive side is that both Pakistan and India appear determined not to let this episode overly affect the current peace process between the two countries. It has always been recognized that incidents might occur or things might be said that could give rise to momentary tensions and misunderstandings, but that the process is too important to be permitted to stall. The phrase that the fate of millions is riding on the tentative steps being made towards a rapprochement has begun to sound almost a cliché. But it is true, and one can only say ‘amen’ when leaders in India and Pakistan say that the momentum for peace is irreversible. The APHC leaders’ visit — during which the unfortunate controversy about Sheikh Rashid arose — was a major breakthrough, and there should be less cribbing about how and why it came about. A greater effort needs to be made to draw Kashmiris deeper into dispute settlement and give them the political space they need, as well as seriously consider proposals to demilitarize Kashmir.
IN one of the biggest attacks in the last two years, 130 Taliban fighters were killed in three days by Afghan and US-led coalition forces determined to put an end to the insurgency prior to September’s presidential elections. However, they failed to capture any leading figure of the Taliban’s 10-man governing council, and both Mullah Dadulah and Mullah Brader, were reported to have escaped. While it is clear that the Taliban have stepped up efforts to derail the already fragile law and order situation, it is difficult to guess at their actual strength. The offensive must have dealt a major blow to them, but only time will tell whether they are able to regroup and launch further attacks. According to US and Kabul government figures, around 300 insurgents have been killed since March. Only a few months ago, US generals had written off the Taliban as a force to reckon with. This obviously was self-serving as shown by recent bloody attacks — including a bomb explosion in a mosque in Kandahar — disproving any notion that the Taliban are down and out.
Afghan officials believe that many Taliban fighters again fled to Pakistan during Friday’s attack, which means that Kabul will have to seek Pakistan’s assistance in ensuring tighter security on the common border. This may be tricky given the recent tension between the two countries but Mr Karzai will have to forget past differences if he wants to arrest the deteriorating law and order situation in his country. This is an area where, unfortunately, the Karzai government and the International Security Assistance Force have failed to deliver, as security beyond Kabul is virtually non-existent. This builds a stronger case for American forces to stay on in Afghanistan — which will only fuel further resentment amongst the people. Mr Karzai held successful meetings with President Bush last month but the effects of that — or other pledges of support from the international community — have yet to benefit the Afghan people. The path to stability will continue to be long and difficult unless law and order is given top priority.
THE seizure on Thursday of Dubai-bound antiquities worth Rs 700 million by the customs at Karachi port points to the long prevailing problem of historical relics being smuggled out of the country. The consignment booked by an Islamabad-based carpet dealer reportedly contained original artefacts dating back to the
Indus Valley Civilization, Gandhara and the Hindu Shahi periods, which were likely to fetch millions of dollars in the international black market. Luckily, the customs officials moved quickly and managed to arrest the dealer involved. Those believed to have been behind similar consignments caught earlier by the British and American authorities in London and New York, respectively, have remained unnamed and presumably unpunished. A thorough investigation should be launched into the latest crime and those found involved in the illegal trade must be swiftly brought to justice. This will help deter many other unscrupulous elements who have made a career out of trading in the country’s archaeological treasures.
Smuggling antiquities on such a big scale is by all accounts an organized racket prevalent across the world, with auctioneers and collectors in developed countries facilitating the criminal practice by readily buying stolen artefacts. London and New York have long held the dubious distinction of being the capitals of the illegal trade, with Dubai, a free port, now following suit. The government will have to take up the challenge not only on the home front, where there are enough black sheep in official circles to facilitate such crimes, but also at the diplomatic level in the recipient states. Islamabad will be within its rights to demand the repatriation of stolen artefacts when they openly go up for sale at auctions abroad, and pursue the case of such auctioneers with the relevant governments.