KARACHI, Jan 25: Speakers at a seminar on Globalisation and Terrorism on Thursday were unanimous in blaming imperialistic forces for putting the world in immense turmoil. They held imperialists responsible for creating terrorism of which the common man, who has no share in the so-called war, is the main victim.
“In other words, the imperialist forces have globalised the terrorism to serve their own interests at the cost of the underdeveloped world,” Secretary-General of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Iqbal Haider, said in his keynote speech at the seminar organised by the Forum for Democracy at PMA House.
He said the imperialist forces led by the United States were using all forms of globalisation and terrorism to perpetuate their hegemony on the world. He said a cursory view on the events in the world clearly showed that there were few terror acts, which the developed world had suffered while terrorism had routinely menaced the underdeveloped world.
“The world has not heard about any major incidents other than 9/11, 7/7 and some sporadic terror acts in Spain etc. but it has become routine in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Russia, Lebanon, Jordan, Indonesia and Somalia etc,” he said.
Mr Haider said peace was a precondition for development and progress, which made it clear that the underdeveloped world could never develop due to terrorism they were suffering from and would always subjugate to the imperialistic might.
He said the western leadership and media condemned Saddam Hussain, Osama bin Laden, Mullah Omer and Taliban and Al Qaeda at large, but ironically all of those individuals and organizations were patronised and used by the United States.
He said all extremist religious parties had served a great deal to the cause of the imperialist powers.
“These extremist parties enabled imperialist forces to get their outposts in Iraq and Afghanistan from where they could keep a vigil on Mid East, China, Russia, Iran and even Pakistan,” he said.
He said the imperialists were successfully implementing their agenda to destroy Muslims through Muslims in the name of Islam and the execution of Saddam Hussain had an agenda of creating sectarian killings across the Muslim world. “Any party or individual spreading hatred among the sects is serving President Bush’s agenda,” said Mr Haider.
He asked President General Pervez Musharraf to realise that the United States was not only the enemy of our people and Muslims at large but also an enemy of General Musharraf and Pakistan would be the loser in becoming a frontline state in the US-led war on terrorism.
He also spoke against the government’s operation in Balochistan and said most of the more than 200 disappearances caused by the secret agencies were reported from this province.
PPP’s Taj Haider said the imperialists had huge stakes in causing wars because they brought them immense wealth through the sale of weaponry. “Most of the people being killed in the unrest worldwide have no share in the war,” he said.
He said globalisation should be called neo-colonialism as a market economy could only benefit the powerful and push the weak into oblivion.
He suggested a social contract among the states on the basis of equality similar to what a state offers to all its citizens irrespective of their social stature, or the world would witness all-out anarchy.
Prof Tipu Sultan said globalisation had caused a huge brain drain in Pakistan, which was being deprived of skilled youth. “Western countries pick our meritorious youth making Pakistan an export promotion zone,” he said.
He said due to increase in terrorism, the doors of the outside world for the children of the poor had closed. This was a great obstacle in transfer of technology. He said spending on health and education were miserably low and needed a manifold increase.
Dr Asad Saeed said globalization was not a new phenomenon and had its roots in the past.
He gave comparisons between the level of trade, foreign trade and growth in trade during 1870 to 1914 and since 1990 to date and said the phenomenon of globalisation existed over a century ago in the same strength as now barring the technological advancement. Dr Mutahir Shaikh also said globalization had always existed through the centuries. He said there was vast gap between state and the society in the Muslim world, which was leading to the terrorism phenomenon. The jihadi elements had extracted more benefit out of globalisation for their cause than rational forces.
Asad Umer said globalisation had affected the cultures, environment and economies of small nations.
Nawaz Butt, Chairman of Forum for Democracy welcomed the guests and said the issue had great relevance in the circumstances Pakistan was passing through.
