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IMRAN Khan startles us with his philistinism each time he speaks on the issue of terrorism. His narrative on violent militancy in the country and the prescription to end the menace is dangerously simplistic. Not surprisingly he is seen as the most strident of apologists for the Pakistani Taliban.
He attributes the killing of thousands of Pakistani men, women and children by the terrorists solely to the blowback effect of the US drone strikes and the war in Afghanistan. For the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief the unconditional surrender of the Pakistani state to the Taliban is the only way out of the bloody conflict.
His demand for a ceasefire in the aftermath of the killing of Gen Sanaullah Niazi by the militants is a glaring example of his muddled thinking on critical security issues. A day before the militant attack in Upper Dir, the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ordered the army troops to pull out of Malakand.
Such a senseless move without a strong civilian security and administrative system in place is tantamount to handing back the control of the area to the group involved in last week’s killing of the regional commander.
The party has also endorsed the Taliban demand for withdrawal of the army from the tribal areas. With this approach there is nothing to wonder about which side of the fence Imran Khan is on.
What is most dangerous, however, is that Imran Khan’s perilously flawed narrative has influenced the national discourse. Those views were reflected in the all-party conference (APC) resolution earlier this month that has virtually legitimised militancy by declaring the extremist group a stakeholder in the peace process.
A non-starter from the outset, the so-called peace initiative endorsed by the APC has not yet taken off the ground, mainly because the Taliban have upped the ante sensing the government’s weakness. The resolution, aptly described as a “document of surrender”, has however further muddled the nation’s resolve to fight violent militancy and religious extremism.
A weak-kneed response by the government to the latest killing of senior army officers fighting on the front line has widened the difference between the civilian and military leadership.
Gen Kayani’s statement that the military would not bow to the Taliban’s demands marks a clear departure from the placatory tenor of the APC resolution.
It also reflects the growing frustration within the military ranks at the ambivalence of the national leadership on the problem that presents the greatest threat to national security and the unity of the country.
Nothing can make the militants happier than a procrastinating political leadership unable to stand up to the grave national security challenges.
In order to fight terrorism and violent militancy more effectively it is imperative to dismantle the toxic narrative that is being propounded by the likes of Imran Khan and also taken up by the PML-N government.
Firstly, it is a false argument that the rise of militancy and sectarian violence is solely the blowback effect of US intervention in Afghanistan and the drone strikes in the tribal region. The roots of militancy are much deeper in Pakistan and while the war in Afghanistan may have only fuelled it further, it is certainly not the cause.
Most militant groups involved in terrorist activities and those fighting the Pakistani forces operated for a long time under the patronage of the country’s security establishment waging jihad in other countries. Many of them had a close nexus with Al Qaeda and it was a matter of time before they turned their guns on their erstwhile patrons.
Imran Khan and others who blame Pakistan’s support for the US war in Afghanistan for the conflict are either naïve or twisting the facts to give legitimacy to the militants’ violence. The truth is that under a UN Security Council resolution Pakistan had no choice but to side with the US after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. We should not forget that Imran Khan supported Gen Musharraf’s decision at the time.
Again it is a false argument that militancy will cease if Pakistan dissociates itself from the US-led war in Afghanistan. Firstly, how is Pakistan a part of the US war? In fact, the country has often been accused of supporting the Afghan Taliban insurgency against the occupation forces.
Secondly, the US now plans to pull out its forces from Afghanistan by the end of next year and it is in the interest of Pakistan to facilitate a political settlement in the war-ravaged country. Does Imran Khan want Pakistan to side with the Taliban fighting the foreign troops in Afghanistan?
Yet another fallacy is that the Pakistani Taliban’s militancy is in retaliation to the US drone strikes in the tribal regions. There is no empirical evidence to prove this contention. For sure the drone strikes violate Pakistan’s sovereignty and must be stopped. It is also true that the civilian casualties have some serious political implications. But to link the militancy to the Predator strikes is certainly an exaggeration.
To put the record straight, only six drone strikes were carried out from 2004 to 2009 and except for the Damadola incident there had not been any collateral damage reported.
But most terrorist attacks occurred during that period targeting civilians as well as the security personnel and the installations.
Most of the tribal agencies and Malakand division in KP had fallen under Taliban control. Peshawar was virtually under siege and militants had advanced to the areas close to the capital Islamabad. It was only after the military operations that the state was able to re-establish its control over those areas.
So to say that the military action did not work is an extremely flawed argument. In fact, the peace deals had allowed the Taliban the space to reorganise themselves. The latest move for unconditional peace negotiations will have the same effect.
Imran Khan’s toxic narrative only helps the Taliban and other militant groups that have declared war against the state. What is at stake is the future of democracy and the stability of the country.
The writer is an author and journalist.
zhussain100@yahoo.com
Twitter: @hidhussain
Comments (47) Closed
Nice piece! But why blame these two parties? Were they not propelled to this lofty position by we, the masses?
I think with the latest cowardly terrorist attack on the army personals and the christian community, it is high time Imran Khan changed his views about negotiating peace with terrorists.
When IK open his mouth, truth is the first casualty. Pakistanis like to hear him lie.
Imran khan is expecting Noble Peace Prize by negotiating a peace deal with Taliban and other terrorist groups in Pakistan.
Whatever the history of the Taliban militancy, stoppage of drones would certainly help defuse the situation. If Nawaz Sharif can convince the U.S government of this fact during his present visit to U.S.A,he should have no difficulty in reaching a settlement with those Talibans- there are 59 militant groups- who are willing to talk and thus bring this futile fratricidal war to an end.
Imran \Khan's toxic narrative is undoubtedly confusing and supportive to Taliban. May be he wants Pakistan to surrender before Taliban and hand over to them FATA to make their own state. We condemn Ik on this issue, let the nation the whole nation wake up and support Pakistan military to take immediate action. Let us forget IK and N etc. You have narrated truth and whole truth. We have to disassociate from Alqaida..we have to clean our own house. It ay take time but let us do it.
So according to u Imran Khan fooled every 1 in APC and forced them to sign the resolution asking for dialog with TTP
If you have time then please search that PMLN, ANP etc asking for dialog with Taliban even before elections
Dear Zahid, can u please tell the details of sucide attacks carried out in Pak before 9/11? your analysis is more anti PTI rather than based on facts.
The best response to Imran Khan or Taliban Khan's toxic narrative! keep it up.
Just read NFP's article and now this. I agree that to say that all these attacks are in retaliation of US drone attack is wrong. But it does play a part and not a small part, in my opinion.
I think the Govt needs to eradicate extremism from the roots by introducing a tolerance based curriculum and remove everything which promotes Jihad. The only form of Jihad they should talk about is the one against illiteracy. Nothing else. All the Madresahs should be closely monitored and what ever they are teaching should be authorised by a central commeittee.
An excellent analysis.
Thanks you for saying this. Our newspapers have been part of perpetuating the personality cult around Imran Khan. He has propounded this flawed narrative for political ends, sensing that this type of uber nationalism will help gain votes for a party with otherwise no program to do anything positive.
none can survive in political atmosphere of pakistan defending oppsing terrorism, propgating secularism, oppose jihadi politics, propose friendliness towards other religious group! imran acts smartly to secure or safeguard his place in political space of pakistan! he cannot do otherwise!
Very good piece.
I think the author made a mistake about the number of drone strikes between 2004 and 2009. He says 6, but I believe it were a couple of dozens more. Nevertheless his point stands. One can make a good argument that drone strikes have reduced the number of deaths in Pakistan. As drone strikes went up, terrorist bombings and suicide attacks in Pakistan went down.
Imran Khan is living in a fool's paradise thinking that these TTP and Al Qaeda animals can be negotiated with. If given a chance they will blow him up in a suicide bombing.
There were 51 attacks during 2004-2009 resulting in 167-335 Civilians and 102-120 children causalities. Don't misguide people just because you don't agree with someone's stance against terrorism. Here is the reference.
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/blog/2011/08/10/the-bush-years-2004-2009/
The author first over simplifies IKs narrative and then accuses him of oversimplification. Khan has repeatedly made it clear the purpose of talks is to separate the dozens of groups based on their motives, goals, funding etc. If the author does not want to understand no one can help him understand
It is natural to resolve complicated issues through a carrot and stick policy. However, in this case, as the writer rightly points out, if the line suggested by IK is followed the state would run out of carrots and then the country would be up for grabs. It's one thing for politicos to pontificate when not in power but a totally different ball game when handed over the reins of power, the contradictions are immense and difficult to surmount, an occupational hazard of being a politician.
Mr. Hussain once again goes out of his to put forward the vies that American s would be hard pressed to better. One has to wonder as to whose interests is he working for. You never hear him criticise America in any way. Has it never ocurred to him that America might, just might be wrong in pursuit of their foreign policies. Well I have news for him; A majority of people in America now believe that their adventures in Afghanistan and Iraq were disastrous for their own country , let alone hundreds of thousands of poor Afghanies and Iraqies who were killed and maimed. And you can include more than 50000 Pakistani lives in that---a direct result of jumping headlong in this so-called War on Terror. Mr. Hussain will be well advised to turn his toxic pen away from the poor patriotic politicians, army and its intelligence services, just once in a while.
His foolish cowardliness demolishing nation's pride.
very good article! The time has come when Imran Khan must decide is he with Taliban or Pakistan!
Excellent Analysis! The time has come when Imran Khan must decide is he with Pakistan or Taliban!
Good Article!
We have to define Pakistan
Excellent and rational.
@Irfan Husain: No explanation given on how Talibans are producing terrorists.....No explanation given on who joins Talibans...No explanation given how Imran's views are simplistic....Problem is liberal fascists have got fundamentals wrong....For instance, they have done research on how much drones are producing more Talibans.....This analysis is just a false preconceived notions and no way research driven....Thanks this man is not helm of affairs....And don't label me pro Talibans please...Stop nonsense on this issue..
The authorities should not at all bow to the terrorist's demands. The question is why has TTP become an umbrella organization for all the terrorism happening in Pakistan. Who's had let this happen? Talks should be the way forward to identify and acknowledge who are we going to fight with and who can we accommodate, in general groups that are soft. The role of foreign sponsors and elements has to be put in context as well... Imran Khan cannot be blamed for his opinion/stance alone. We have to know who to fight; how and where. For that a table talk is the first option.
Clear and well articulated! An eye opener.
I am so glad your columnists are giving this debate the rational discourse it deserves. Excellent analysis by Mr. Zahid.
One can not agree more than the agreement with this argument that Mr Imran Khan has no sense of what Pakistan is dealing with. He talks of drones violating sovereignty but does not see that that militants are also violating sovereignty of the country. Well, negotiations and dialouge may be a solution to thousand problems but not for this one. Has Imran Khan ever condemned the TTP in unambiguous words? Undoubably he is totally confused and wonky in his thinking and politics. It is not to suggest a strategy to tackle with this complex issue but then few things are in the domain of plain common sense. Rather than disassociating our-self from US war(if that be true) we must disassociate ourselves from all types of militant and extremist groups. Almost every major political party is maintaining a militant group and few have close links with groups like TTP and LeJ, to name a few. With this arrangement in place how can we believe that these political parties are sincere in dealing with militants. So, it would have been more important to include a proclamation in APC statement that "all political parties denounce militancy and extremism in all its forms and manifestations". Now, few words on US involvement in all this. As a nation we must ask ourselves few questions. 1) What are US expectations from Pakistan except that Pakistan must behave in more responsible manner and do not pose a threat to regional and global peace/stability? 2) Are muslim in Pakistan more safe and free to practice their religion or in US? 3) Are there Hydrocarbons or any other useful/expensive material/resource which the US is trying to steal away from Pakistan? Honest answers to these question would reveal to every Pakistani that US has no agenda against PAkistan rather Pakistanis(corrupt elite) have their own vested interests in demonizing US.
agree with you 100%. I hope govt will come to its senses.
Absolutely true! Yet we fail to see this and support dialogue with these terrorists! And so many politicians, PML-N and PTI stalwarts fail to openly criticize Talibans for these barbaric crimes they commit. How come an eduated and such a talented person like Imran Khan fail to see this simple fact?? Mind boggling.
Brilliantttttt!!!!!!
It is not possible to defeat the terrorists by force at this point in time. Pakistanis are divided, the government is weak and the terrorists have support from the military. Talks will also not get us anywhere. Things will get much much worse. Maybe in a few decades time we will have learned the lessons and will unite to fight these people. But not at anytime soon.
A lot of exaggeration here. More importantly what solution do you propose for an end of the Taliban? Everybody criticises IK but nobody is prepared to offer a practical solution.
So Mr Zahid Hussain suggests that while United States of America is holding talks with Taliban and looking to negotiate a peace deal, Pakistan must continue its war on terror like it had been doing for last 12 years. Pakistan should not aid America in holding peace talks and continue fighting Taliban, giving Taliban more incentives and reasons to continue their suicide bombings on churches, mosques and other public places in Pakistan?
An excellent analysis! You are trying to instill some sense in an ignorant and arrogant person. It is a misfortune of Pakistan that people like Imran Khan are political leaders(?) and some fools even follow him.
Actually, what helps and emboldens Pakistani Taliban, is the patronage to the Afghan Terrorists ( by the Pakistani security establishment) , who are comrades in arms of the the so-called Afghan Taliban. This policy is fraught with dire repercussions for the future of Pakistan.
An excellent article. The one sided accord will take us no where. A while back I also think that peace talks will be the actual solution to problem; but now i believe that its time to be realistic and militancy shall be scrubbed with military action with strong public support that can be done by the political parties.
Ludicrous to say the least. I thought Dawn as a newspaper inclined at left, but I guess that has become story of the past.
bro r u sure to say that peaceful talk is not the solution of issue..let them talk first and get out from US policy...it's not the way to shoot bullet.!!!
Oh Come on please. "again it is a false argument that militancy will cease if Pakistan dissociates itself from the US-led war in Afghanistan. Firstly, how is Pakistan a part of the US war? ". Had you had an iota of knowledge about the TTP's ideology you wouldn't be coming up with such a lame argument. Well FYI, According to them "You(Pak Army & Govt) are Taghoot's (Satan/America) ally and they quote you an ayah from surah Almaida "Do not be friends with Jews/Christians and whosoever supports Jews/Christians against Muslim (in Afghanistan) are amongst them". This is their core ideology and the motivation for recruiting hundreds of youth even from universities. All you have to do is take their 'recruiting-logic' from them by clearing your position with America and then might as well kick the hell out of them. How can someone even talk about dealing with them without having a little know-how of their ideology Mr. @hidhussain !
You pseudo-liberal war mongers need to understand that had Europe been dominated by people like you, it would never have come out of World War II. Negotiating with TTP terrorists does not mean forgetting the 35 thousand innocent people killed, its just a way of avoiding another 35 thousand from getting killed. Go on fight another 10, 20, 30 years, in the end the conflict will be solved on the table. It's very easy to disrupt peace very difficult to maintain it. PTI only wants to give peace a chance.
I think we must put the record straight. Afghan Jehad against USSR legitimized enrollment of jehadist elements around the globe which was definitely financed by CIA. On withdrawal of Soviet forces, the US left us in a mess and even stopped financial aid to Pakistan. The poverty of the war stricken area was exploited by some friendly Muslim countries by establishing lot of madrassas in the area with obvious reasons thus leading to sectarian strife. The drone strikes apart from violation of our sovereignty do fuel the tradition of revenge in the locals which aid fuel to the fire. A decade of military intervention has been successful in containing the radicals in most part of the country whereas completely annihilating them in Swat, Bunir and Bajuar etc. I think, IK is right. We must give negotiations a chance because to me dialogue with in itself carries threat of use of force if the anti-state elements would not adhere to the writ of the state. To ameliorate, we must go for negotiations as the US is trying to do it in Afghanistan. What i would suggest to IK is to move the socioeconomic prong of the KP government, along with peace talks. It will have following advantages:- - Socioeconomic prosperity in the region would end discontent in the masses - Will deny space to Talibans for recruitment and minimize sympathies of the locals - Will provide basic necessities to all and enable them to join the main stream
Good one
Both Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif thought that by disowning this war against the TTP as America's war NOT Pakistan's war -- they will endear themselves in the hearts and 'minds' of TTP and also save their tails in the process.
Tails they did save -- but now the Taliban want to be paid for those favors that they did to both Imran and Sharif brothers -- hence bigger and bigger nastier and nastier terrorist attacks against Imran Khan's KP domain and against Sharif's Federal spread.
Yet proper lessons have not been learnt -- still the two parties are mortally afraid to name the TTP as the aggressor and declare them as the enemy number ONE of Pakistan and hesitant to confront them on their home battlefield -- which they will have to do one day when it will be too late.
Appeasement as the instrument of internal policy for peace and security -- has never worked against terrorists (like Tamil Tigers) -- will never work against a bunch of born killers like the TTP -- seeped in cruelty devoid of any humanity -- it will only embolden them to commit more and more heinous crimes over the coming months and years.
And it did as the 2 church bombings and 83 deaths will attest. And as they say in vernacular --"nesh-e aqrab nu uz pay-e keeN ust -- maqtazay-e tabeeutush eiN ust".
Time to wake up for these new kids on the block -- and quit harping on 'talks' -- as long Hakeemulah is alive and heads the TTP -- you can take it for granted there will be no talks of any sort.
This ENEMY of Pakistan and killer of Pakistani people loves death and destruction of its OWN innocent countrymen women and children -- and retreats only when confronted with equal FORCE - nothing else.
One of the things we have to realize is that with all of the military might of the USA, they were still not able to get rid of the afghani taliban and are under attack daily. So clearly military solution alone is not the way we will get rid of this menace. I do agree that IK needs to be a bit more forceful with the Taliban, because at the moment his drone rhetoric is falling on deaf ears. At the same time, I agree with (what I think is) his fundamental argument, that with the drone attacks this is still America's war and we need to make this our war, that is the only way we will be able to convince all the parties involved, religious/secular/ordinary citizens that we need to have a united front. On the other hand one of the most important thing that i think everyone over looks, but I think IK recognizes is that probably one of the most effective ways to deal with these people is to block their access to the steady stream of youngsters they seem to be able to recruit to carry out their heinous crimes. This is where I think IK's social structure upheavel plans are useful.