Attack on PAF camp speaks volumes
MEDIA WATCH
The elusive truth about war on Daesh (ISIS)
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ERRORISTS using heavy weapons targeted guardroom of PAF’s Badaber camp on Air Force Road but heavy contingents of Quick Response Force (QRF) rushed to the site to fend off the attackers. The brazen attack of early Friday morning raises many questions but there are two distinct messages that emanate from it. The way the authorities concerned promptly reacted to the attack, makes it abundantly clear to the enemy that our security forces are in a state of alert to thwart its design. There have been numerous attacks on our security installations and our troops and personnel of security agencies always fought bravely but in this case the personnel of QRF reached the scene instantly, engaged in a gun battle with terrorists and wiped them out within forty minutes. This speaks volumes about professional skills and experience of our forces in dealing with terrorist threats. Earlier, they incurred casualties but now they are familiar with this unconventional war that has become a big challenge to the country. We appreciate performance of QRF and hope that in future too the QRF as well as other parts of the security apparatus would react with same force. There is also another message that despite the fact that our valiant forces have broken the back of terrorists and they are on the run but they still have the capacity to hit any target. There are reasons to believe that remnants of terrorism might be planning somewhere to carry out attack at some other place in the country. Therefore, the Armed forces, law-enforcing agencies and the entire nation will have to remain ever vigilant against such threats. This is particular so when terrorists are being funded, trained and armed by enemies - our enemies - who want to destabilize the country as part of their nefarious designs against Pakistan. It is also worth repeating that terrorism is a state of mind and we will have to chalk out a comprehensive plan of action to transform this mindset through a combination of measures. Presently, we are lacking on this dimension and therefore, there is need to prepare a plan and implement it on war footings. The task is difficult but not impossible.
No war with India but expose it at all levels D
ESPITE positive outcome of the meeting between DG Rangers and chief of India’s BSF where the two sides agreed to check ceasefire violations, India continues with its belligerent posture as its troops martyred two more civilians including a thirteen year old girl on the Line of Control. Similarly, there are unabated reports of Indian interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan including conspiracies against a purely developmental mega project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In this backdrop, the announcement made by Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz in the Senate on Thursday that Pakistan is taking to the UN a comprehensive dossier proving Indian sponsored terrorism in Pakistan, is a step in the right direction in the given situation. He rightly pointed out that India has been raising hue and cry over activities of non-State actors but here it is question of state-terrorism against Pakistan and the international community should take serious notice of it. While welcoming his intentions, we hope that practical steps would be taken to sensitize the global public opinion against crude Indian interference in Pakistan especially through neighbouring Afghanistan. It has long been complained by Pakistan that Indians are sponsoring acts of terrorism and sabotage in Balochistan, FATA and Karachi; but so far Pakistan has not raised the issue as effectively as it should have been. Similarly, despite passage of 45 years of Simla Agreement, emphasis on bilateral mechanism to discuss and resolve the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, has not delivered as India is hesitant to discuss the dispute, not to speak of meaningful dialogue to resolve it once for all. Therefore, Pakistan cannot wait for an indefinite period for bilateral processes to take any concrete shape and hence, the plan to raise the Kashmir issue at UN and other forums is a welcome development. Kashmir is rightly considered to be a flash point and it is responsibility of the UN to take steps for its permanent solution for the sake of regional and global peace. The indications that Pakistan is saying goodbye to its ostrich like approach vis-à-vis relations with India and Kashmir issue augurs well and one can expect it will be followed with the required vigour and seriousness.
Come up with a solution of PSM issue T
HE Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC), on Thursday, approved payment of two months salaries to employees of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM). On this occasion, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar remarked that the relevant Ministry and Pakistan Steels should find a way out of the current stalemate as the Government just could not afford to continue providing finances to meet liabilities of PSM. There are no two opinions about significance of PSM and its relevance to the economic development of the country. As the Mills almost enjoys monopoly in the field, it is beyond comprehension as to why it should incur losses and that too for so long. The PSM has not only accumulated huge losses over the years but is also running at an embarrassingly low production capacity despite repeated assurances and plans by its management to increase production and also to go for its expansion. The largest industrial complex in the country has a huge work force and it is believed that majority of them have been inducted on political grounds, rendering it into a white elephant. Some of its problems can definitely be overcome by right-sizing of those who are just receiving salaries and doing nothing to contribute to the cause of this national institution. But it is argued that its problems have much to do with other factors including its non-professional running and pushing it to a stage where its privatization should be considered as the only way out. The PSM and several other state-run institutions are just holes in the national kitty as the Government is forced to inject billions of rupees every year to keep them running. One fails to understand as to why restructuring plans made for the public sector entities have not succeeded so far. Pakistan cannot afford this sluggish attitude and it is the genuine demand of the day to take concrete steps to revive these institutions.
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Recipe for protecting democracy had not realized that the biggest enemy to democracy in the country was none else but corruptiontainted and inept leaderof the PPP. Today, Mohammad Jamil ship once again the PPP is Email: mjamil1938@hotmail.com feeling the heat of action against its leaders on corruption charges, and is PP senators alleged that there trying to ring alarm bells for the was disconnect between the PML-N; but at the same time decivil and military leaderships manding that there should be across and they were not on the same page. the board accountability. Meanwhile, Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani Punjab NAB has become active and seems to have realized, though be- mega scandals are likely to come latedly, that the constitutional safe- under the radar. The question is why there is fear guards against military takeovers vis-à-vis Article 6 had become re- of military takeover? After February dundant. Addressing the Senate at 2008 elections, people had expected the end of a debate held in the upper that pillars of the state would work house to commemorate the Interna- within the parameters defined in the tional Day of Democracy, he was Constitution, yet there was Parliacandid in saying: “Our weaknesses ment-Judiciary standoff, and they rehave made it redundant. In my eyes, mained engrossed in asserting power. no constitutional clause can protect Parliamentarians said Parliament was democracy. Only the people can supreme; Judiciary considered itself protect democracy provided they as the most important pillar of the are given ownership of the system.” state, and believed that it could strike He is absolutely right; and we will down any article of the constitution discuss later about the sure recipe that contravenes the fundamental for protecting democracy. How- rights. As regards military leadership, ever, civil and military leaderships it has been assuring the politicos that are on the same page as regards it would not intervene, and it did not Karachi operation, action against react during entire PPP’s tenure terrorism and policy of quid pro quo when some politicians and chattering classes continued to lower the with India. However, there have been prestige of the armed forces in the voices by the politicos that military public eye. However, when insult encroaches upon the domain of the was heaped in Kerry-Lugar bill; secelected government, and politicians ondly in regard to Memogate scanhave been expressing concerns about dal and then after the May 02 attack possible takeover. But these con- on Abbottabad compound by Americerns are not new. In July 2012, can Navy Seals. Though the present military leadprime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had made a funniest statement that ership is committed to support and “in the event democracy is threat- obey the elected government, yet ened or imperiled in the country, the politicos, analysts and panelists have entire political leadership across the been criticizing the military for inboard would unite to defend it.” He tervening in the political affairs. They
News & Views
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expect from the military not to interfere even when there is anarchy in the country, or when the government shows apathy to external threat to its security. They expect that military should not say a word if it is pilloried and denigrated, and they do not want to give the military right to give their assessment of threat perception to the country; and that it should not respond even if it is subjected to unwarranted and scathing criticism. In the US, Britain and even in India the largest democracy in the world political leaderships take decisions on the basis of intelligence provided by their agencies and also act on the advice of military leadership in matters of foreign policy especially related to security matters. Indian military had prevailed upon then prime minister Manmohan Singh not to withdraw from Siachen, as it would make India vulnerable. Similarly, Obama administration had wanted to complete the withdrawal by 2014, but in 2012 US Generals insisted on having 60000 additional troops to win the war and quit. A compromise was reached with President Obama who agreed to send 30000 troops. Today, all countries of the world have professional armies to protect their borders, and to ensure law and order internally, as it is the responsibility of the government to establish the writ of the state and protect lives and properties of the people. Last year, COAS Raheel Sharif in his address on Martyrs Day had reaffirmed the armed forces’ unequivocal support to civilian government, and stood for stability of democracy and supremacy of the constitution. His predecessor General Kayani had also made a similar commitment. That point besides, there is a widespread perception that in Pakistan it is no democracy; it is plutocracy – the government of the rich, by
the rich and for the rich. In fact, democracy means equality, and equality today is at best notional, as the right to vote alone is no guarantor for equality. Already more than 40 percent of the people are living below the poverty line. The government should take measures to improve their living conditions. The politicians, sociologists and analysts have been discussing ways and means to stop army’s intervention, but no serious effort was ever made to identify the causes that led to promulgation of Martial Laws in Pakistan. Only when the government failed to deliver to the masses; corruption and nepotism were order of the day, and opposition parties formed alliances to get rid of the elected government, only then military had intervened. Having that said, our political leaders have yet to imbibe the timetested recipe for the survivability and durability of a true democratic order. It is the vested interest of the mass of the people in the system that sustains it and lends it durability and longevity. And palpably that interest is just not there in the prevalent system, for which the existing political leadership across the divide is squarely to blame itself. It has failed in generating that sort of interest of the masses for its own foibles and stupidities. There is a complete dichotomy between the outlooks of the leadership and the masses. People want economic opportunities, jobs and livelihoods to see some respite in their miserable unlivable lives. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should take measures to dispel the wrong impressions and perceptions, as perceptions are sometimes more important than realities. —The writer is a senior journalist based in Lahore.
Intellectuals and their declining presence away as public intellectuals. They were all thinkers of imintellectual powers, Akbar Jan Marwat mense always independent of auEmail:marwat.akbarjan@gmail.com thorities, and on the side of the oppressed and the vulnerable. They spoke against HE term “public/ critical in social evil and abuses of power. tellectual” describes an intel Their opinion carried a lot of weight: lectual who participates in as it had the potential of mobilizing the discourse of public affairs in the thousands of citizens behind certain society, in addition to his/her aca- public issues. demic and professional preoccupaScientists and Artists like Albert tion. Regardless of his/her profes- Einstein and Pablo Picasso were also sional field of expertise, the public public or critical intellectuals, as intellectual addresses and responds they were public figures that took to the problems of his/her society, interest in issues of common good; and, as such, is expected to be fair and were not afraid to stand with the and impartial and engage with uni- deprived segments against the auversal issues of truth, judgment and thorities. Einstein constantly opflavor of the time. Edward Said, posed wars and the production of an oriental scholar and a public in- Nuclear Weapons. Picasso was a tellectual himself, describes the committed anti fascist. public intellectual as following:” More closer in time— although The real or “true” public intellec- in a dwindling list – have been pubtual is therefore always an outsider, lic intellectuals like: Harold Pinter, living in a self – imposed exile, and Howard Zinn the people’s historian on the margins of the society. He and Edward Said. Indeed the or she speaks to, as well as for, world’s foremost public / critical inpublic, necessarily in public, and tellectual still alive is MIT linguisis properly on the side of the dis- tic Professor Noam Chomsky. Unpossessed, the un-represented and fortunately he seems to be reprethe forgotten”. senting a dying breed, and there Historically, Public intellectu- seems to be no one on the horizon als vehemently criticized imperial- to step into his shoes. ism, oppression and the violation In Pakistan, we have, perhaps, of universal values like truth and not had a robust tradition of public justice, were ever such violation intellectuals per se; but leftist pooccurred. In a Modern Western era, ets like Faiz Ahmed Faiz and such public intellectuals were like Ahmed Faraz were certainly pubgiants; their opinion was accepted lic intellectuals in their own right. by a great number of the citizens. They not only highlighted the misThey thus held their national gov- eries of the dispossessed classes, in ernments in awe and fear. their poetry, but also participated in In the context of the West well actual political demonstrations known 20th century men of letters against the authorities. They even like: Bertrand Russell, George braved jail terms, for the cause of Orwell, jean-Paul Sartre and Albert their ideals. Similarly in today’s Camus, come to mind straight Pakistan Dr. Mubarik Ali can truly
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be called a people’s historian. He has written history from the peoples perspectives; always challenging the pro-establishment version of history. Dr. Pervaiz Hudbohy the famous physicist can also be termed a public intellectual, as his interest goes much beyond physics. He is against fundamentalism and believes in a rational and an egalitarian society. Dr. Ali Sharaiti was a great public intellectual of Iran who played an important role in Iranian revolution. According to Academic and Journalist C J Polychroniou, the reason for the diminishing of public or critical intellectuals is that the Western world today is dominated by functional / conformist intellectuals whose mission is not to inform the public about social evils and threat to their freedom’s; but to enhance their own careers and station in life. They thus support the existing order and dominant powers relations. Such conformist intellectuals focus on narrow and highly specialized and technical areas: not daring to engage in issues of common folks. Their excuse is that dabbling in these issues is beyond their remit. But the truth is that they are afraid to lose their jobs and grants if they oppose the authorities. In Pakistan also, the breed of public intellectuals have suffered because of long periods of authoritarian rule, and the ascendency of fundamentalism in every sphere of life; which is certainly inimical to critical thinking. The corporatization of the universities and the media, have also created a stifling atmosphere for critical intellectuals, as profit becomes the sole purpose behind any form of activity: including intellectual ac-
tivity. Noam Chomsky wrote in his famous essay “The Responsibility of Intellectuals’’: “Intellectuals are in a position to expose the lies of governments to analyse actions according to their causes and motives and often hidden intentions”. Chomsky thus exhorts intellectuals to full fill their obligation of supporting common public issues, and exposing the false hoods of the authorities. The decline in the number of public / critical intellectuals worldwide, can be attributed to a number of interrelated causes: (a) universities throughout the world have generally abandoned their role of developing caring and critically engaging citizens. Only professionals fit for the global market places are being produced; (b) With the advent of neo-liberalism as the dominating ideology, today, notions of social justice, and common good have taken a back seat to crude consumerism and self aggrandizement. The intellectual elite has been alienated from universal values like truth justice and peace; (c) the corporate takeover of mass media, has resulted in profit as the sole motive of these media organization, thus role of critical opinion has been stymied. In conclusion, it can be said, that the declining trend of public intellectuals forecasts a bleak future for democracy and its cherished universal values like speaking out against social evils and abuse of power. Today it seems, we have come a long way from the time when public / critical intellectuals, not only challenged the status quo but also struck fear and awe into the hearts of the rulers. —The writer is author, citizen journalist and entrepreneur.
URING the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ameri can military officials often provided misleadingly upbeat assessments of battlefield efforts and belittled reporting that contradicted their narrative. Their take on the progress of the troops was frequently at odds with the conclusions of civilian intelligence analysts and reporting by journalists in the field. The opposing views were important because they sometimes forced the Pentagon to face unpleasant truths and change course. The war against the Daesh also known as ISIS, which the Obama administration launched more than a year ago, however, has unfolded out of sight by design. Press releases summarizing the actions of the American-led coalition include the vague dateline ‘Southwest Asia,’ because the task force leading the effort doesn’t publicly acknowledge it is based in Kuwait. The American military’s Central Command, or Centcom, which oversees the air campaign, periodically releases grainy black-and-white videos showing bombs blasting buildings and other targets into smithereens. But basic facts like the number of civilians killed in airstrikes, the strength of the Daesh and the extent to which the international coalition’s strategy might be having a radicalising effect have remained disturbingly elusive. That makes the reported attempts by senior military officials to alter the conclusions of rankand-file intelligence officers particularly alarming. The Defence Department’s inspector general is investigating whether senior Centcom officials have sought to distort the assessments of military intelligence analysts to paint a positive picture of the war on the Daesh. Those assessments are considered along with others produced by civilian agencies; conclusions from various assessments are then distilled and presented to the president and top policy makers. Gen. Lloyd Austin, the commander of Centcom, said in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that he would take “appropriate actions,” once the inspector general’s office concludes its investigation. He told lawmakers that despite some setbacks, “progress is being made” in the military campaign. But his startling responses to questions from senators offered no reason to believe that is true. He said, for instance, that the United States currently has “four or five” Syrian fighters battling the Daesh — more than a year into a campaign that depends heavily on grooming and training a local fighting force. Daesh, a Sunni group, which aspires to establish a caliphate, now maintains control of terrain in northern and eastern Syria, as well as Mosul and Ramadi, two important Iraqi cities. Senator John McCain called the military’s assessment of progress “divorced” from reality and described the status quo in Syria as “an abject failure.” Those characterizations certainly ring true. But Republicans can’t be allowed to place the blame on the Obama administration, as Mr. McCain appeared to do by asserting: “This is a result of leaving Iraq.” This specious attack may well be used by Republicans in the presidential campaign. Of course, they are unlikely to mention that it was President Bush who negotiated the withdrawals of American troops from Iraq. For more than a year, Congress has failed to exercise its power to authorize the war against the Daesh. That has given the Obama administration free rein to escalate the military campaign with virtually no oversight or guidance from Congress. Lawmakers should demand that the military be forthright in its assessments, but their criticisms ring hollow when they dodge all responsibility for setting war policy. — The New York Times The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. —Proverb