Divided we stand, divided we fall

Qudsia Kadri

 

We as Pakistani's continue to look and behave as trapeze artists in a circus consisting of every size and shape. While we continue to fight, and create unwarranted situations on some pretext or the other, the rocky boat we are traveling on and which in the recent past has managed to collide against many rocks and surfaces seems to have lost the path to a common destination or goal.

What has taken place during the past week or so does not deserve a further mention in this column, it would suffice to say that most of the saner elements in this country, who have the capacity to think, rationalize and look beyond their nose's stand ashamed, saddened and disgusted at the state of affairs in the country, worried at the situation on our borders. Worried, as we fear the destabilization of Pakistan. Worried at the interference of the United States and its allies on their various destabilization plans, which have been known for months by officials and analysts in United States as well as in Pakistan.

The game plan is to install a government, which is so divided in its policies that the political fragmentation will keep the fire of discord and vengeance alive. Of course, it is a different story that our leadership, military as well as political are not new players in the field. They all profess to be men and women of great acumen and intelligence.

It is not a hidden fact that in 2005 a report by the US National intelligence council and CIA forecast "Yugoslav-like fate" for Pakistan. Pakistan with its various conflicts such as the terse situation in Baluchistan inter-provincial rivalries are all predicted to lead Pakistan to being labeled a failed state. Of course some of our new elected parties favorites in Islamabad seem to be holding a viewpoint very similar to that or our American friends. The government's new High Commissioner who is to replace Dr. Maleeha Lodhi in the UK Wajid Shamsul Hassan had in an interview to the Times of India, (13 February, 2005) been quoted as saying that Pakistan is stated to become a "failed state by 2015 as it would be affected by civil war, complete Talibanization and struggle for control of its nuclear weapons."

We also know that although to fight the war on terrorism has been the sword hanging on Pakistan's head around the clock, the pressure has been mounting on us. And we because of our precarious and unstable situation, are unable to fully comprehend or grasp the gravity of the geo-political scenario. We are either fully cooperating with the war on terror allies for obvious personal and power inflicted mind sets, are we so naïve that we are waiting for lightening to strike?

While, the dictates for the war on terror are being requisitioned and directed on perhaps a daily basis, the covert support to Balochistan separatists continues unabated. Like we saw the support of CIA in the 1990's to Islamist groups and separatists armies in the form of training as well as hidden support in Kosovo, to the Kosovo Liberation Army. There are reports of CIA and Mossad supporting and training Baluch rebels (BLA) in Iran and Southern Afghanistan. The creation and concept of a "Greater Balochistan" is not merely a figment of the imagination. The US and NATO sponsored "civil war" launched in Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia, should not be forgotten by our government and leaders with their myopic vision focused only on a specific direction.

The similarities and the occurrences during the past two years or so in Pakistan are not mere coincidence. Coupled with the unbelievable incidents and dangerous drama being unfolded presently in the country, are clear signals of an ominous outcome for Pakistan and its people. Along with the fact that fresh "new touts" of the West have appeared and taken aboard the new ship of democracy all set to sail, must not be ignored. It is all the more reason to begin the journey anew, without loss of any time and constrain our impulsive accusations and emotional outbursts on a different topic everyday. The circus must stop, the journey in the days to come is turbulent and the waters no longer calm. Lets not forget that the west has no qualms, and no pretext at all to bomb and destroy, to maime and kill, any country, as long as its ulterior motives are accomplished.