High time Pakistan gained control back!
Announcing his much-anticipated strategy recently Obama pledged a broader view of taking action both in Afghanistan and Pakistan — whose lawless border areas have turned into the headquarters for the Al- Qaeda extremist network.
While ordering 4,000 more US troops to Afghanistan, Obama also promised a major boost in civilian personnel and development assistance including tripling US aid to Pakistan to 7.5 billion dollars over five years.
When India found direct Pakistan links in the Mumbai blasts, it made it clear to the Pakistani government that they would like to see two outcomes. One the perpetrators are brought to justice and second, Pakistan takes credible steps to dismantle the terrorism infrastructure in its country, which had led to these attacks and other attacks in India and elsewhere in the world.
Terrorism out of Pakistan is a global menace. It is not only a threat to India or the US rather to the whole world.
While governments may change in Pakistan the fact remains that Pakistan is a failed state and a fertile breeding ground of terrorists. Pakistan’s hatred towards India’s democratic tradition and progress is well known.
This despite the fact that its innocent people are equally targets of terrorist attacks. It’s routine news now to hear of suicide bombings in Pakistan killing scores of average Pakistanis who are still struggling for basic education and amenities.
The world is worried today about the rapid Talibanization of Pakistan. And it’s high time not only does the US but all countries who wish to have peace as world order pressurize Pakistan and Afghanistan to restore democracy in all its sanctity and uproot terrorism breeding activities from that part of the subcontinent.
While India has its own long battle of past 60 years.
Some governmental and non-governmental agencies in Pakistan with extra constitutional powers nurtured the fundamentalist elements like Talibans and Lashkare- Toiba. It’s a known fact that Pakistan gave birth to these elements to destabilize the secular India and gain control over Afghanistan. But their strategy boomeranged. Whether it is Mumbai attacks or the attacks in Lahore and the attack on Srilankan Cricket Team, these attacks show how powerful these organizations have grown. The need of the hour is a strong leader in Pakistan, who can save the country from being Talibanized, improve living conditions of its people and restore peace in that region.
If the government gives in to Taliban the way it did at the SVAT Valley, it won’t be long before Taliban will be at India’s doorstep with all its Islamic fanatic fundamentalisms. Add to it the control over the Nuclear arms will make it a lethal combination in wrong hands whose ultimate aim is to Talibanize the entire world.
Pakistan needs a government and a leader who can send the army back to barracks, regain control over the regions on which Pak Government lost control and close down all the madrasas.
We hope it would learn lessons and take some strong action to bring things under control.
FROM THE EDITOR
