Ruling parties resorts to politics of deadlines and warnings
Saeed Minhas
Islamabad: Deadlines, warnings and cautions were all on display in the National Assembly on Monday as parliamentarians discussed the disturbing details of Balochistan carnage in which more than two dozen including 14 female students lost their lives at the hands of terrorists.
First we heard almost all those open secrets which have always been
known to all and sundry in the power corridors but none had dared to say
them in open. These revelations coupled with a deadlines and warning
came from none other than Pashtun nationalist leader from Balochistan
Mahmood Khan Achakzai. The decade’s old theory of our Khakis to pamper
strategic assets for countering foreign aggressions, complacency of huge
civilian and military spy networks in controlling terrorism in the
country, escalating number of missing persons and what not was all
spilled out by Achakzai. Amidst many other deadlines, Achakzai also
hurled a deadline at Nawaz league government that if they could not
reign in the secret agencies within next three years, he would prefer to
resign from the assembly and sit on the sidelines to see the ongoing
situations from his safe heavens of Pashtun fortress in Balochistan.
Fluidity of the current situation is making these revelations all the more important. First we have seen the judiciary breaking away from its doctrine of necessity and taking a stand against the dictator with the help of a freedom-filled media. Army, as an institution has seen several setback after its latest stint of rule under Gen Musharraf. On the one side its ranks are filled with infected jihadis while on the other hand extensions in the services of the top brass has left many scars on the health of the institution which by far is considered the only functioning institution in the country. Now politicians with rolled up sleeves are asking for their tormentors to come and at least share with them their old and new security paradigms to find a way forward at a time when country is facing both internal and external aggressions.
Balochistan has been burning for quite some time, and recent escalation in violence under an on-going mini insurgency has just brought things to a stage where political forces are just hoping that their predators join hands with them to counter the rising monsters in KP, FATA and Balochistan. National security, a phrase which has long been under the firm controls of the Khakis has all of a sudden becomes of major concern for our political elite. What remains to be seen is that how opposition is going to take up this emerging tri-lateral war amongst Khakis, ruling politicians and judiciary. Peoples Party had even confessed during its recently concluded rule that it has become a pro-establishment party and had tried their level best to mitigate the misunderstandings Khakis have about their character and past. Nevertheless, Zardari led party managed to complete for the first time its allotted constitutional tenure but how up and close they could bring Khakis is there for everyone to guess. Perhaps knowing this harsh verdict of the history, Peoples Party leadership seems to be in no mood to extend a hand to Nawaz league at this point in time and is preparing to play along the lines of mild confrontation to spread even more confusion. Power game after all is very cruel, at least that’s what not only Muslim history but even the world history teaches us.
Therefore, as many military and political analysts believe that latest strikes by militants in the heart of Balochistan seems to have pitched the new government and its allied parties against the civilian and military spy network by posing serious questions to their abilities and operations. This new tug of war between the Nawaz government and the spy agencies might not be of the same nature what we have witnessed during Yusuf Raza Gillian’s tenure when he tried to bring ISI under civilian fold. Especially when Mahmood Achakzai has opened a Pandora’s Box right in the middle of a chorangi and Chaudhry Nisar unleashing his usual venom against the Khakis, things are likely to hit the dominators a bit hard.
Many of our military friends are hinting a possible solution to Nawaz League leadership that Achakzai’s first speech on the opening day of the parliament whereby he proposed the government to let go Musharraf and develop a working relationship with the army should be taken more seriously. Using Musharraf as bait is one open option in front of the government but not without soothing the ego of the men in black robes, observed a senior Nawaz league leader from pothohar region. However, he and many others favouring Achakzai’s idea are finding their own leadership extraordinarily apprehensive of taking any steps in haste.
Earlier, we saw Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Chaudhry Nisar speaking on the predicaments of the country’s security agencies as if they hail from opposition benches and not part of the ruling party. Certainly the latest wave of militancy in Balochistan has come as an eye opener for the newly elected government. But irony is that federal interior minister Ch. Nisar is yet to come to grips with his new role in parliamentary democracy and instead of providing solutions he is still pointing fingers in all directions. Instead of reaching out to political, social and even military agencies, he is still using media to convey his feelings. Though government has invited all stakeholders for 21st June parleys to formulate a security policy for the country, but as our sources reveal that unfortunately Nawaz League does not have any homemade solution to present in such parleys. Will this remain a talking session for the sake of scoring political points or will it help us really form a unified front against terrorists and aggressors is a million dollar question right now?
Fluidity of the current situation is making these revelations all the more important. First we have seen the judiciary breaking away from its doctrine of necessity and taking a stand against the dictator with the help of a freedom-filled media. Army, as an institution has seen several setback after its latest stint of rule under Gen Musharraf. On the one side its ranks are filled with infected jihadis while on the other hand extensions in the services of the top brass has left many scars on the health of the institution which by far is considered the only functioning institution in the country. Now politicians with rolled up sleeves are asking for their tormentors to come and at least share with them their old and new security paradigms to find a way forward at a time when country is facing both internal and external aggressions.
Balochistan has been burning for quite some time, and recent escalation in violence under an on-going mini insurgency has just brought things to a stage where political forces are just hoping that their predators join hands with them to counter the rising monsters in KP, FATA and Balochistan. National security, a phrase which has long been under the firm controls of the Khakis has all of a sudden becomes of major concern for our political elite. What remains to be seen is that how opposition is going to take up this emerging tri-lateral war amongst Khakis, ruling politicians and judiciary. Peoples Party had even confessed during its recently concluded rule that it has become a pro-establishment party and had tried their level best to mitigate the misunderstandings Khakis have about their character and past. Nevertheless, Zardari led party managed to complete for the first time its allotted constitutional tenure but how up and close they could bring Khakis is there for everyone to guess. Perhaps knowing this harsh verdict of the history, Peoples Party leadership seems to be in no mood to extend a hand to Nawaz league at this point in time and is preparing to play along the lines of mild confrontation to spread even more confusion. Power game after all is very cruel, at least that’s what not only Muslim history but even the world history teaches us.
Therefore, as many military and political analysts believe that latest strikes by militants in the heart of Balochistan seems to have pitched the new government and its allied parties against the civilian and military spy network by posing serious questions to their abilities and operations. This new tug of war between the Nawaz government and the spy agencies might not be of the same nature what we have witnessed during Yusuf Raza Gillian’s tenure when he tried to bring ISI under civilian fold. Especially when Mahmood Achakzai has opened a Pandora’s Box right in the middle of a chorangi and Chaudhry Nisar unleashing his usual venom against the Khakis, things are likely to hit the dominators a bit hard.
Many of our military friends are hinting a possible solution to Nawaz League leadership that Achakzai’s first speech on the opening day of the parliament whereby he proposed the government to let go Musharraf and develop a working relationship with the army should be taken more seriously. Using Musharraf as bait is one open option in front of the government but not without soothing the ego of the men in black robes, observed a senior Nawaz league leader from pothohar region. However, he and many others favouring Achakzai’s idea are finding their own leadership extraordinarily apprehensive of taking any steps in haste.
Earlier, we saw Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Chaudhry Nisar speaking on the predicaments of the country’s security agencies as if they hail from opposition benches and not part of the ruling party. Certainly the latest wave of militancy in Balochistan has come as an eye opener for the newly elected government. But irony is that federal interior minister Ch. Nisar is yet to come to grips with his new role in parliamentary democracy and instead of providing solutions he is still pointing fingers in all directions. Instead of reaching out to political, social and even military agencies, he is still using media to convey his feelings. Though government has invited all stakeholders for 21st June parleys to formulate a security policy for the country, but as our sources reveal that unfortunately Nawaz League does not have any homemade solution to present in such parleys. Will this remain a talking session for the sake of scoring political points or will it help us really form a unified front against terrorists and aggressors is a million dollar question right now?
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