War On Terror: American Definition, Pakistani Solution
By Farid Masood • Apr 1st, 2008 • Category: Politics • (2,260 views) • 9 CommentsThe definition of the term War on Terror is ambiguous. It had earned a bad name to its introducer. Thousands of people around the world are affected due to it. Many had lost their precious life including infant children who even don’t know who is George W Bush or where America exists. Infant even didn’t know about their parents, unable to save them from the killing missiles. We know there are hidden agendas of US Administration. Such wars are the new markets for their arms products. These arms are sold as a part of US aids to other countries comprising almost above 70% of the aid. War in Afghanistan has done much damage to the economy, security, stability, safety in Pakistan. Last eight years and especially after 9/11 Pakistan had suffered a lot in it. American missile hitting Pakistani territorial areas had made much damage to our solidarity, safety and human life. Many innocents lost their life and our government remained silent, as it had not option but to obey. New Elected Prime Minster Mr Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has asked the people of tribal areas to come on the table to talk. In return to this offer a spokesman from local taliban agreed to this proposal. Guns are not the option to resolve any issue, its strange that US of A had not learnt it till now, or US administration don’t want to learn it as a matter of policy because how will they sell weapons around the world if things are settled. So there is a chance to sabotage this advancement between the people of tribal areas and the new government of Pakistan. Our tribesmen are peace-loving people and now they have learnt that they had been an instrument exploited religiously in war against Russia. There are modalities which could be sorted out sitting on a table.
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April 1st, 2008
The term “war on terror” is not ambiguous – it is a bogey. It is a new kind of imperialism disguised as war-on-terror: distractive term and destructive results. We don’t need to read Chomsky or other editorial to figure this out.
But we Muslims should be focusing on the agents or proxies of the West: The Chalebi-Sistani-Barzani-Talabani-al-Hakim-Karzai-Musharraf-Mubarak and the likes.
It is time we see the true colors of the devil in disguise amongst our so-called Muslim elites. It is one more unveiling for us to see the true colors of the crusaders in disguise. The “war-on-terror” is NOT ambiguous – it is a religious crusade.
April 1st, 2008
Yours is a “JUSATHOT” and proves your limitations.
You should see your shrink and get a shot to improve your THOT!
April 2nd, 2008
Aftab bhai, like your Pir of London/Altaf bhai are a carpetbagger. This becomes clearer when one read through some of your posts – more specifically the recent one in Dawn and at TPS. Mr. Siddique of Karachi correctly diagnosed in a letter to Dawn:
“Aftab S. Alam has cynically asked from the US that instead of settling in Karachi, don’t these refugees from Waziristan … settle in some other parts of Pakistan, specifically Islamabad and Lahore. It is a shame that this comes from someone who apparently chose to migrate to the traditionally most popular destination for Pakistani emigrants, i.e. America. He wants to deny the devastated and absolutely poor folks from a war zone in Pakistan the right to relocate to a place where they may be having relatives and friends and greater economic or other opportunities. This is similar to those people (like me) who are known as muhajirs, after having come here from India, demanding that nobody else should henceforth be allowed to migrate to Karachi or Sindh. How could Mr Alam be so heartless and selfish? He should rather have tried to provide some sort of help to our unfortunate brethren, who lost all their meagre belongings and some of whose loved ones have perished in the embattled areas of Pakistan.”
And recently you accused TPS of deleting your comments. When TPS suggested “perhaps the comment you made never sent to TPS from your side”. You say maybe you goofed up! I say you sitting with redneck Bushiites – perhaps need to get over your hangover before your start to leak all over Pakistani blogs.
April 2nd, 2008
I am impressed by display of your level of intelligence! No, you have not scared me - though you tried!
“JUSTATHOT” whatever that’s supposed to mean - at least it confirms the notion about your lack of self-esteem and great deficit of self regard. Your confidence level is closest to the point zero on a scale of 100; someone who hates even his name and identity how can he event pretend to be interested in truth, let alone standing for it.
Since you have referred to Mr. Siddique’s letter about my comments on DAWN’s editorial. Decency would have expected that my initial comments as well as my reply to Mr. Siddique would also be printed. But then, perhaps it’s too much to expect such finesse from you “JUSTATHOT”!
For your convenience my rejoinder follows:
Refugees in Karachi
I MUST respond to, though reluctantly, Mr I. Siddiqui’s letter, ‘Scarce resources’ (March 24), in which he fulminates about my remarks and position on your editorial, ‘More refugees in Karachi’ (Feb 28).
Interestingly, he finds the editorial ‘well-reasoned’ and at the same times my views ‘cynical’. He accuses me of “demanding that nobody else should henceforth be allowed to migrate to Karachi or Sindh.” On the contrary, my stand is in agreement with Dawn newspaper’s position, like any normal thinking person, that all Pakistanis (including from Waziristan) have every right to seek residence in Karachi and may access the same socio-economic opportunities available to other Karachi residents.
Whereas I did and still do question: Do sufficient and adequate health /educational facilities exist in Karachi? I fail to understand what in my letter has upset him, even so, Dawn mentions and most likely Mr Siddique suffers the “limited space and resources”, “and the already run-down civic infrastructure of Karachi”, which I agree, “will come under further strain.” All I am guilty of is that I have expressed my apprehensions regarding the trauma of forced migration, the pain of displacement and expectations and demands of rehabilitation.
In my opinion these are the victims of a war that Pakistanis find themselves into and are our national and collective responsibility; the burden of rehabilitation of these refugees cannot and must not be the sole responsibility of the city government of Karachi. It’s a national responsibility and we don’t want to take it away from them.
Of course, the Sindh province generally and the city of Karachi particularly have received all those displaced and rendered homeless; Sindh has graciously accepted us and we have always come here like one comes home without any reasons to explain. And that’s why I asked, and ask again if these refugees have a right to be rehabilitated elsewhere in Pakistan, including Lahore and Islamabad.
They are citizens of Pakistan, and the federation of Pakistan must provide them all the support. As our brethren in distress, they must not be made dependent on largess of our kind-heartedness or pity and altruism.
As far as the writer’s comments about my place of domicile is concerned, well, I live in the USA and have lived in the past in many other modern and civilised capitals of this, our, world (no I haven’t forfeited my Pakistani nationality or citizenship). And I daresay I am proud, fortunate, and honoured to receive here a clear understanding of education and freedom of mind.
AFTAB S. ALAM
United States
April 2nd, 2008
One more point. I never accused TPS of anything, I inquired from one of the writers namely DR. Isfahani about the status of my comment. Once informed, I immediately apologized. There is a difference between an inquiry and an accusation and courtesy; may be language and thought is not your strength. After all - you are “JUSTATHOT”!!
April 2nd, 2008
A couple of additional points that the saner and fair-minded “gringos” are also talking about: Bushiites “war on terror” is a pretext for securing oil, gas and other strategic supplies, protecting Israel and imperialism hegemony.
For the neo-cons – the Armageddon crowd the war on terror is currently a war on Islam. McCain the Presidential hopeful continues to talk about the war on terror as a war against “Islamism” and the “moral monster” in Islam.
April 2nd, 2008
jusathot & Aftab Alam - You raised an interesting point and may not be directly related to the topic but prompt some very valid questions. Why the Afghan and other northern areas refugees don’t go to closer destinations like Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faislabad, or Multan? just like here we have more Cubans in Florida or Mexicans in Texas due to closeness to their home countries. Are there are really no economic & commercial opportunities in Punjab?
April 2nd, 2008
@Kheshgi – The point of contention here is that for some folks ethnic frictions leads to extreme points of view and “heartless and selfish” mindset. They blame the other group for all their problems and support any “final solution” that may rid them of their unwanted compatriots.
As for Afghan refugees – now that’s a different issue. I suggest you read Akbar S. Ahmed’s anthropological study on “The Afghan Refugees”. Similarly, a lot of studies and articles are out there that goes into greater in-depth about migration and urban planning and politics that may provide you with the answers why a particular urban center becomes the hub for migrants.
April 2nd, 2008
Prof. Akbar S. Ahmed was the one who had categorically had opposed the policy of letting the Afghan refugees freely move round in Pakistan and be allowed to settle at a place of their liking, and do wha they like. We all know and ar experiencing the curse they brought to our people and our country. Dr. Akbar S. Ahmed had warned about this already then, he had advised to keep them in secured refugees camps. Iranis were smart and did it, and you know what no Afghan refugee ever had an opportunity even to see what Iran looked like except the route to and from the deignated camp an back to “sweet home”. Some people thought a bit too inhuman; Iranians countered it with the argument that we never promised anyhing more than refuge for the transitory period and if anyone feels it must be better than this , is most welcome to take them and we will help their transfer to new better facilities. Guess what that was that.
Indians the self appointed champions of freedom and liberty they did exactly same with the Bengali refugees in 1971.
One great advantage of making such an arrangment is that they stay fresh in the memories of the world community as a war related issue, and moreover these people do not start in mingling in the affairs of the hosts.
It is a nice gesture to help and provide refuge to people in distress, but Pakistan and Pakistanis must come first.