Daily Times

There was relative calm for a few weeks. This let up in terrorist incidents made us believe that we had overcome the menace of terrorism. The leadership, both khakis and civvies, were over the moon for bringing back some semblance of normalcy to the war-torn land. However, all this was merely a lull before the terrorists struck again on May 13, 2015, in Karachi. This time, the targets were the innocent men and women of the Ismaili community. As failure is always an orphan and success has many fathers, a blame-game ensued to fix responsibility for the security lapse. The sequel of such terrorist incidents has become too predictable in our country.
Condemnatory statements as usual poured in from all quarters and the opposition tried to extract maximum mileage from this dastardly act of terror. The next day was declared a national day of mourning. The Station House Officer (SHO) and Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) were suspended for negligence. The military and political leadership, as usual, resolved that the blood of innocent civilians would not go waste. The perpetrators were warned of dire consequences by members of our wartime cabinet. For a befitting reply, many meetings were called. Committees of all hues and colours were constituted to round up the perpetrators. This time around, we credulous beings were once again informed that the involvement of a foreign intelligence agency could not be ruled out. God forbid, if terrorists had access to the media they would simply have retorted: “Put up or shut up.” What a mockery we have made of this war against terror.
Beyond any doubt, militancy cannot be uprooted overnight. It is a long drawn out war and this terror will haunt us for quite some time. However, statesmanship, courage and vision, needed in time of national crises, especially when the state is at war, are simply missing from the equation. A few days back, when Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid criticised the seminaries, he earned the ire of the clergy. They challenged his religious credentials and put his life in jeopardy with absolute impunity. The response of the government was to quickly brush the matter under the carpet to avoid the wrath of the clerics.
This policy of appeasement pursued by the state vis-à-vis the clergy has landed us in our present morass. These committees and meetings are too little, too late. Unless the bull is taken by the horns, we cannot reclaim peace. The clergy are free to brainwash our children and openly instigate violence in this wretched land. The clerics have unbridled freedom of expression no matter how venomous their speeches are. Their absolute freedom, supported by the state, is the real existential threat we face. We are paying with our blood for this policy of appeasement. Unless this march of insanity in the name of religion is checked, peace will remain an unfulfilled dream for a long time to come.
The crisis begs for a charismatic leader but we are not fortunate enough in this regard as well. Great leaders like Lincoln, Bismarck, Churchill, Ataturk and De Gaulle were all the products of crises. They steered their nations through troubled waters with the sheer strength of their courage and clarity of their vision. Our politicos are content with constituting committees, chairing meetings and issuing condemnatory statements. Can we assume that they do not know the outfits responsible for preaching religious and sectarian hatred? Is it rocket science to understand where they are getting the funds to run their sectarian franchises? Does it require the brain of a genius to know how many banned organisations are still operating here with absolute impunity? How much more unity and all parties’ conferences do they need to muster enough courage to take tough decisions?
They are more informed than us ordinary beings but they do not want to take any risks. They are lesser beings and are therefore meant for lesser things. They know the art of political wheeling and dealing. They are the masters of real politic but not wartime leaders. Extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary measures. However, extraordinary measures can only be taken by extraordinary leaders. After every terrorist incident, the Prime Minister (PM) declares a national day of mourning. We have enough moaning and mourning; this practice should be withheld for a while. In a war, it is courage, not mourning, that counts. Had the PM addressed a public rally the other day right in Karachi, the fear the terrorists want to instil in the minds of Karachiites would have been mitigated considerably. Oh, I may be asking for too much.
The meeting of the apex committee has already taken place. Now, a few foot soldiers of sectarian outfits will be rounded up or killed in the next few days or weeks. The news of their arrest and killing will be flashed in the media to sooth the strained nerves of the people in general and the bereaved community in particular. This is our way of fighting a war and therefore our peace will remain fragile forever.

The author is assistant accountant general, Peshawar