Daily Times

There has been a lot of noise in the media ever since the Peshawar massacre. The dialogues are very high pitched and sound bites meant for the ‘breaking’ news. Everyone is trying to look busy and think of something that will demonstrate their willingness to chime along with the government. A blessing in disguise is the much-needed respect that our dear Prime Minister (PM) has suddenly earned from all quarters. Perhaps a week and a half ago the manjan (tooth powder) being sold to the nation by its limping pillar — the ‘independent’ media — was “alleged rigging” and “stolen mandate”. It has been replaced by a chooran (digestive aid) called the final battle against the menace of terror.

The otherwise warring politicos are showing relative restraint on the idiot box by at least trying to pretend very hard that they mean business. A curious mind like mine wonders how this magic finally happened. The short answer is: the umpire. The umpire has perhaps sent the red signal, so everyone and their mother-in-law, in the political tribe, is extending the assurance that they are on the same page. We all know who holds that book and that page is very crystal clear to these otherwise very shortsighted individuals. One just wonders at how quickly the narrative changes and who has the real power to really control and shift.

The government has convened an All Parties Conference (APC) to bring every political party in parliament to weigh in on the measures that will counter the menace of terror. Like many others, I am delighted that at least the discussion is headed somewhere. As I said with cautious pessimism on Twitter and I will repeat here: the devil is in the implementation of those measures. With due respect to the elected representatives who are holding their heads in this colossal undertaking, an ordinary observer can only offer the tiny hint of a tip. I do not know whether it is possible or probable but the country needs a satellite surveillance system that can monitor the streets of the country. This will enable the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to monitor shady characters almost 24/7. At least it will pinpoint where these guys emerge from and where they seemingly disappear. A surveillance system of that magnitude will be an immeasurable tool in the armour of law enforcement.

Back to the APC, which had some parties voicing their reservations about the formation of military courts. While these lines are being inked, it appears that all the parties at that table have agreed on trying the hardened terrorists who attack military installations or officers in a special military court. If my two cents hold any weight, I am of the opinion that due to these circumstances, any and every terror-related case needs to be escalated to that area. I humbly disagree with MQM supremo Mr Hussain who equates such an action with a declaration of martial law. A diehard democrat like myself suggesting military courts, but why?

The reason is plain and very simple. The traditional courts require rigorous evidence and, of course, witnesses. The procedure is long drawn. The other side knows its loopholes. The witnesses are not available because the other side uses fear, terror and intimidation to prevent testimonies. So you be the judge here. If these folks go through a special military court’s speedy trial at a detention centre with the statutory right to appeal and the appeal is reviewed within a statutory timeframe, justice is bound to be dispensed very swiftly. To the critics who suggest that the Constitution has no such provision, my humble retort to such folks is to please create one. Table an amendment and make it happen. Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. Please do not expect a major shift in the tide of terror till you swiftly remove the bad guys off the street.

A clarification is warranted here. The trial has to be fair and must meet the standards of equity and justice. The sentencing must be humane and if it boils down to the death penalty, then the execution has to be completely private. The media should be barred from filming executions and images, whether graphic or otherwise, should not be displayed at any cost. Until and unless a strict code of ethics is implemented on our otherwise crazy media, it will go bonkers on any such convictions.

To alleviate the concerns of human right groups, whether domestic or international, regarding the fairness of these trials, the military courts must allow representatives of such organisations on a random basis with, of course, confidentiality agreements.

In summation, terrorism suspects are not ordinary criminals. These people are enemies of the state. They cause murder and mayhem without any regard to the life or property of other individuals. If they desire a swift ticket to heaven, then the least we can do is make that happen as expeditiously as possible.

The writer is a Pakistani-US mortgage banker. He can be reached at dasghar@aol.com. He tweets
at http://twitter.com/dasghar