Daily Times

The much awaited All Parties Conference (APC) is over. The ‘reluctant debutant’, Imran Khan, also participated and proved that his refusal was ‘much ado about nothing’. This APC has so far achieved only a ‘consensus’, which is not much. I hate to repeat the saying that ‘Fools never differ’ because these wise men are no fools.
This is perhaps the sixth time a consensus has been reached about negotiations with those who have resorted to arms against the people of Pakistan and its defenders. In the past the resolutions to seek a negotiated settlement only resulted in allowing time to the terrorists to regroup, then reject the offers of the Pakistan government and continue with their terrorist activities. This time the consensus has been achieved with no preconditions in the offer. There is not even a commitment to the upholding of the Constitution of Pakistan!
Is it, therefore, an unconditional surrender?
The Chief of the Army Staff, General Pervez Kayani and DG ISI gave a detailed, 40-minute, briefing to all the ‘wise men’ in the APC. The APC was informed of the position of the armed forces in that region, its deployments and controls. The gist of the briefing was that the government first would have to figure out those factions within the TTP that were local and willing to hold talks under the Constitution of Pakistan.
A newspaper report says, “The conference paid tribute to the armed forces for their sacrifices in the war against terrorism. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan are paramount and must be safeguarded at all costs.”
The words about protecting the ‘constitution of Pakistan’ do not appear here!
The APC brief, as carried in the newspapers, does not indicate a critical element that the “consensus is on negotiations with TTP factions of Pakistan origin only, and those who uphold the Constitution of Pakistan.” If the omission is an oversight then it is unforgivable, and if the consensus is meant to ignore the ‘Constitution of Pakistan’ then it is ‘surrender’.
The TTP have gladly welcomed the APC decision. They are obviously happy. They know that they have bled the Pakistanis to zero resistance. The TTP was busy killing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while the APC was being held. The media rushed to toe the APC line and showed several glimpses of people who wanted ‘peace’ for various reasons.
No doubt, peace is something we all want. But do we want peace at any price? If so then we may have to pay the price of our freedom, our identity and nationhood, and that again is surrender.
There is no doubt that the menace of terrorism has bled the nation. We have lost about 50,000 lives, billions worth of property and business. Why have we paid this price? Why have we let our cities live under fear? Was it all to end up in surrender? Has our will to fight collapsed? Do the persons who are going hoarse in welcoming this consensus realise what it means to negotiate without the acceptance of Pakistan’s Constitution?
Here are some consequences.
‘Sovereignty and integrity’ of a country is the responsibility of any government. It will be so even if the territory is ruled by the British or Indians or Sikhs or Saudis or anyone else. It is the constitution of a country that defines the ‘raison d’ etre’ of a nation, a nation’s aspirations and its logic of being. ‘Constitution’ cannot be replaced by the mere words ‘sovereignty and integrity’. Our constitution sanctifies the teachings of the Holy Quran, which include the messages like in Surah Al-Imran, Verse 84:
“…Say (O Muhammad, SAW) We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yacub, and Al-Asbat [ the off-springs of the 12 sons of Yacub] and what was given to Musa, Isa and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between one another among them and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)…”
Our ‘constitution’ sanctifies the principles laid down by the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Mohammad Iqbal, and also other precious human values. Particularly, it sanctifies the democratic tradition. There cannot be any compromise on the constitution. A compromise will mean treachery. Any negotiations that have a change in the constitution as its hidden agenda are unacceptable.
The APC has to guard itself against such treachery and refuse any attempt to change the constitution, particularly any effort to open the door for monarchy or khilafat and appoint an ‘Amir-ul-Mominin’ to rule this country. Is Nawaz Sharif’s old dream of 1999 for becoming an Amir-ul-Mominin being revived? Or is there someone else waiting in the wings?
I am reminded of a tragedy! What happened in East Pakistan? There was an armed conflict, a challenge to the writ of Pakistan, no negotiations on the basis of the constitution and Pakistan split.
The TTP was quick to express its happiness at the consensus arrived at by the APC. Why not! The TTP could not have gotten a better deal. On top of it the TTP said that they would indicate their conditions. Amazing! Pakistan makes a totally unconditional offer and in response the TTP will indicate its conditions! These are two completely different mindsets. Pakistani politicians, in spite of a great defence mechanism, in spite of one of the best trained armed forces in the world, are willing to make an unconditional offer that appears almost like surrender. On the other hand, the TTP is talking from a position of strength due to the success of its terrorism and will impose its conditions of acceptance of surrender!
In conclusion, I want to say clearly that the politicians have wrongly read the national sentiment. The people of Pakistan, however callously treated by successive governments, love their independence and are optimistic about improvement of conditions. They want peace with dignity or they will prefer to fight all aggressors, external saboteurs, terrorists or guerillas.
Some 50,000 have sacrificed their lives; Pakistanis will not let them down. Pakistanis have given sacrifices before and will do so again for their freedom, human rights, and their constitutional continuity.

The writer is the former CEO Pakistan National Council of the Arts; Chairman Fruit processing Industries; Chairman UNESCO Theatre Institute Pakistan and COO ICTV, USA. He is the author of Melluhas of the Indus Valley 8000BC to 500 BC. He can be reached at naeemtahir37@gmail.com