Daily Times

Pakistan announced Thursday its recognition of the National Transitional Council (NTC) government in Libya, finally capitulating to pressure from the NTC. Pakistan government had held out on extending recognition based on several facts on the ground. The foremost is implication under international law of territorial control. Battle for control remained unabated after the fall of Tripoli, with Gaddafi’s loyalist forces giving tough resistance to the armed rebellion in several areas of the country. Moreover several tribes, and Libya being largely a tribal society with cities dotting the coastline of the country only, remained opposed to the NTC’s bid for control. These tribes have still not accorded allegiance to the NTC and Gaddafi’s son Saif al Islam still continues to lead resistance to the NTC. The NTC’s control over territory therefore was far from clear.

But more important than the question of control, is the issue of moral authority and the writ that flows from it. What is the basis of the NTC’s writ in Libya that anyone should be in a rush to recognise it as the legitimate representative of the people, as the legitimate government of Libya? Does the legitimacy spring from NATO’s intervention and arming of rebels to unseat the head of state? Does it spring from Gaddafi’s brutal murder in captivity and the unearthing of the massacre of African migrant workers by the thousands? Or does the legitimacy spring from the role of Abdel Hakim Belhaj, former Al Qaeda commando and his LIFG, in the NATO backed overthrow of Gaddafi? Now even the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanction that allowed NATO ‘s intervention in Libya has lost its luster. With Russia and China waking up to recognise the intervention for what it was, evidenced by their refusal to allow a similar intervention in Syria, the legitimacy of NATO’s interference in Libya is in tatters. Pakistan government was on the right side of history in not only standing by a steadfast friend of Pakistan, but resisting recognition of a dubious outfit so openly fronting an imperialist invasion. It is a sad day for a country that had to capitulate to blackmail of expulsion of over 50,000 of its citizens working in the oil and gas sector in Libya. *