Daily Times

Ahed Tamimi, a 17 years old Palestinian girl, is facing 12 counts of charges at a military court in Israel including assaulting the security forces and inciting violence.

The video showing her facing up to the arrogance of an Israeli soldier, repeatedly trying to kick and slap him, went viral as a heart-warming symbol of the long-standing Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation of their lands.

Such is the fear that this teenager has generated in the hearts of those who have charged her to stand trial, which could potentially lead to prolonged incarceration in grossly sub-human conditions, that she was brought to the court with her hands and feet in shackles.

The history of the enduring struggle for an independent Palestine is replete with such edifying images of bravery and courage which have kept it going, gaining in strength and motivation along the way. The chances of an early solution to the simmering crisis and the accompanying human tragedy may have diminished further, but the instances of unmatched daring on the part of the young and old Palestinians alike keeps lighting up the path to the coveted goal. As the dark gets darker, the dream of an independent Palestine would continue throwing up brave souls like Ahed to lead the charge to singing the ultimate song of their cherished freedom.

It is when we look around for such symbols in our midst that we see an endless expanse of barrenness. Instead of the likes of Ahed, we have a bunch of crude, arrogant and self-serving individuals, far-removed from understanding the meaning and substance of freedom and the need for maintaining it under trying circumstances.

Pakistan’s selective approach has backfired and the consequent challenges are increasing with time. What it has on the plate may be a bit much to handle in one go, but the world’s patience has grown thin as also the needs for its shifting interests. Pakistan seems to be caught at the intersection of depleting faith in its narrative and its growing irrelevance in contributing to the attainment of changed super-power strategic objectives in the region

For long, Pakistan has been engaged in building a narrative around numerous sacrifices it has rendered and the successes it has achieved in the task of combating terror. Yet, the world opinion remains unmoved. The point to ponder here is that, in spite of an impressive score of achievements, why is it that the trust deficit between Pakistan and other countries has continued to grow? And, why is it that, today, alongside other challenges that it need to confront, there is an imminent threat that, at the ongoing meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) — the global anti-money-laundering watchdog — it might be placed on the terrorist-financing grey-list on account of “jurisdictions with deficient anti-money-laundering regimes”?

The last time Pakistan was on the PATF watch-list was from 2012 to 2015.

Money-laundering is a curse well known in Pakistan. Having stashed away billions in foreign environs, the former Prime Minister is already being probed for it. His finance minister, Ishaq Dar, signed a 40-page confessional statement accepting the charge of having laundered huge amounts on behalf of Nawaz Sharif.

In a matter of time, a host of other such culprits, hailing from all walks of life, could be brought under the scanner.

There is also the case of billions coming into Pakistan to fund the seminaries which constitute a large spread of institutions responsible for radicalisation in the country. In spite of vowing to regulate these seminaries on a number of occasions, the government has failed to make any tangible progress so far in this regard.

The non-implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), launched after the brutal attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, is another grey area reflecting the lack of requisite interest on the part of the government in controlling the spread of the scourge and funding which keeps filtering in to support terror-related activities.

In addition to an internal environment that would make the sceptics think a million times, the gaping space separating Pakistan’s proclamations from its actions remains imponderable. Most of the time, it has failed to deliver on its commitments which has contributed to further aggravating the trust deficit that plagues Pakistan’s relations with other countries of the world.

From regional isolation to growing international censure, Pakistan’s woes are multiplying with time. That further necessitates the need for a comprehensive rethink of policies that it has pursued and measuring them against results it has secured. Even an average mind would be quick to comprehend that there are grave flaws underlining Pakistan’s current approach.

It is said that Pakistan’s terror-combating efforts are inherently discriminatory. It is accused of a soft underbelly that it continues to nurture. Its India- and Afghan-centric insecurities, and its concerns emanating from a changed approach that the US now appears to be adopting for South-Asia, have aggravated the matter, apparently taking Pakistan further away from re-evaluating its approach and policies which, so far, have brought it nothing but a huge platter of enhancing woes and challenges.

Should Pakistan continue to bury its head in the sand and wish it all to pass? That is not happening. It is time for a serious introspection, one that would be far more wholesome than any that it may have undertaken in the past.

Pakistan’s selective approach has backfired and the consequent challenges are increasing with time. What it has on the plate may be a bit much to handle in one go, but the world’s patience has grown thin as also the needs for its shifting interests. Pakistan seems to be caught at the intersection of depleting faith in its narrative and its growing irrelevance in contributing to the attainment of changed super-power strategic objectives in the region.

Its close alignment with China and the economic changes that this would accrue in the larger South- and Central-Asian regions is another aggravating component necessitating the need for making adjustments to deal with the evolving international narrative.

This is further compounded by Pakistan’s internal divisions, bordering on the prospect of a clash among state institutions, which is being actively agitated by those facing grave corruption charges. Though feigning to being a silent spectator, the government is actively extending full clandestine support to the burgeoning crisis.

The twin menace of growing internal strife and aggravating external pressures make for a visibly insurmountable challenge for the beleaguered leadership that bedecks the citadels of power. The game plan of a de-jure Prime Minister in Islamabad and a de-facto Prime Minister in Raiwind has added to the confusion and inaction.

The time may have come for transiting to building a narrative that would be rooted in a sound and pragmatic evaluation of Pakistan’s prospects and challenges, and where its proclamations would be in sync with its actions. Without that happening, and quickly, it is likely to get further mired in a crisis of identity and recognition.

The writer is a political and security strategist, and heads the Regional Peace Institute — an Islamabad-based think tank. Email: raoofhasan@hotmail.com. Twitter: @RaoofHasan

Published in Daily Times, February 20^th 2018.