Call me a pessimist, but it is perfectly fine. Yours truly is of the opinion that our focus on the critical issues rarely remains stable. Back in December 2014, there was a rare unity within the nation about the existential threat. The horrific massacre at the Army Public School (APS) had finally shook the conscience of many, who were previously in denial, or very shamelessly were acting as apologists and conduits for the brutal terrorists.
In the endless barrage of the acronym of JIT (Joint Investigation Team), another acronym NAP (National Action Plan) has been long forgotten. People are truly focused on the biggest issueplaguing the nation, which is accountability of one man, his immediate family and his extended family members.
The families of the victims of the APS massacre have addressed their concerns and voiced their discontent at both provincial and federal level. Their demand is,simple; to give them facts of what truly happened that day and who were the real culprits. The state’s response has been shamefully tepid to say the least, which begins and ends at “Zarb e Azb.” What else do these people want and what seems to be their issue? After all, the terrorists have been eliminated. The rogues have gone across the border, seeking sanctuary in an unfriendly country. Where they hide, and try to inflict harm as soon as they catch us with our guards down.
The same unfriendly country, their people, we call our “brothers.” Millions of their people have resided in our country for decades have the audacity of accusing us of similar offenses. The blame game goes on; people die, but remember it is our depth in that country that truly matters.
The respected interior Minister, if you were to ask him about another carnage in Quetta, where a generation of attorneys was wiped off, takes major offense to such irrelevant questions. If you were to argue with him that Islamic State (IS) has a thriving franchise within the territory of the country, he vehemently dismisses any such reality as mere propaganda.
Ironically, very recently, two Chinese workers were abducted by the same organisation and executed. The debate here is not about the presence of the ugly organisation and its tentacles. The angle or twist is that these workers were not truthful about their real motive to be here. The poor duo was affiliated with a church and was doing the work of preaching, as opposed to working for the company, they were associated with.
Preaching Christianity in a predominantly Muslim country, the fortress of Islam, for crying out loud, is a grave sin and even the misguided brothers could not tolerate that. What is striking is the sheer speed that it took the security personnel to get to those caves, where the ugly and misguided brothers were hiding. These idiots perhaps did not know; we simply cannot upset, our all-weather friend, the People’s Republic of China.
With thriving economy in the years ahead, we plan on turning a new leaf. When people will be gainfully engaged and employed; when the flow of capital will be endless; the bounties of the one belt one road would be enormous. This menace of terrorism will be gone, because after all, the opportunities will be so lucrative that even the hardcore fundamentalists would like to have their skin in this game.
The seeds of capitalism will grow and eventually eradicate the evil menace of extremism. That’s the bottom line, both literally and figuratively. Hence the seminaries where such young minds are polluted and radicalised, will transform into academies of commercial excellence. Fighting wars of a different nature will be necessary to compete in the brutal market economy. Sounds too good to be true. Perhaps, but this is the tooth paste being sold to bring some bright and hefty smiles on otherwise frightened faces.
With all the rosy fantasies that are peddled day in and day out, one wonders if the people responsible for the fate of millions ever realise or question what if this does not pan out as anticipated. What is the Plan B? What if the people do not see and feel the trickle-down effect, they are being sold on, then what?
What if this scourge of terrorism becomes uncontrollable? The seminaries keep producing more radical extremists. The institutions of higher learning continue to become the theatre of speedy trials and mob justice and what if the evil neighbors intensify their efforts to undermine the prosperity that is meant to be the game changer.
What if the all-weather friends are loathed and detested as foreigners claiming the fortune meant for the locals. Too many what ifs but no straight answers. No Plan Bs, Cs or Ds here. If you question something, you are either a pessimist or playing in the hands of the enemies. Our fate is now intertwined with our all-weather ally, and you know after this; no questions should ever come up.