ALI SUKHANVER
Of brain, heart and hands, no doubt, the brain is always the most important gadget in the whole of human machinery. The brainless actions guided by an eager heart always lead to a whole-sale catastrophe. Successful are those who think well before they leap; whose actions are under the command of their brain not their heart. .The actual problem begins when our heart starts thinking and becomes the controlling authority of all our actions. Ruling all over the world without any sharing and interference is a natural desire of every living nation but most of the times this desire remains a dream when it is not patronized by the brain. At present the USA is trying to materialize its same type of dreams in a very irrational and illogical way; the dream of invading and conquering the countries like Pakistan.
The USA has ever been employing all possible tools in its attempt to overpower and overwhelm the Pakistani society; some times with the help of caring words and sometimes with its enchanting smile, and most of the time with the use of force but still it has earned nothing but a deep rooted hatred and disliking on the part of the people of Pakistan. Whenever the US hi-ups talk of Pakistan, there is always a tone full of complaint and criticism. It seems that Pakistan has never come up to the expectations of the USA. The tale of Pak-US relationship seems nothing but an endless series of blames and allegations. The recently highlighted story of the American terrorist Faisal Shehzad is also a chapter from this book of accusations. No doubt, in spite of all loop-holes., the story earned a lot of popularity and publicity not only in America but also in India and England but in Pakistan, People are taking this story as a new conspiracy against their country.
According to the details provided to the media this young American Faisal Shehzad tried to target the famous Time Square in New York in the first week of this May. It was the so-called vigilance and alertness of the American security agencies that Faisal could not succeed in his plans and was caught red-handed. The FBI and the CIA officials launched a thorough search operation after his arrest and finally succeeded in exposing his connections to the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups active along Pak-Afghan borders. During all this search process some of the prominent US government officials including honorable Hillary Clinton kept on threatening Pakistan that it would have to face severe consequences if in future Pakistan supported terrorists ever tried to repeat such type of terrorist activity in America. The situation generated a strong feeling of fear and harassment not only in the local inhabitants but also in the Pakistani immigrants residing there in America. During this search process the Pakistani immigrants in America have to face a lot of trouble
Aziz Ahmed, a human resource consultant currently based in New York writes for the Tribune. He has very truly expressed his feelings after the incident took place. “My feelings at the time, like those of most Pakistani Americans, were of embarrassment and anxiety. Embarrassment, because Faisal Shahzad’s is not the image I would want to be identified with; and anxiety because of a possible backlash Pakistanis in the US might face on the streets or workplaces, or their children could face at school, not necessarily in the form of physical violence but a nasty remark or a racial taunt, which can be as damaging, if not more, as a physical blow.” Fazil Rasul a Pakistani youngster living somewhere in the suburbs of New York says in his letter to an American newspaper, “The security officials were treating us as suspected terrorists during this search operation. It seems that the US government is earnestly trying to kick all the Pakistanis out of the American lands.”
Most of the Pakistanis and even most of the moderate type of Americans are of the view that whatever happened in Times Square is a drama directed and produced by the CIA and the only aim behind is to terrorize and pressurize Pakistan and to compel it to ‘do more and more’. Some analysts are taking the Faisal Shehzad incident as the first attempt of pushing Pakistan army into to the new battle-field of the North Waziristan. The US authorities are completely ignoring the fact that Pakistan is passing through the worst phase of its national history. Its economy is going down to the earth, it is facing a very grievous situation with reference to the energy crisis and the lives of the people here are at stake; innocent people are being killed ; the situation along the borders with India and Afghanistan is very much troublesome. Pakistan Army is already preoccupied and over engaged in this hazardous situation. Though the Pakistan Army has all possible skill and talent of opening hundreds of new fronts at a time but it is never ready and willing to be guided and directed by any foreign force. The army would do what it thinks is in the larger benefit of the Pakistani nation. From Pakistani point of view, it is nothing but stupidity to open new battle fields just to please its American friends. If a new front is opened in the North Waziristan the situation is going to be very unpleasant and problematic not only for Pakistan but also for all those who claim to be the warriors of the war against terror. Moreover, as General Kiyani has clearly mentioned in one of his recent statements, being an ally of US does not mean that Pakistan will obey each and every dictate given by the US. Pakistan knows very well how to deal with the menace of terrorism. Pakistan has an army of the best soldiers equipped with all required skill and competence. It is because of such a skillful army that Pakistan has always succeeded in conducting all types of military operation without US help and support. If the CIA continues planning and plotting such childish blame and threat games against Pakistan as that of the Faisal Shehzad incident, the result would not be very much pleasing for the USA.
It is a very cruel practice of the western world that every Pakistani is being labeled as a terrorist. Without any distinction and discrimination from Dr. Aafia Siddiqi to Faisal Shehzad; anyone having any link with Pakistan is treated as a terrorist. It is a frequently asked question in Pakistan; why all roads lead to Pakistan when the western world begins a journey against terrorism. This attitude of the west very naturally generates a feeling of annoyance leading to hatred against the west in the people of Pakistan. The people of Pakistan are very much peace loving. They never ever favour and support any type of terrorism in any part of the world. Naturally they feel annoyed and insulted when their motherland is blamed for the promotion and projection of terrorism. The west and particularly USA, must review this degrading approach towards Pakistan. It is the time to realize the fact that terrorism doesn’t mean Pakistan and all terrorists are not Pakistanis. We the Pakistanis have always been intentionally blinder and generously kinder to all those forces which have been exploiting us as a nation since long ; but this attitude of us must not be taken as a weakness of us; it is simply a positive approach towards life. The west must not ignore the scientific fact that even a raw piece of iron becomes a magnet if it is continuously placed in a magnetic field.
The west is dreaming of engulfing the whole of the East and particularly the Islamic countries. The Christians, the Jews and the Hindus are eagerly craving for an overwhelming victory on the Muslims, the terrorists are yearning for a sweeping supremacy over every peaceful nook and corner of the world but all these dreams and desires are guided by their hearts not patronized by their brains. The reality is altogether different. Islam could never be conquered by any other school of thought; East can never be engulfed by the West and Peace could never be defeated by terrorism. All these forces have been moving on parallel to one another since the very beginning of the human history. Any attempt, simply based on wishes and desires can be labeled as a childish longing and nothing else. Framing Pakistan in all types of terrorist activities and keeping it under a continuous pressure is also one of such childish longings.
The writer is a Pakistan based bilingual analyst on strategic and defense affairs.