Whose war is this?

Essay by Nematullah Chandio

Whose war is this?

Outlines:

• History of War on terror
• Role of Pakistan in war on terror
• Effects of war on terror on Pakistan
• Future implications

• History War on terror

It was 11^th of September of year 2001 when the all news channels of world broke down with the news of an attack on America with a suicide crash of two passenger airplanes. The said attack not only did raze the World Trade Centre building but also killed several thousands of innocent people and the record all economic and forex activities present was burnt to ashes!

The whole world was shaken at this incident for it was unbelievable that a super-power country like America could be attacked in this way. America held Talibans, the then rulers of Afghanistan responsible for the disaster and called for war against in an urgent session of United Nations where it demanded the world to be either with it (USA) or against it. Almost all the countries including Pakistan came in alliance with USA on war on Terror. America attacked Afghanistan in December 2001 and Iraq in 2004.

• Role of Pakistan in war on terror

Since Talibans in Afghanistan were held responsible for the aforementioned attack it was geostragically necessary that Pakistan should play in this regard a great deal because it was a neighboring state to Afghanistan. It was impossible for a country like Pakistan which had been under several political and economic ups and down and is poverty-stricken to resist the ‘due’ support in war against terrorism. It not only provided USA and NATO the land and air of its country to operate freely but also participated along with the USA and NATO forces at several junctions of war against Talibans.    

The Pakistani military was red alert at Durand line in order to stop escape of Talibans from Afghanistan which was certain a fact as Pakistani province Khyber Pkhtoon Khuwa (KPK) had lingo-religio-cultural ties with Afghanistan due to which the Talibans had already established safe havens with the help of local people in from where they operated their activities. In this regard Pakistan started military operations on their own with the tags of Operation Rah-e-Raast ( for right track) and Operation Rah-e-Nijat ( for final acquittal ). Registration of several religious organizations was suspended and hundreds of unregistered Madrsaahs (Islamic School) were closed on account of internal security concerns. This laid to internal instability as a large number of people were in support to the said organizations and Madrsaahs and was against USA so a new wave hatred and dissension started against the government of Pakistan.

The military operation on Lal Masjid in its capital was a dangerous step for a country which is under the fire from several sides like Baluchistan, Afghanistan and India were the burning coals of the time that were on the way to burn the country to ashes.

         

•   Effects of war on terror on Pakistan

The war on terror laid serious and long term effects on the social and economical as well as political fronts of the country. After alliance to the war on terror, a new wave of internal strife began in the country that totally changed the scenario inside and outside. The act of alliance with an ‘infidel’ country by a ‘Muslim’ country was disliked by Talibans and they considered the then government as ‘unlawful’. Since the Talibans had already established residence in Pakistan as KPK has some cultural and religious co-relations with Afghanistan, they attacked on the government officials and their offices and residences at first. The fire of suicide attacks started and shook the social fabric of the country. Bomb blasts were the order of the day in day out. More than 150 suicide attacks, 1200 bomb blasts and hundreds of direct firing attacks killed 30000 of people of Pakistan including military officials, political leaders, policemen, pacifists and thousands of innocent children and women and damaged the infrastructure of at least Rs. 6billions US dollars.    

The economy of the country was seriously damaged. The trade blocked and commerce suspended. The poverty rate increased by 50% and inflation raised by 100%. The suicide and street crime rate increased by leaps and bounds as Pakistan government had several internal and external national security threats which demanded the government and military establishment so the much attention and part of the annual budget was due for the defense and security. The foreign direct investment decreased at large scale and the industrialists and other stakeholders were disappointed to invest within due to security concerns.

The government had to operate against its own nationals and irritate one to mitigate other. The incidence of Lal Masjid in Islamabad, tow high-leveled military operations in Swat KPK and several other minor take-ups laid to nothing but huge socio-political damages that has lasting effects till now.   

• Future implications

One of the major implications that Pakistan should now necessarily apply is to seriously look into what has been gained and lost since the war against terror. Has the war been war of the ‘war-starters’ or it has turned into the war of others is the question that the government, military establishment and political block of Pakistan must revise on. Since Pakistan has done much more than it could/can bear in the said war, it must revisit policy in the war against terror and give suitable posture towards rebuilding and restructuring its socio-economic fronts.

Pakistan must now attend on trade and commerce and revisit its commercial ties with its neighboring states in order to boost up its economy by imports and exports and inviting FDI and providing security to the local or foreign investors. Now it’s the high time to look up on the poverty scales and inflation rates so that a relief be given to the terror-stricken nation. The country must demand the world to ‘more’ for her to rebuilding its social infrastructure and should provide some concessions with international import and export.

There can be then seen a ray of hope for the people of Pakistan who have suffered a lot and lost much of their undue personal and social life.