An act to
isolate Pakistan
Pakistan is a country blessed by
Providence with ever-growing elements of national strength that non-state
actors just cannot undermine through their nefarious activities the ugly
demonstration of which was experienced the other day in the Nanga Parbat area
resulting in the killing of about 10 foreign tourists belonging to different
countries including our time-tested friend, China.
It was an act of bestiality on the part of
non-state actors that have stakes neither in the country’s stability nor in the
people’s security. Likewise, the image of Pakistan in the comity of nations is
none of their concern since these elements are hell-bent upon pursuing their
own narrow agendas that mean terrorization of the society. Anybody coming in
the way of their terrorization activities is their target and they are not
bothered whether their targets are innocent citizens, womenfolk, children or
foreign mountaineers.
In the instant case, it seems that the
foreigners including those from our friendly countries were intentionally
targeted by these non-state actors with the purpose of isolating Pakistan from
the rest of the world besides tarnishing the country’s image, abroad. The
motive behind this image-lowering and isolationist move is not difficult to
understand, given the peculiar mindset of the armed gangs and mafias operating
in the name of many sugar-coated missions and causes. It is now an open secret
that the sole agenda of these elements is to weaken Pakistan internally,
externally, economically and security-wise. It is in their knowledge that
Pakistan has a strong security structure and that the people and the armed
services of Pakistan are on the same page on the question of citizens’ and
foreigners’ protection nevertheless they (the militants) are continuing with
their evil designs with the objective of creating an atmosphere of pall and
gloom to bring a bad name to the country in the global fraternity. Certainly,
for the time being, they have lowered the country’s image as some of the kin
closely connected with the slain tourists were found expressing their dismay.
Of course this is a jolt to Pakistan’s tourist industry and thus to our
economy. The national tourist industry had just started reaping benefits
through the soft, tender image of Pakistan in the outside world.
The global fraternity has also welcomed the
political change in Pakistan in acknowledgement of public mandate conferred on
the government of Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif. It is also a worldwide
known fact that the Sharif government believes in the promotion of goodwill at
international level and in strengthening ties with the foreign countries.
The timing of targeting of foreign
mountaineers seems to be well-calculated, just a few weeks after the newly
elected government took over in Pakistan with public mandate. By now, this
reality has also been established that even public mandate is the centre of
hatred of the non-state and anti-state elements whose destructive missions are
continuing in guise and disguise (the attackers were wearing the forces’/
levies’ uniform at the time of assault on foreign tourists).
However, the area and the sector chosen by the
militants this time have seldom been a target of such heinous acts in the past.
Neither the mountainous resorts nor the tourist industry had been targeted with
this much of impunity and ‘chase’ as was done during the last few days. Some
incidents of attacks on foreigners have come to the fore in some parts of the
world in the recent past but the occurrences have been very limited in number.
And, although the present attack too doesn’t
necessarily lead us to think that there is likelihood of recurrence of such
macabre happenings at these spots, the damage has been done at least in terms
of ‘striking terror in the hearts’ (to quote the militants’ oft-given threats).
At this point, one must quote Interior
Minister, Ch Nisar Ali Khan, who has rightly stated that attack on foreign
tourists was not an attack on these foreigners but on Pakistan.
By all standards of prudence, it is an attack
on Pakistan because both in the short-run and in the long-run, the losses like
bad image, isolation and economic decline come no one’s way other than
Pakistan’s way.
It is encouraging to note that the government,
the political leadership from all parties and the security establishment are in
complete harmony with one another on the question of eradication of terrorism
that has become a constant bane for the peace-loving Pakistani nation whose
splendid and soft face is still admired in the foreign capitals, given the
cheerful and moderate disposition of the vast majority of Pakistanis but for
these negative, destructive elements.
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