SPY EYES

As of now Pakistan has no enemies. Even those who hate us and want to do us in are not really our enemies. Take India for example---basking in the glow of its many achievements it is gloating as Pakistan stews in its own juices. All it has to do is wait for juicy morsels to be thrown up by Pakistanis themselves so that it can tweak them and splash them all over the world. The recent plethora of whistle blowers is manna from heaven for the Indian media, establishment and politicians so these whistle blowers are encouraged to spew out more and more poison against their own country and they are falling for it in pursuit of their own warped ambitions.

Consider Afghanistan. It can talk publicly about a strategic relationship and need not be an enemy. It encourages the Pakistanis who have joined hands with others to kill other Pakistanis not just in the western border areas but deep in the heart of Pakistan. Now and then they inspire the misguided Pakistanis who think they are struggling for their rights and freedom by killing their brethren who may be of a different sect or by blowing up the people who are their saviors and by damaging precious assets of the State. There are many who then take on the task of stoking the fires and exploiting the vulnerabilities that emerge. It helps that Pakistanis raise their own voices to condemn their own law enforcers.

Consider the US whom many consider an enemy. It’s not-- because it doesn’t have to be. By our actions and our confessions and the antics of our despicable whistle blowers and those who give them a stage we are actually confirming the worst fears of the US and the western world. No one needs to do anything and the well funded think tanks all over are going crazy analyzing and projecting what we are telling them about our past and present. No other country talks endlessly about its own corruption the way we do. No one parades sensitive issues the way we do. In no other country are their own countrymen actively involved in assisting others from inside to carry out dastardly terrorist attacks and subversion. We kill our own governors and then eulogize the killers. We set up national heroes making a laughing stock of ourselves. So called analysts and experts think it is macho to dig up dirt on our own institutions and scatter it all over. No sir---the US need not be our enemy.

Take the Taliban—not the ones fighting to free their country of foreign occupation but those who are fighting and killing to get power so that they can impose their rule and their laws on Pakistan Of course they are Pakistanis but with them are free loaders from all over the world as well as from other parts of Pakistan. There are some who have sympathies for them. Others think we should surrender to them or join them or hold talks with them on their terms. Our confusion translates into the world thinking we have a mindset with Lemming like suicide ambitions. We then find others simply setting themselves up in inspirational or funding roles to keep the body counts high all over the country. The Taliban need not be our enemies to get what they want---they can be our friends and achieve their goals. If they want to talk why don’t they declare a cease fire and talk without pre conditions?

The whole world with many Pakistani included are telling us what to do to get our economy right. We are doing the exact opposite of what they are telling us. Mobilize your resources—we do not. Curb your expenditure—we do not. Stabilize your internal security---we do not. Establish the rule of law—we do not. Get your public sector enterprises under control—we do not. Stop subverting your institutions by using discretionary powers and political clout—we do not. Get everyone to do his job—we do not. Elect political LEADERS not people who want authority—we never did—will we now?

The media is having a ball. It is raking in revenues from advertisements. It has developed clout and uses it to pressurize and extract the maximum from every source. It pits whistle blowers against each other and watches them do each other and the country in. It pits political rivals against each other and then sits back and watches the feathers fly as they scream like banshees. It does not do any heavy lifting like policy analysis, counseling, advising or suggesting or informing—much easier to rake up and scatter muck all round. To hell with the country and its image. The joy in the media is from the excellent local and foreign drama serials, movies and fun talk and comedy shows. No wonder more and more people are getting hooked to these and go to the news channels only during ads in their favorite shows.

So do we have enemies? No we do not because we are own worst enemies. Like sheep we see people lined up for meaningless security checks, waiting in queues for CNG in their vehicles, outside government offices to get some flunkeys approval or signature or simply staring into space as they wait for the power to come back on. Yet it is these people—the common folk in the cities and villages- who are keeping the country afloat and functional. From abroad they send hard earned foreign currency and within the country they work and earn and spend and pray for better days. These people are the true friends of this country and it is their resilience that keeps faith alive and the home fires burning. They demonstrate the great potential that this country has. Long live the people and may the enemies within perish.

ZoneAsia-Pk