RAWAL PINDI RAVAGED WHY..?? Rawalpindi has always been relatively a peaceful city. For it to be engulfed in flames and fire is a very bad news. The last time Rawalpindi caught the world attention was when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated here in Dec 2007.The resulting violence then had spiraled out of control and spread to the length and breadth of entire country. Six years down the road Rawalpindi once again witnesses criminals and thugs resorting to violence and murdering and ransacking the property of the innocent people at will. The question here is not who is to be blamed but why was the state not prepared to put up a strong defence..?? One may agree that the likelihood of a clash between the two rival factions taking a very ugly and dangerous form has been prevented but at what cost? Only after the army has been called in and once again asked to perform a role to augment the domestic security. Had the army been not called in it would have been extremely difficult for the local administration to keep the violence localized and contained. Overall the State response to the event reveals that there still continue to exist problems with the domestic security apparatus in our major cities which when challenged by demanding circumstances fails to rise to the occasion and protect the life and property of the citizens. That the army eventually becomes the final arbitrator and the troubleshooter only goes to show the continued failure of the state to invest in improving the domestic security. Controlling the violence by calling in the army is not the success but failure of any civilian government. The inability of the both the PPP and now PML(N) governments to at least develop and deploy efficient and effective security system in the major cities of the country only speaks of the priority that the political elite give to safeguarding the life and property of the citizenry. On balance the political system that they head and lead has failed to place requisite state security deterrents to discourage extremists from resorting to violence in the major cities like Rawalpindi and therefore they continue to challenge without any fear the writ of the state. We say that joining the ‘American war’ has brought the war to our cities and towns. We even say that Americans have contributed to the spread of terrorism in this country. But why don’t we debate the nature of the American aid and the purpose for which it is given to us. In the 1950 and 60’s we benefited from ‘US development aid’ which was focused on helping the people of this country and supporting our economic growth. The aid in the 1980’s was meant to strengthen our military and the premier intelligence institution. The American aid that flows in now is primarily meant to help us and America to counter terrorism. We hate the Americans and we talk about breaking the begging bowl but where has all the aid the Americans poured in our bowl gone? Has it been used to help the people? There is a large sum of money that US has given to Pakistan to counter terrorism. During the period 2002-2010 United States has given Pakistan almost $19 billion. Part of this money comes in the form of CSF(Coalition Support Fund) which is being provided to fight terrorism. Nearly two-thirds (60% of the money) that US gives to Pakistan is part of CSF. According to Robert Gates the former US secretary of defence the CSF funds have been used to support the Pakistan Army operations and keep the Pakistani soldiers deployed in fata in the field. If the primary purpose of the US aid given to Pakistan has been to counter terrorism why then are we still being terrorized in our major cities? Why have the civilian governments failed to raise the level of our domestic security at least in our major cities? If the army is being compensated by the Americans for the military expenditures it is carrying out in Fata why is the government then short of money to build an efficient state response against those who terrorize its citizenry in the cities? If the CSF fund is meant to reimburse to Pakistan military the cost incurred in fighting terrorism then where is the army plan to counter terrorism in the cities? These are some pertinent questions, answering which the government may stumble upon finding a ‘ Fixing those who terrorize us in the cities’ formula. Incidents like the one in Rawalpindi shows how vast resources available to the State are being wasted. If a State cannot put up a laudable and worthy defence when terrorized in a city that houses its military headquarters and neighbors its capital where diplomats nest then surely the money being spent to counter terror is not being well spent. Terror is now visiting more regularly our cities and our homes. The question that the world asks today is not who is terrorizing us but why we are allowing ourselves to be terrorized..?? The security and stability of our country demands that we review our strategic priorities. Why all the aid money is being spent to fight terror in fata? Why can’t we spend some money to develop and improve the domestic security in our major cities..??
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:50:10 +0000
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