Today serves as a brutal reminder of Pakistan’s own 9/11 moment. December 16 not only reminds us of the ongoing battle to save Pakistan — it also underscores how unsafe our children and future generations remain in the hands of violent extremists and the ideologies they profess. It is, of course, true, that the civilian elites drew up a National Action Plan (NAP) to tackle this issue as an appropriate long-term security policy response. Yet four years after the Army Public School (APS) massacre and all such steps may have now faded to grey; if not failed entirely.
The truth is that while tampering with the Constitution and setting up military courts may have served populist ends there is little evidence to suggest that extremists will give up arms when faced with the prospect of due process of this kind. Thus the otherwise solid designs enshrined in NAP fell into complete disarray last year when the short-term imperatives of political engineering came to the fore; and where extremists of all hues were allowed to campaign and emerge as legitimate ‘political forces’. Bluntly put, this should have been sufficient to signal the swansong any plan of action; however well-intended. The last nail in the NAP coffin came in November of last year. When a bunch of religious zealots enjoying the express and clear support of permanent state institutions are given such free reign and when senior officials are all too willing to bow down before an extremist agenda — what hope does Pakistan then have when it comes to winning the fight that must be earnestly fought?
Thus the election of a new government and the murky events of this last year have left the country bewildered. Indeed, both the media and civil society are facing unprecedented censorship and controls. Meaning that NAP has been allowed to stall as the political ruling class have demonstrated untold willingness to appease fundamentalist passions. We know that Khadim Rizvi has been arrested but we are yet to discover what action the prosecution has taken; if any. By contrast, political activists, bloggers and journalists continue to be booked under the most draconian of laws. And whether those in power like this or not — the conduct of Pakistani elites leaves much to be desired.
