Is The Pro-Taliban Policy Still In Progress?

Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday accepted the appeal of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi against his detention and ordered immediate release. Lakhvia, a senior commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, is accused of being the mastermind of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people. The Pakistani government took Lakhvi and other suspects into custody in February 2009 for ‘facilitating’ the attacks.( http://www.dawn.com/news/1169306/lakhvis-detention-declared-void-by-ihc ).

Indian External Affairs Ministry's (EAM) summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit and sought from him an explanation over Lakhvi’s release. Commenting on  the IHC order to release Lakhvi, India's Home Ministry said in a statement that, "It is the responsibility of the Pakistan government to take all legal measures to ensure that Lakhvi does not come out of jail.". Junior Home Minister Kiren Rijiju was quoted on an Indian website "The Hindu" (http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/its-pakistans-responsibility-to-keep-lakhvi-in-jail-centre/article6989927.ece) saying, "The overwhelming evidence against Lakhvi has not been presented properly before court by Pakistani agencies."

After the protest from Indian and the considering the imminent reaction from US, Pakistani interior ministry has decided to order for his house arrest.
India` blaming Pakistani agencies in the Lakhvi`s case has a complete history. There are countless Jihadi groups like Lakhv`s who not only kept threatening India of terrorist attacks, but also confessed of having sent their “Mujahideen” (terrorists) to fight the Indian army in Kashmir. Funerals held by Jamat-e-Islami in Pakistan for its workers killed by Indian forces in Kashmir are undeniable proofs of the same. It is a bitter fact of our history that Pakistani military establishment got involved in the Afghan war in late 70`s. But, ever after the departure of Russian forces, countless "Mujahideen" (militant) groups are still working in the country.

We know that the global situation has changed altogether after the 9/11 tragedy, but there seems to be no prominent change in the establishment`s policy regarding Taliban and other Mujahideen groups. It is fact that Pakistan Army`s “Zarb-e-Azb” operation is still in progress in tribal areas, Taliban`s increasing influence all over the country looks to be justifying the concerns of India as well as rest of the world. In such a scenario, the release order of a religious extremist in a suspicious way will surely add to the threats. 

Religious extremists of Lal Masjid(mosque) situated in Islamabad

Just one day earlier than the IHC`s judgment in the Lakhvi`s case, there was one more accused produced before the court in Karachi blind folded and handcuffed. His name was Aamir Khan, the member of highest decision making body of MQM (commonly known as MQM Co-ordination Committee) and was arrested by the Rangers last Wednesday from the party`s head office in a raid. Although it was claimed in the beginning that Amir Khan was not under arrest, but taken in custody to for questioning, later on he was handed over to Rangers on remands for 90 days.

MQM office`s operation in-charge Colonel Tahir claimed that they had, in addition to have arrested some “most wanted criminals”, recovered illegal weapons including the ones stolen from the NATO containers which were to be shipped to Afghanistan for ISAF forces. However, US authorities` clarification badly dented the credibility of the allegations against MQM. The US`s explanation said that it had never used Karachi port for shipping ammunition to Afghanistan for ISAF forces. It further said that due to the strict measures, it was not possible that the ammunition could go missing. Furthermore, one of the “most wanted criminals” allegedly arrested from Azizabad, was released by Rangers saying that they had no proofs against him. Factually speaking, it was perceived in the beginning that MQM`s denial of all these allegations and claim that it was being criminalized before the people, were merely a political stand in order to avoid the resulting precautions, but the facts coming up gradually proved it was not so.  

Priest of Lal mosque in press conference with full media coverage

Interestingly, if we compare the release order of the master mind of Mombai attack, with that of MQM`s leader, who is accused of, still nothing, there emerge some very important relationship between the two.

First, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi is a senior commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba which, like other Taliban groups, is also involved in terrorism. On the other hand, Amir Khan belongs to a liberal and moderate political movement (MQM) which is completely against Talibanization (radicalization) in the country.

Secondly, a religious extremist is being helped to get a clean chit from the courts while the flag bearer of liberalism is being maliciously portrayed as a terrorist on the basis of baseless charges.

And, thirdly, the most interesting reality, behind both the unfair means, Pakistani agencies look to be involved.

Some analysts see this as the reflection of military establishment`s policy about pro and anti-extremism people. Needless to mention, deliberately weakening the cases against religious terrorist groups by the agencies would definitely strengthen them. And at the same time, victimizing and convicting MQM, which is the most vibrant and biggest anti-Taliban party, would clear the remaining obstacle in the way of Taliban and ISIS groups. The way Pakistani establishment, (or one of its group), religious and political parties as well as the media have been active against MQM, very unfortunately, was not witnessed against Taliban who have killed over 50,000 people by now.

MQM`s head office at the time of Rangers` raid. Their crime is to struggle against Talibanization (Radicalization)

Everyone know that it is only MQM and its leader Altaf Hussain who have not only strongly condemned each and every terrorist attack from 9/11 to the attack at Malala Yousuf Zai and from the tragedy of Army Public School Peshawar to the recent attack at Imam Bargah in Shikarpur, but also have mobilized people to come out to protest in hundreds of thousands against the Taliban`s brutality. Further, it was also only MQM which offered its workers to join hands with Pakistan army when it announced to launch an operation against the religious extremists.

But, the recent camping against MQM, like in the past, reveals that the pro-Taliban policy from the Pakistani military establishment is still continuing and, of course, MQM is definitely the biggest hurdle in the way. This means that the people of Pakistan will have to face more terrorism in the days to come that would add to their misery (Today`s attack at two Christian churches of Lahore, killing at least 15 people by now, is the latest example of the same http://www.dawn.com/news/1169713/at-least-15-dead-78-injured-in-attack-on-lahore-churches ). If such a policy is not reversed at the earliest, no one can stop Pakistan from turning into another Iraq.