Is Zarb-e-Azb Really In The Right Direction?

Addressing a rally at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on the 8th death anniversary of his mother, Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal blamed that the federal government had turned the National Action Plan (NAP) into “N-league action plan” for targeting its political rivals. “Which major terrorist or abettor has been nabbed under NAP?” he asked. 

This is not only PPP`s Bilawal Bhutto, but there are many other people who have asked this question. Even the people from abroad have expressed their reservations over the direction of National Action Plan. When the military operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched, it was mutually decided that the operation would mainly target religious and sectarian terrorist groups. In the beginning, it appeared that the focus was on the Taliban groups, however with the passage of time, it started losing its way.

After the Army Public School tragedy in Peshawar, a video of a mother got viral on social media in which she bashed the Pakistani authorities, political and religious leaders as well as the media for not highlighting the brutality of terrorists at PAS. She demanded that the footages of cruelty against the innocent school children be aired through the national media so that the entire nation could get together and come out on roads against the radical groups. 

Indeed, she tried to set the direction of actions to be taken in order to counter the increasing extremism in Pakistan. However, instead of any videos of TTP`s viciousness carried out at APS, the state authorities aired a legally controversial vide-based “confession” of Saulat Mirza (from the death cell just few hours before his execution) exclusively maligning the leadership of a liberal party MQM, which has been very vocal against Talibanization (radicalization) in Pakistan. Not only this, the Rangers-led targeted operation (continuing since 2013) in Karachi has mainly targeted MQM which itself had demanded an army operation to restore peace in the city.  

According to MQM, thousands of its works and supporters have been arrested, nearly hundred of them became the victims of enforced disappearance and dozens were tortured to death in the custody during this operation. In addition, dozens of FIRs` were registered against Altaf Hussain in Pakistan for the crime of criticizing Rangers and military establishment over the victimization of his people in Karachi as well as the military surrender before the Indian army in 1971. 

On the other hand, the entire Pakistan heard the Federal Interior Minister Ch. Nisar vowing not to take any action against the Red Mosque cleric saying that there was no case registered against him. He made that statement from the floor of the parliament despite the fact that there were two FIRs`/cases pending against Moulana Abdul Aziz which were registered over threatening to MQM`s leadership and to a social worker for taking stand against the extremist groups. 

Nobody asked Ch. Nisar that if the thousands of Karachi-ites could be arrested merely on being suspects and be kept in custody for 60 days, why was he giving special immunity to the person who has once again announced to restart the same ‘Sharia Law’ campaign that resulted in the Red mosque bloodshed in Islamabad? (http://tribune.com.pk/story/990764/security-deployed-as-lal-masjid-cleric-vows-to-restart-campaign-in-islamabad/).

Presently, MQM, which always took very bold stand against the religious and sectarian extremism, and also mobilized common people in favor of Army against the radical groups, is on the top of the target list, while all the Taliban apologist parties (even including the legally banned extremist groups) are openly staging rallies in favor of the Rangers and police to support their actions against the most popular liberal party of Karachi. All these facts clearly expose the policy and the resulting direction of the on-going operation in the country. Importantly, after MQM, PPP (which is also a liberal party) seems to have come on this hit list as well. Question is, will such a policy anyhow help to eradicate extremism from the country? 

Honestly speaking, if the Pakistani authorities really want to root out the increasing extremism from the country, it would have to take sincerely concrete actions against all the radical groups indiscriminately (without categorizing them into good or bad Taliban). 

That is exactly what the entire world is demanding. In the other case, weakening the liberal forces (MQM and PPP) for saving any specific terrorist/Jihadi group (strategic assets) will not only promote extremism, but will also pave the way for ISIS or Daesh here which is, in fact, like an invitation to a deserter for Pakistan and its people.