By Zakir Hussain
Really, I am surprised more by the Pakistani people than by the Pakistani army. Because, the Pakistan people forget history very easily; they read history as a story. But they definitely do not theorize about history. History may or may not repeat itself in exact form but definitely it makes the readers “wise”. The country is paying the price of corrupt elites, opportunistic middle class and poor ignorant masses.
What Pakistanis have not learnt from History?
What the Pakistan army has done to its own people now is not a new thing. In the 1971 war when Bangladesh was the Eastern Pakistan, the same army did the same thing with its eastern Bangladeshi citizens what it is doing with the supporters of Imran Khan today. They had done the same 52 years ago with the supporters of Mujibur Rehamn in Dhaka. They cover their ignominious surrender to the Indian army by invoking hatred against India. Pictures of General Niyazi, writing on the surrender paper are widely available on the net, please see it and compare both the events.
The Pakistan army has perfectly prepared the recipe of another division of the country. Instead of punishing the corrupt and irresponsible politicians and retired army personnel, including its former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa who syphoned out millions of dollars from the country, the greedy generals are behind its own citizens. They are doing this for the last 70 years and have been diverting the anger of its citizens against India. Your country’s demise is a matter of time only. Your some territorial portions will either be sucked in Afghanistan, Iran or you will be Balkanised in three parts, is your future. This is your destiny written on the wall.
Economically, you are finished. Your petrodollars and donations for supporting the US-West Afghanistan against Russia are now over,while your elites have stolen your wealth out of the country.
Both regional and global dynamics have completely changed but your army is still living in the hangover of the Cold War, eying to make billions by creating chaos in South Asia. Believe me, this time your country will be dismembered forever. I’m really concerned for those who migrated to Pakistan in 1947 in search of El Dorado.
Ever you Pakistanis thought about why your generals and army staff settle abroad immediately after their retirements? From where they get so much money to buy big palatial houses and villas abroad? Why and who instigates arms race in South Asia?
Do you study how much money your country has spent on defence purchases so far and how much cuts your generals, politicians have made and how many of your army personnel have settled abroad so far? How much money have they taken away from the country? You can file a case in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). This is a kind of money laundering i.e. syphoning money without proper documents and records. You can talk help NGOs and Human Rights organisations to find out where they are settled now or lobby to declare them financial criminals and sue them in international court. Do you have courage to bell the cat?
Have you heard of any Indian army personnel doing like that?
The Pakistan army will not stop unless they are pushed back to the barracks.
Democracy is the only way to put your country in the comity of civilised nations. It is the only means to get back your freedom, honour and prestige as well as living and prospering in peace with us in South Asia.
You must also force your army to stop supporting the ruthless monarchies in the Middle East. Stop taking sides in the Middle East conflicts which is nothing but fighting wars of egotism against their own people. The same virus of killing their own people has entered your country. Ruling elites of the Middle East have killed and butchered more citizens than in any other parts of the world. Be it Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen or Iraq these social and ruling elites are equally complicit with foreigners in butchering the people. The crime of the rulers of this region is beyond pardon. Disassociate your army from the elites of the Middle East.Your fate is associated with democracy, South Asia and its culture. So, start with a new beginning or perish like a failed state.
You cannot compete with India, so stop the army to feed you anti-India fire.
Focus on your common people and their lives and welfare. India-Pakistan Peace Dividend is more than USD 25 Bn which you can use for poverty alleviation. Reverse the saying that “every country has an army but the Pakistan army has a country” take you country back from the army and become a normal cheerful nation.
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The writer is a Delhi-based analyst.
