The post-9/11 War on Terrorism in Pakistan has had two principal elements: the government's battle with jihad groups banned after the attacks in New York, and the U.S. pursuit of Al-Qaeda, usually (but not always) in co-operation with Pakistani forces.
The phrase "War on Terror" was first used by U.S. President George W. Bush on 20 September 2001. The Bush administration and the western media have since used the term to argue a global military, political, lawful, and conceptual struggle against both organizations designated as terrorist in nature and regimes accused of supporting them. It was originally used with a particular focus on Muslim countries associated with Islamic terrorism organizations, like al-Qaeda or like-minded organizations.
In 2004, the Pakistani army launched a pursuit of Al-Qaeda members in the mountainous area of Waziristan on the Afghan border, although skeptics question the sincerity of this pursuit. Clashes there erupted into a low-level conflict with Islamic militants and local tribesmen, sparking the Waziristan War. A short-lived truce known as the Waziristan accord was brokered in September 2006, This truce was broken by Taliban. They misinterpreted the conditions of truce that led to the annoyance of Pakistani government and armed forces that launched a military operation known as operation "Rah-e-rast" against Taliban in order to clear the area of Taliban.
There was no other state in the world that knew the radical regime of Taliban better than Pakistan. The ample treasure of reliable intelligence, the ability to launch air strikes from adjoining Pakistani airbases, and the Cold War confidence in its pledge made Pakistan, and therefore South Asia, a sort of field headquarters for American military campaign. It may be said that General Pervez Musharraf calculated that if Pakistan did not cooperate with USA his nation at the very least would be marginalized and isolated by the US and the international community, at worst Pakistan itself could be targeted because of its support and relationship with Taliban. Pakistan became an indispensable allay after 9/11 when President Pervez Musharraf broke with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda to join in the US- led war against terrorism. On January 12, 2002 President Pervez Mushraff said,” we have decided to join international; coalition against terrorism.
Pakistan wanted to safeguard its strategic assets, the Kashmir cause and economic recovery. Pakistan decided to join because of predictable economic incentives, the need to save its strategic assets and salvaging its Kashmir policy from total destruction. There are opposite views in this regard. One viewpoint is that the war on terror has improved the regional stability. The source of regional instability mainly has been the irregularly rising tension between the nuclear archrivals---India and Pakistan. This has been fully proved during the 2002 militancy standoff. Following the December 13 attacks on its parliament, India had pushed the war hysteria up. Then the American military presence entered as a stabilizing factor. America perceived that a war between India and Pakistan will certainly subvert, and disrupt its campaign against terror. On the opposite, a viewpoint upholds that the US war on terror has made the region highly unstable. There are many aspects of this instability. Firstly, the Taliban had been successful to restore a kind of stability in Afghanistan for the first time after a very long period of unrest. This unstable and troubled situation will not remain confined within the Afghan borders; rather will soon spread into the neighboring states. We can see for ourselves that the unrest and turbulence in Afghanistan has leaked out into Pakistan. India equated the self-determination movement in Kashmir with terrorist and accused Pakistan of support and cross border terrorism. India planned to capitalizes on the emerging worldwide focus against terrorism, which gave New Delhi an opportunity to portray Pakistan a state sponsoring Jihad and terrorism. India declare Pakistan as a terrorist state and this effect Pakistan’s society badly. Pakistan loss his repute internationally. It may be stated that even though Pakistan is, currently the frontline state in the US war on terror, it is America who is essentially reaping benefits from the situation, conditions in Indo-Pak hostility, to materialize its own selfish design vis-à-vis the south Asia region.
India had been accusing Pakistan of waging cross border terrorism in Kashmir. The Afghan government is extremely antagonistic to Pakistan. This has made the western border of Pakistan highly troubled, thus adding to the regional instability. The Afghan government is extremely antagonistic to Pakistan. This has made the western border of Pakistan highly troubled, thus adding to the regional instability. The war on terrorism has had its effects on the domestic political dynamics of the Pakistan. Perhaps no other country of the world, except America and Pakistan has been as deeply affected by the war on terror. That Pakistan’s participation in the war on terror has come at a heavy domestic price is clear from the later tussle between the government and the militants. The frequency of terrorist activities multiplied. There was a sharp increase in the suicide attacks on the government officials and assets. The President himself narrowly get away two suicide attempts at his life.
This backlash has been most alarming in the North West of Pakistan. The North Western mountainous terrain, the ethnic ties between the Pashtoons on both sides of the border, and the tribal traditions combinely offered the region as an ideal safe haven for the Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters running from Afghanistan. The prevailing religious extremism and the large chain of madarssas spread all over the area welcomed the fugitives Mujahideen with open arms. As the pressure mounted up on Pakistan to trace and capture the fleeing terrorists, the government was faced with the difficult choice of launching a military operation in the tribal region.
FATA is an area where there is one hospital bed for every 2,179 people and one doctor for7,670 people. Situation in health sector worsened in war times as even hospitals were bombed and destroyed by the terrorists. Government also could not provide sufficient funds and arrangements for the health care of the displaced people who were exposed to bad weather conditions and viral diseases. The local people are skeptical about immunization programs launched by the International NGOs and even the government.
Pakistan cricket has also paid the price for 'war on terror'. The attack on Sri-Lankan team in Lahore brought a bad name and huge financial loss to Pakistan Cricket Board. The situation has long lasting implications as general people have been barred from participating in healthy activities in life.
The official said Pakistan’s tourism destinations like Swat, Gilgit and Naran were no longer attractive for local or foreign tourists. The decline in tourism has resulted in loss of revenues well as employment.
In the year 2004-05 GOP allocated 2.15% of GDP to Education sector but as soon as the tension of the frontiers rose, the government priorities clearly seemed to change. In the next financial year i.e. F.Y 2005-06 the percentage dropped to only 1.95 of the GDP. In NWFP the female enrolment rate was 32.9% in 2002 and that declined to 28.1% in 2004 and is continuously on the low. Why particularly this are faced the fall in the enrolment rate of female students.
Pakistan feels itself unjustly targeted as the pressure from America continues to go up without reason for doing more. While Pakistan has started its military operation into the Northern areas at a very heavy domestic price, the Karzai Government in Kabul, and the aggressive elements in American think tanks continue to show lack of trust on Pakistan. Besides the military clashes in the tribal agencies, the war on terror is making its impact on the more peaceful cities as well. There is a clear cut polarization in the society on the question of Pakistan’s desirable role in the war. This polarization has further 15 deteriorated the perennial challenge of national integration and social cohesiveness in Pakistan. One school of thought believes that it is a battle that Pakistan is fighting for its own sake. The militant organizations have become Frankenstein, and turned against their creator. Therefore, such forces need to be controlled by the government. The opposite viewpoint upholds that the government is unjustified for lashing at these very organization which it established by itself. It is, for them, unethical on the part of government to unleash terror on the Jihadi organizations, by surrendering to the American pressure. This sharp divide has displayed itself emphatically in public protests and media opinion. It needs to be emphasized that while Pakistan is genuinely committed to a war against all forms of terrorism, the United States is making the task difficult for the Government of Pakistan, with its unintended actions. The heartless adventures like the gruesome air strike on the village of Damodola on13th January, 2006 is but only one of the many examples of the American actions which make it more difficult for the Pakistan government to justify their stance before the masses. Similarly, the way Karzai government continues to cast aspersions on Pakistan’s role in restraining the militants further complicates the situation. It may be said that five years after 9/11, Pakistan’s Islamist parties are growing stronger; the continuous violence in Kashmir has as far as Mumbai.
Terrorism in Pakistan has become a major and highly destructive phenomenon in recent years. The annual death toll from terrorist attacks has risen from 164 in 2003 to 3318 in 2009, with a total of 35,000 Pakistanis killed between September 11, 2001 and May 2011. According to the government of Pakistan, the direct and indirect economic costs of terrorism from 2000–2010 total $68 billion due to the war on terror.
All these factors effect society of Pakistan and people of Pakistan become in afraid of terror attacks on Pakistan until now.
No comments :
Post a Comment