September 30, 2009
Shrink the army and expand the police in Pakistan
S. Abbas Raza in Dawn:
The present danger to Pakistan comes from the lawlessness and terrorism in the country and the government’s inability to effectively project authority and guarantee the safety of its citizens. Islamic jihadist organisations with foreign funding appear to have joined hands with the Taliban and their sympathisers to wreak havoc in the country with their ultimate retrograde dream of creating a mediaeval society where a draconian interpretation of the Sharia is enforced, women kept as chattel and modernity and progress defeated.
Some of these groups are determined to attack and intimidate, if not eliminate, religious minorities. Then, we have the heavily armed militias affiliated with political parties. Finally, there are the criminal gangs involved in drug trafficking, kidnapping, carjacking, extortion, armed robbery and murder.
The idea that the army can somehow defend the country against this lawlessness is ludicrous. How can the armoured corps help fight sectarian car-bombings in Karachi? How will yet another squadron of F-16 aircraft defeat the drug smugglers in Lahore? How does the infantry do the detective work necessary to bring kidnappers and carjackers to justice? How can the army deal with the creators of mayhem that are thoroughly dispersed within our population, in every town and every city? It cannot. Yet the armed forces consume a hugely disproportionate share of Pakistan’s federal budget.
More here.
Posted by S. Abbas Raza at 09:51 AM | Permalink
Comments
thank you! finally sane commentary on the state of pakistan and what it needs to do.
and yes, as an indian, i want pakistan to be stable and a significant trading partner. and hopefully, also a serious tourism destination (gilgit! lahore!) for us.
Posted by: priya | Sep 30, 2009 10:45:09 AM
So, Pakistan should abandon it's criminal Jihad, but only because it's not working. Not because it is EVIL incarnate?
Posted by: Epictetus | Sep 30, 2009 11:37:47 AM
Excellent piece Abbas. Recently we had a chance to meet former president Gen Musharraf in Washington DC and I had prepared one question to ask of him: How to improve internal security for the people of Pakistan so they can work to improve their lives and build the country in the process? Unfortunately I did not get a chance to ask him, though the meeting went well and I came impressed by him. You have answered the question for me and I could not agree with you more. Thanks again.
Posted by: Tasnim | Sep 30, 2009 1:14:29 PM
beautifully done, Abbas
Posted by: ... | Sep 30, 2009 1:40:43 PM
Well thought out op-ed, Abbas. I only wish views such as yours were more widely appreciated and accepted in Pakistan. When I was there in May, I still sensed denial of the damage being inflicted on the country by home-grown militants. It was only recently that I began to see some Pakistani columnists acknowledge this "existential threat" to Pakistan.
Pakistan has upped its budget for education this year, but judging from the past I'll bet a lot of it will be squandered or misused. I know that parents from all strata of Pakistani society want education for their children. I'd like to see immediate action on that front and less emphasis on acquiring new weapon systems and fighter jets. But that won't happen until there is rapprochement between India and Pakistan, and I don't see much movement in that direction yet.
Posted by: Shehla Anjum | Sep 30, 2009 2:19:10 PM
nice work hommie!
Posted by: morgan meis | Sep 30, 2009 3:12:15 PM
Nicely put Abbas. Certainly we are in need of a little out of the box thinking.
Posted by: faisal | Sep 30, 2009 4:44:39 PM
could you pls translate and put this in Jang or some urdu paper?
Posted by: FZ | Sep 30, 2009 5:10:15 PM
Nice and very mature viewpoint from the Pakistani side. Spoilt it just that little bit by adding the line about security pact with US to deter hostile action by India. India has never had hostile intentions towards Pakistan - think of the origin of all the wars we have fought. So why drag in the superpower again in this region to muddy the waters?
Posted by: Rahul | Oct 1, 2009 2:51:22 AM
A very very good article. Please please Pakistan for once forget India as your enemy and think about countless people who can be saved from mindless violence. And yes India would never strike against Pakistan (it hasn't so far despite all provocation)if Pakistan stops using terror as state policy. It surely would save our future generations.
Posted by: Ashish | Oct 1, 2009 10:19:39 AM
Excellent op-ed column Abbas, and a very valid point of view. Of course, its essential to ensure
that the growth of the internal police does not follow the fate of the army, and that it does not get misled into tactical alignment with the counter-insurgency, given the Taliban's motives to disrupt the internal security of Pakistan are now more blatant than ever before. That being said, India only stands to gain with the restoration of stability in Pakistan as you point out, and there is a real pressing need to push the agenda of co-operation in this front. The mood on the streets in India is one of fear for Pakistan, not one of indifference, and should power fall into the wrong hands in that state, one of fear of it...
Posted by: Manisha Verma | Oct 1, 2009 9:30:23 PM
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