View Point                                                                        Abidullah Jan

The New Afghanistan-Cum-Algeria

The US misinformation campaign was not at as much a feverish pitch even against the Taliban controlled Afghanistan as it is against Pakistan these days. At times it seems as if there is more justification for invading Pakistan than Iraq. External forces have set a stage for turning Pakistan into another Afghanistan-cum-Algeria, whereas internal policies of the General have already turned Pakistan into a carbon copy of Egypt.

In an attempt to impose a Turko-Egyptian model on Pakistan, the government has resorted to unwarranted raids, illegal detentions, extraditions and spilling of innocent blood. It is only the long awaited reaction of the oppressed that would pale bloodletting in Algeria pale by comparison, followed by relatively more direct intervention of external forces.

Already there is very little different between the way Washington runs Afghanistan and Pakistan. The slight difference is that Afghan army and other agencies are not well trained to do the US job like ours, and the violent opposition faced by US forces in Pakistan is also very low at the moment. However, occupation and reaction are increasing in direct proportion with each passing day.

The more the General boasts and proves that he is cooperating with the US, the more he establishes Pakistani-Al-Qaeda connection and paves the way for more direct US intervention in the new Afghanistan. The General, however, does not realise that his principled stance would not have made him look as duplicitous as he is now viewed even by his masters in Washington. Despite the most obedient services, his sponsors' "myth of good General Musharraf" would shatter the moment he reaches his limits of bending backwards for his life. Interestingly, the US has no alternatives for him - the best dictator it could ever develop.

Everyone knows that unlike Musharraf, Pakistan is not an ally. Gen. Tommy Franks couldn't mention Pakistan by name without provoking a collective reaction against Musharraf as well as Bush administration. This war "won't be finished," he said during a visit to the Bagram air base near Kabul last August, "until terrorist cells are hunted down throughout the region." Pakistan, not Iraq, was upper most in the general's mind like his colleagues in Washington.

The unspoken is that Pakistan is the new Afghanistan, a target ripe for converting indirect to direct occupation. A "proven sanctuary" for hundreds of Al Qaeda fighters and "Taliban operatives," supplier of nuclear technology to North Korea and Iraq, sponsor of "cross border terrorism," home for the architects of Bali and 9-11, and owner of weapons of mass destruction, are enough counts to make Pakistan's indictment look more attractive for the jingoists in Washington than the pre-October 07, 2001 indictment of Afghanistan. The fear of "Islamic fundamentalists" on the brink of overthrowing "moderates" makes the case even more perfect than any one could ever imagine.

This fear is a stepping stone for the General to crackdown on Islamic parties. The tactics to completely sideline religious parties in Algeria and Pakistan are in total contrast to each other. The former completely banned religious parties, whereas Pakistan is taking a tactical course of first pushing them into the mainstream and then gradually demeaning them like the Taliban. The recent attempts of linking Jamaa-e-Islami with Al-Qaeda are a prime example. It will not be the last.

Pictures of turbaned religious leaders addressing crowds of millions in Karachi have made their way to the remotest parts of the world. Metro, a French daily, distributed free of cost in Montreal, also carried these pictures with the caption, "Pro-Taliban leaders addressing anti-US crowds." One needs not write a 10- page story to demean Pakistani religious parties or a person associated with them. The "pro-Taliban" label is quite enough to make someone untouchable because it brings to mind the evil image developed with unimaginable resources over the years. The same label is enough for Musharraf to make a case even for extermination of religious opposition - let alone imposing a ban on their participation in running state affairs. MMA leaders must be happy that they are not taken to Guatanamo bay as yet.

Nevertheless, Musharraf's government is playing an active role in laying trap for their parties. About the recent raids and arrests, chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Karachi, Dr Merajul Huda, told Asia Times Online: "It was published in the national press on the very first day after this raid that the police conducted two raids in Rawalpindi and arrested Arabs. I believe that they arrested these people from some other location and showed them arrested at the residence of Ahmed Abdul Qudoos, who is a relative of a leader of the Jamaat-i-Islami's women's wing."

The Taliban were pushed on the main stage by the joint forces of Washington and Islamabad without prior knowledge of their refusal to act like Musharraf and Karzai. With the successful experience of demeaning the Taliban in mind, MMA has now been purposely pushed to the forefront. Of course public sympathies played a role in their win but the subsequent unfolding events hint that the hands that rocked MMA's cradle rule the world. Events, such as the 3 millions persons march in Karachi on 2nd March, only force the planner to hasten execution of their plans.

Neck deep in the American quagmire, Musharraf has limited options to be part of the forces of order. His comparison of Pakistan's future with Iraq shows that he realises the threat. All he needs to do is to stick to the basics. He should learn to politely but clearly say no to anything that violates the basic principles of religion, sovereignty, independence and international law. If he is violating all such norms to save Pakistan from becoming another Afghanistan, he must then realise that we are no better than it; except that the American occupation of Pakistan has preceded the decade's long anarchy, internal wars and devastation that Afghanistan had to go through before the Americans boots could touch its soil.

Musharraf needs to realise that his American friends are not more faithful to Pakistan than his Pakistani "enemies" - the millions protesting in the streets and the millions silent but apprehensive of the impending disaster should Musharraf continue to say yes when its time to say no.