PROFESSOR ALI SUKHANVER

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For the last many years this prediction is selling very hot that Pakistan is going to be no more on the world map in the near future. But every year Pakistan is always there, giving a tough time to all those who are dreaming of Pakistan changing into a waste land. Pakistan has become the centre of all concentration in a very short period of time. This matchless importance is simply because of the fact that the world around us has accepted the reality that Pakistanis have an exemplary ability of sailing in troubled waters. They can achieve any target if they are determined. Suicide bombs, targeted killings, drone attacks and even the propaganda assaults; nothing can dampen their tenacity, valor and resolve to survive. In spite of whole-sale bloodshed at the hands of terrorists, the life is still going on with full whim and urge in the streets of Pakistan. Here and there, everywhere, one can find the worst examples of brutality and cruelty on the part of the terrorists but the brave people of Pakistan are neither frightened nor scared.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Recently the international conspirators have designed a new propaganda war against Pakistan by dragging the ISI, the most sacred security institution of Pakistan, into a blame game. The game started with the statement made by Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The worthy admiral accused Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency of having close relationship with the militant Haqqani network which is active in Afghanistan since long. According to the Los Angeles Times, Mullen called the Haqqani group “a veritable arm of the ISI,” The Admiral also said that ISI helped Haqqani militants during attacks on the U.S. embassy in Kabul on Sept. 13 as well as a truck bomb blast in Wardak province that injured 77 American troops. The blunt charges of collusion between ISI and Haqqani network have raised a wave of anger and indignation against USA throughout Pakistan. Pakistani officials have warned the US authorities that Pakistan could say good-bye to the United States as an ally if American officials continue to accuse Islamabad’s intelligence agency of assisting the Haqqani group. According to the media reports, the recent propaganda move against ISI has been designed to increase pressure onto Pakistan to take action against Haqqani elements allegedly residing in North Waziristan. The fact of the matter is that the Haqqani group is a part and parcel of the Taliban who claim to strive for the liberation of Afghanistan from the cruel clutches of the foreign invaders.

The Taliban and Pakistan donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have very friendly relationship because the Taliban think that Pakistan is a supporter and facilitator of the US activities and actions in Afghanistan. They are of the opinion that US forces could have never been able to spend such a long time in Afghanistan if Pakistan had not given them a helping hand. In such a hostile situation how is it possible for Pakistan to aid and assist a group which is undoubtedly an integral part of the Taliban movement? Before accusing Pakistan of sheltering the Haqqani network and before demanding stern action against this group in North Waziristan, the US authorities must cast a look at the statement of Sirajuddin Haqqani which he made a few days back. The leader of the Haqqani group said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Gone are the days when we were hiding in the mountains along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Now we consider ourselves more secure in Afghanistan where the Afghan people and senior military and police officials are with us.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Allegations on ISI regarding Haqqani group are simply the part of the same blame game which has been in vogue since long. Sometimes it is the presence of Osama Bin Laden in Abotabad and sometimes it is Al-QaedaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Aymen-ul-Zawahiri, sometimes the Quetta Shura and sometimes the nuclear assets of Pakistan; the Americans are always searching for an opportunity which they may exploit for increasing pressure on Pakistan.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Even a man with no brains can find close similarities between the recent concocted story of attack on the US embassy in Afghanistan and brutal killing of Professor Burhan-ud-Din Rabbani. The USA is simply trying to distort the situation in Afghanistan as the dates of its getting out of the Afghan land are coming closer. At present the USA is in a strange situation of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”to be and not to beƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. It is surely against the US interests to leave Afghanistan handing it over to the Taliban. This action would on one hand bring a bad name to the whole of the American nation and on the other hand it would prove the superiority and supremacy of the Taliban. It is something very much alarming that in presence of thousands of well-equipped well trained NATO fighters, the Haqqani group is so powerful that it changed the US embassy and the NATO head quarter into debris; what would be the scenario after the NATO forces leave the place.

The New York Times commented the situation in a very alarming tone. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Heavily armed insurgents wearing suicide vests struck Tuesday at two of the most prominent symbols of the American diplomatic and military presence in Kabul, the United States Embassy and the nearby NATO headquarters, demonstrating the TalibanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ability to infiltrate even the most heavily fortified districts of the capital. With the Obama administration facing mounting budget problems and having fixed a timetable to withdraw most forces by 2014, the assault also appeared to signal Taliban resolve to battle Western forces to the hour of their exit. A Western official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the attack made the talk of a peace deal with the Taliban seem absurd.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If the attacks on the United States Embassy and the nearby NATO headquarters were a joint venture of the ISI and the Haqqani group, the US military officials must simply resign from their services accepting their inability and inefficiency leading to such an insulting defeat. They must simply hand over all control and command to the ISI and the Haqqani group because these two have proved themselves superior to the NATO forces as well as to the US troops.

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