Parliament Supports Taliban Law

Parliament supports Taliban law

By Malik A. Rashid


The Pakistani parliament acceded to the Taliban demand of imposing the orthodox Islamic sharia law in Swat. The deal that had already been struck between the government and Taliban, was ratified by passing a bill in the parliament. The president instead of signing it as promised to the Taliban, sent it to the national assembly as a fake show of democracy, because they had failed to ask the people of Swat to vote on this instrument of regression and brutality.
Not a single woman parliamentarian voted against consigning the women of Swat into the bestiality of medieval times. This is not the first time that an elected parliament in Pakistan has brought grief to the people. The grip of the Islamists on the country has never been a secret and the military-feudal gang has always found religion as a method to oppress, so allowing Taliban to do the same in Swat, does not make a difference to them.
I have searched in vain for a reason to ZA Bhutto’s hobnobbing with the mullas before the 1973 constitution was passed. His party had an absolute majority in the parliament and he was a western educated liberal fellow, but he presided over a constitution that calls for Islam as the source of all laws of the country. That parliament passed a discriminatory law against the Qadianis, declaring them non-Muslims.
The Nizam-e-Adl regulation or the Taliban law, was a result of a truce with the Taliban, after the military had given up the fight in Swat. The provincial government had no other option in the face of a military defeat, so they signed a truce. They celebrated and distributed sweets in Peshawar over the prospects of a hollow peace, the other day.
However, the big question, the Western press keeps on asking is; Why the Pakistan army does not want to fight the Taliban?
Along with the Jamaat-e-Islami and other religious parties, the Taliban now constitute the armed political wing of the religious right in Pakistan. The Taliban, a product of the Pakistan military, would help enforce the fascist rule of the Army/ISI and the elite over the helpless citizens of the country.
Senator John Kerry, recently told the press that the US conditions for aid Islamabad is complaining about, is a simple demand for transparency.
He went on to widen the terms of the US-Pakistan relations from a focus on the war against insurgents to include a relationship to outlast the global economic crisis.
But the military is adamant. The deals with US could cease, the moment the Pakistani ruling elite feels a threat to their political power in Islamabad. The marauders with their guns will be available in all cities to impose a new regime of Talibanisation.
Such a move could only be the last resort. Pakistan is not Iran. They do not have oil to run an economy with. Even Iran, in these tough economic times, is feeling the need to interact globally. The North Koreans have decided to break-off talks. Qatar has allowed a state visit to Omar-al-Bashir, the President of Sudan, who has been indicted for crimes against humanity. There are signs of imperial weakness, and an indiscretion from the Pakistan military could hand them another challenge. Mr. Hameed Gul, former ISI chief, believes that the US has lost its war in Afghanistan hence Pakistan should take a tougher stance towards America.
The US could try to replenish its global grasp by defeating the challenges that arise out of Pakistan. War in the time of economic crisis is not a new phenomenon. Pashtuns, in the 60s and early 70s were a vibrant people, adapting to modernity through education and merging into a modern state, in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The war, since 1979, have completely changed the society and direction of a peace-loving people. The powerful and the developed of the world owe it to the Pashtuns to help them get back on the path to progress and peace.