Nukes, Taliban, Democracy and US-aid

NUKES, TALIBAN, DEMOCRACY AND US-AID


By Malik Rashid

1.5 million Pakistanis rendered homeless by war, face tough living conditions in camps and cities. Thousands are held hostage by the insurgents and a large number did not make it to safety for lack of roads and transport.

The war against Taliban and the displaced persons make aid-worthy news but the blood-shed of those caught in cross-fire has been kept out of bounds for the media. Blocking access to war-zones raises suspicion of cover-up, for heavy-handedness and disregard for collateral damage. UN refugee agency describes the displacement as one of the most dramatic crisis of recent times.

Government is restricted within Islamabad due to security situation and the President could not visit camps. He traveled overseas to perform the task of international aid collection. New York Times reported that Pakistan is rapidly adding nuclear arms, raising doubts over delivery of US aid. US congressmen had cited corruption as another reason for their reluctance in approving the aid package.

The $1.5 billion aid each year for 5 years approved by the US congress for Pakistan saw two changes to the conditions for aid. The approved version reads “neighbor countries� instead of India and demands access to Pakistani nationals involved in nuclear proliferation without naming A.Q. Khan.

Military adventurism, corruption and extremism, have dispatched the country of 170 million, spinning into disaster. Fear of war over nukes multiply the anxiety of civilians. Talibanisation is another monster that scares the life out.

Three quarter of Pakistanis live in abject poverty, earning less than two dollars a day. Health-care, education and other services are almost non-existent for the majority that resides in rural areas.

The princely feudals maintain lavish mansions, private armies and jails. Retired army officers are provided with expensive cars and hefty pensions from the national exchequer. Politicians, ministers and members of parliament are not behind in making a fortune off the public money.

Major cities face lengthening power outage daily, as energy supply is depleted. Industries and businesses face extinction and hospitals work under candle-light. But nuclear-bomb factory is reportedly producing at an alarming rate.

The people are led to believe that a conspiracy to disarm Pakistan of its nukes is about to be executed by US, India, Israel and Europe, jointly. Meanwhile, political and military leaders pay regular visits to US and Europe, seeking aid.

The New York Times reveals, US has already paid $100 million for the safety of 80 to 100 nukes. This money is assigned to help Pakistan secure its weapons and materials from Taliban, Al-Qaeda and insiders with loyalties to the insurgents.

The rulers sprint for international aid as the military pounds Taliban-held areas. It is not beyond the glorious minds that rule Islamabad to think of adding nukes as another way of securing foreign aid, just like nurturing Taliban.

As the bombs are churned out, the people are left to suffer without electricity, health-care, rule-of-law, employment and education. Critical issues like reduction of poverty and abolition of feudalism do not find any attention.

Keeping the people confused between allegiance to USA and a predatory conspiracy to steal their bomb, Pakistani political leadership has failed to make any friends. General Musharraf gleefully announced on CNN that the world is lucky to have Pakistan army and ISI. � These are the only institutions in Pakistan that could deliver,� he insisted.

The ground beneath democracy has started shifting because US interests are best served by military dictators and monarchs, and their commitment to democracy in Pakistan is as hollow and hypocritical as the allegiance of Pakistan military to the people.

The other reason for the mortal disease ailing democracy in Pakistan is the non-representative, dishonest, ill-educated political leadership. Political parties are fiefdoms. Leadership is inherited like feudal property. Democracy is way distant from the cultural attitudes of those who lead.

Absence of political leadership on a federal level provides for strengthening of ethnic, racist, regional and divisive regimentations. Instead of paying attention to their complaints, the Baloch protest is labeled as foreign intervention. The killing and displacement of Pakhtuns would eventually turn them against the federation.

Political leadership with clarity, honesty and determination for the triumph of democracy has not evolved yet. Hope for the future sounds like belief without reason.