Abdullah Mustafvi
Surviving in one of the most turbulent regions of the world is not an easy going affair for Pakistan. Rising external pressures coupled with rapidly increasing internal turmoil offers an alarming equation for us. It is no time to relax once the sensitive matters are not being dealt with a serious head on shoulders. Few call it a vacuum of leadership and quite rightly so! In reality it is a dangerous vacuum of sense, rationality, balance, justice and merit which perpetuates at an uncontrollable pace under extremely lethal combination of incompetence and corruption of our so called statesmen elite. Sky is the limit once our statesmen start issuing the sermons. No doubt they are generally good in this art of verbosity. No restriction is applicable on their tongues and no pre requisite of professional competence can stop them for speaking on any subject on God’s earth. But when it comes on their shoulders to test the actions then certainly the scum sets down. We daily listen a lot about rule of law, Supremacy of Constitution and importance of accountability. Who can deny these golden phrases, coming out from the mouths of elite. But what our eyes see is all different from what we hear with our ears. Cruel lens of camera captures every act happening at the gates of the courts. So it is proven fact that verbosity has nothing to do, in practical terms, about justice, accountability and constitution. Similar practice is visible in our collective dealing with more sensitive matters related to foreign affairs, security and economy. Threats perceived in the past have now transformed into real challenges. Pakistan is in a state of war. It is not a conventional battle rather a more complex war being fought at multiple fronts. Conventional engagement with archrival adversary has dangerously stretched on western front. Equally alarming is the geo-strategic front at regional canvas where global players striving to control the Eurasian region by realigning the regional stakeholders. To be more clear on this touchy matter, we need to understand the exact nature of complex inter connectively between USA, India, China, Iran, Russia, and central Asian states. Internal front is infected with economic challenges, deep rooted corruption, foreign sponsored terrorism, inefficient law enforcement mechanism and adverse governance. Terrorism in Karachi and Baluchistan directly affects the economy. Water blockade efforts by eastern neighbor are well calculated and eventually aiming at spoiling the roots of our agrarian economy. Cross border terrorism from Afghan soil under Indian patronage primarily is set to put a stretch at combat potential of Armed Forces. Diplomatic front warrants a vigilant response being the most fragile and the most neglected one too. Challenges at diplomatic front can never be met without correctly assessing the accumulative effect of hostile developments taking place at different fronts. An allegation of terror sponsoring emerging from Indo-USA pair has to be correctly deciphered. It has nothing to do with terrorism as the strings attached to regional designs of America unfold an entirely different story. Unrest at our borders with Afghanistan, IHK, terrorism in Karachi, Baluchistan and various parts of the country on sectarian, extremist and linguistic themes have a firm linkage with regional tug of war. Cat is now out of bag in the shape of American objections upon CPEC and OBOR projects of China. We need a deliberate review of foreign policy with strict focus on the war waged by regional and foreign players at multiple fronts. Ideological front is also open and active as conflicting themes are frequently surfacing on media thus widening the polarization. Efforts are launched to spread hatred on sectarian, territorial and ideological differences. Defaming campaigns against army adding bitterness to civil-military relations can easily be traced on media due to an obvious shade of dubiousness. This war is on at multiple fronts. Pakistan needs a matching response at all fronts with full force. Maximum burden is being shared by the Armed Forces which should be rationalized through rapid improvement in all neglected quarters. Our internal and external challenges are closely interlinked. A war is being fought at multiple fronts with a singular aim to destabilize the Pakistan by coercing the defense potential specially nuclear capability , political environment and internal harmony. We can not mount a befitting response to the looming complex challenges by delinking from each other. Collective deliberation with flexible mind on these matters will definitely be a better option to formulate a workable future course .
