Democracy in the making is always a messy affair. Until  democratic institutions are fully established and people’s psyche have been fully  moulded to democratic morals and standards, the society remain in fluid form. Meanwhile, anti-social elements try to take undue advantage of the situation and cost the country its stability, prosperity and integrity.

Pakistan is passing through this critical phase of its life. Its political leadership needs to show maturity and steer the country out of the current mess sagaciously. There is no substitute to political leadership in Pakistan and no other model of governance than democracy suits its society as well. If Pakistan is ever to stay on course as a progressing, modern and prosperous state, it cannot afford to deviate from this course.

In the last sixty years, we have seen a constant tug of war between the Islamists and the so-called secular elements of society regarding the ideology of Pakistan . The warring camps have shown no meeting ground; one asking for theocracy and the other demanding complete separation of religion from the statecraft. Of course, both were wrong and have remained so especially regarding the spiritual orientation of a set up that influences, touches and governs the lives of 170 million people.

Taliban spokesman

Even if there was confusion regarding the intentions of the father of the nation, as was displayed by the line of arguments presented by both schools of thoughts, than the masses were never asked as to what kind of system they preferred. Both secularists as well as Islamists in their urge to grab the country to impose their respective ideology compromised with the principle of democracy without any pangs of conscience. Whenever, they have got a chance to speak, the people of Pakistan have always spoken loud and clear.

They have brutally rejected the reactionary politics and have at the same time shown their aversion to what is westernized and secular and is completely divorced from the Eastern, spiritual and cultural moorings of the region.

The rise of violence, rather terrorism as a tool in advancing political objectives is phenomenal. Although there isn’t anything new in it but for Pakistan ’s nascent democracy it poses the gravest challenge. The rise of obscurantism in the name of Islam in the wake of Talibanisation of Afghanistan has become a regional phenomenon and is eating out at the very heart of Pakistan ideology.Currently Pakistan is paying dearly in men and material in Swat valley for the ill-thought, ill conceived and rash policies of its erstwhile military dictators. General Zia’s Islamic texture that he gave to an anti-Russian nationalist movement have completely backfired and now the violent outfits which were once supported, abetted and sustained by the US dollars and its war machine, like Frankenstein monster have turned against their own mentors.

Terrorist attack on Marriott in Islamabad

The Swat agreement between the provincial government of NWFP and the Taliban led by Maulana Sufi Mohammad is of greater significance than what the government has perceived. Its fall outs will be varied, far reaching and lasting for a considerable period of time for Pakistan .The first challenge that Pakistan will have to face is on diplomatic front. It will have to convince the world capitals that it is not capitulation of Pakistan government to reactionary forces, and that the agreement is a strategic achievement in lines with government’s well thought out policy of weaning away domestic mild Taliban from the hard core reactionary terrorist outfits with foreign elements having regional agenda. Pakistan needs to bring home to the capitals that clubbing all Talibans together is a strategic error that can only aggrandize the US as well as Pakistan ’s problems.

Secondly, the government must ensure that Swat is not Talibanised on lines of Afghanistan during the rule of Taliban, and that all armed outfits must be disbanded as soon as the government begins the implementation of the agreement. In its eagerness to bring normalcy to the area the government must not surrender its authority to any other agency. It must remain the sole proprietor of the writ of government.

Thirdly, the proposed system of Islamic justice must have the blessings of all five schools of thoughts of Islam. Ulema should sit together and work out a system of justice based on pristine Islamic teachings so that the society is structured on just, equitable and modern lines acceptable to all people. Wahabi, Salafi or Literal reading of Islamic Fiqah has very few sympathisers and followers in Pakistan hence its society can’t be subjected to such interpretation of Islam.

Such slogans have disgraced Islam.

What about Muslims living in the West?

Fourthly, the government must make sure that in the mane of Islam people’s freedom of choice, their progress and their religious liberty is not curtailed. God says “There is no compulsion in religion” (2:256), therefore, the government must ensure that its over-exuberant functionaries maintain strict self-discipline and don’t infringe upon the personal lives of people in the name of Islam.

Further we need to understand that Islamic justice system has nothing to do with non-Muslims. Their cases should be decided according to the laws of their choice and the non-Muslim segments of society should not be subjected to Islamic laws if they themselves don’t wish to do so.They story of Swat, however, does not end here. Earlier, similar agreement was doomed because hard core Taliban were not taken on board. Last time Maulana Fazlullah, son in law of Maulana Soofi Mohd of Swat sabotaged the agreement on behest of Baitullah Masood, Chief of Tehreke Taliban in Tribal areas who in Musharraf Government was accused of murdering Benazir Bhutto. Soofi Mohammad is measured to be a considerate and moderate Taliban leader whose agenda does not go beyond Swat, however, it is still to be seen that his son-in-law can withstand the pressure from his colleague in terrorism Britullah Masood.

Hence, peace in Swat valley becomes crucial and would tantamount to alienating the Taliban who have regional agenda, and have foreign elements among them. An escalation in fight against Taliban is in the offing. Last week for the first time the US drone attacked deeper and came up to Khurram agency.The US is not listening to Pakistan government’s lukewarm objections to drone attacks and is continuing them uninterrupted which is nothing less than total disregard to Pakistan ’s national interests. We have to keep our house in order and stopping the drone attacks stabilize the settled areas of the NWFP as bulwark against the spill over of Taliban ire from the tribal belt. We must pacify and resettle the internally displaced people in the tribal areas and dissipate the concerns of the population so that the fight against terrorism is fought with greater focus and determination.

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Pakistan is passing through this critical phase of its life. Its political leadership needs to show maturity and steer the country out of the current mess sagaciously. There is no substitute to political leadership in Pakistan and no other model of govern-ance than democracy suits its society as well.  

First appeared in Pakistan Observer, Islamabad on 20-02-2009

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