The release that has shocked all
By M. A. Niazi
The release on bail of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the head
of the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, has not just sparked a highly negative
reaction from India, but has also highlighted some of the reasons
why Pakistan, supposed because of its British legacy to be an ideal
place where the War on Terror could be fought, has become a place
where the Western freedoms for which the War is being fought are
reducing the ability of the state to be coercive.
Hafiz Saeed was detained without charge under the Maintenance of
Public Order. He had been linked to the Kashmir Jihad, and most
recently to the Mumbai blasts. India has waxed very furious over his
release, and has threatened not to move ahead with the talks between
the two nuclear-armed neighbours which it suspended when the attacks
occurred, and which it has hinted at restarting now that the Indian
elections are over, and the re-elected Manmohan Singh government has
no real excuse to offer for not talking to Pakistan.
The USA, and those members of the international community that
follow its lead, are interested in India and Pakistan reaching a
settlement for two reasons. The first is that they are nuclear
armed, and any conflict over Kashmir (and there have been four in
the past) that went nuclear would not merely be a bilateral or
regional disaster, but a global one. Second is the War, which
Pakistan says it cannot contest fully until its issues with India
are sorted out. However, the USA does not want a solution in line
with internationally acknowledged principles of justice, or
according to the UN resolutions on the subject, but in accordance
with the Indian aims, even though such a solution would still leave
Kashmir as a festering sore on the Indian body politic. Having
thrown aside the principle of fairness, the USA has simplified the
problem down to finding a government for Pakistan which will deliver
such a solution to India and sell it to the Pakistani public as a
splendid victory.
Hafiz Saeed and his party won favour because of a proven readiness
to engage in activities which the army wanted done, but did not have
the time for. One example was the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, when the
Jamaat was very active in the relief activities. For its pains, it
was left to carry on the mission of the Lashkar-i-Taiba, its parent
organisation, which was banned in Pakistan in 2002, along with
several other organisations as terrorists, as part of the Pervez
Musharraf contribution to the War. One aspect as to convert the
Kashmiri struggle for self-determination into terrorism against
India. This was the result of the War on Terror which India worked
hardest on. Pakistan under Musharraf furthered this by declaring
repeatedly that Pakistan would not allow its soil to be used for
terrorist activity. Pakistan thus provided India guarantees of
protection.
The Nation: June 5, 2009 |
