Written by:Zar Ali Khan Musazai
Chairperson
Pashtun Democratic Council
Pashtunkhwa(NWFP) Peshawar

Terrorists should be isolated, not Pashtun tribes and communities

 I have said time and again that Pashtuns are not terrorists and the real terrorists are the Army Generals, Punjabi bureaucrats and Politicians who have been running, supporting, financing, and morally assisting the terrorist organizations and providing training facilities to terrorists in Punjab and then those hardcore terrorists are sent to the Pashtun areas (NWFP, FATA and onward to Afghanistan) where they destroy the peace of the Pashtun region. We also accept that few Pashtun individuals for their selfish interest would have accompanied them in their anti-Pashtun/Afghan activities, but that too would be on the directives of the Punjabi dominated Pakistani establishment, notorious intelligence Agency ISI and some clergymen in the garb of religion. We have been telling that Pakistani establishment has two faces, one is enlightened, moderate and secular for the west while for Afghanistan and Pashtun her second face is full of the horror and draconian.
But the west and Americans should try to understand that they are being frequently deceived by these crooks. They should be wise enough to know all what the Generals of Pakistan are doing against terrorism, because here to prey with hounds and running with hares is a common practice. Pakistani rulers want to see the religious fundamentalists in area of Pashtuns ,because they are afraid of the progressive, democratic and nationalist people whom they think will demand for the non- interference in the external affairs of Afghanistan, Pashtun National Unity, abolition of the Durand line between one Nation and co-operation with the American and allied forces to root out extremism and fundamentalism from the region which the Pakistani rulers have planted for Pashtun to show them as cannibals and intolerant people to the world, otherwise the case is different from what the Pakistani rulers are presenting .Pashtun/Afghans are basically secular people but their nature has not been understood .They are sandwiched between two forces. They are not heard and the world believes what the crooks tell them .It is of course a pity .Mullah and military are one soul and one body. Both have the same agenda. The present situations are the drama of friendly fire between them. The centers of terrorists are in Punjab and the bullet is fired upon the poor Pashtun and his innocent children and women are intentionally targeted. This is the crime of the Pakistani establishment and ISI who still support fundamentalism and extremism in region because they understand that without these things their existence is not possible. Until and until the sources of terrorism are closed the peace can not come to the region. Pakistani is firing upon the Pashtun just to get 1 billion $. But they should know that Americans are not children who will not understand the childish tactics of this pro- fundamentalist forces .For the last 30 years Pashtun code has been broken by the Pakistani establishment for her nefarious designs to seize Afghanistan through clergy and Islamic forces. Now to restore the Pashtun code will take some time. The fundamentalist and terrorists being nurtured by the anti- Pashtun hidden hands are given safe sanctuaries in FATA and other Pashtun areas. They are the noble souls for Pakistani rulers and are held in high esteem as guests .Whenever there is bombardment they are not harmed as they get first hand information to hide and protect them. These terrorists are used to disturb the peace and tranquility in Afghanistan and to frighten the allied forces under the American command to flee from Afghanistan as the pro- fundamentalist forces anticipate that one day the Americans will leave Afghanistan and they (pro-terrorists) will take the control of the Kabul once again which I think their dream will never be materialized. Americans and allied forces should understand it that today Kabul is weak and crocodiles and wolves are all around. In case, the warring factions will again start their fighting’s and terrorists will not stop there. They will ,may God forbid, reach the capitals of Europe and America where they will not leave the innocent citizens to live in peace and prosperity .Punjabis know Pashtun living both sides of the Durand line are one and same nation. When one part is disturbed the other will feel the warmth. Pashtun are being tipped as terrorists under a pre-planned conspiracy hatched against them by hostile forces. They are punished by the Pakistani real establishment as Pashtun are supporting the reconstruction and stability of Afghanistan, which the rulers of Pakistan can not endure to see. When Pakistan sees the bad and hard time for her then Pashtun are used as a shield to defend her but she should understand that this deception will be exposed very soon .The present bombardment in Waziristan is the example which could be cited, when anti- Pashtun and pro- terrorist forces are clearly and loudly supporting the terrorists. When a soldier of the allied forces is martyred in Afghanistan as to who will be held responsible for his martyrdom who has come to Afghanistan to let prevail stability there and establish peace and to gear up reconstruction process in that country of Pashtun/Afghans .Those who say that the Tribal are providing safe sanctuaries to terrorists are not aware of the real political situations of the area. Actually FATA has a political system which is run by the Political Agents. Here people are not allowed to do politics. Politics is the life line for a human being. When an individual  has no basic human rights then how can he will be able to tell the high-ups of ISI and Pakistani establishment not to bring terrorists to their areas .Tribal Pashtuns are faced with very  critical situations. They do not know where to go and what to do? Few suggestions are put forwards to be heeded:
 
1-Pashtuns should be brought closer rather fighting against them
2-Pakistani establishment should be pressurized to stop assassination of the Pashtun tribal and political traditional leadership which paves the way for terrorists and fundamentalists to fill the vacuum.
3-In FATA and other settled areas influential/Political people should be taken into confidence.
4-Pakistani establishment/ISI should not be blindly followed who have been telling a lie about the Pashtun to the west and America.
5-West and Americans should realize that Pashtuns are human being and know how to deal with the foes and friends.
6-Pashtuns are secular people. They should be made friends .If Supply line is disconnected, Arabs are advised not to send money to the fundamentalist clergy and their supporters who are continuing constructing seminaries where the young are got admitted unaware of the modern day necessities and knowledge.
7-Pashtuns areas/Tribal should be developed. Schools, colleges, roads, hospitals should be set-up and employment opportunities be created
8-Youth are going to Jihadi organizations by the support of so-called ISI  and extremist clergy .For this purpose political parties act should be extended to the FATA and political parties be allowed to do politics in those areas .In this way, fundamentalist and extremist tendencies will come to an end while tolerance, democracy and enlightenment will prevail.
9-FCR and other inhuman laws from FATA should be abolished as we think that this is an insult of the Pashtun in 21st century .FATA is being used against Afghanistan as was used against former USSR two decades ago. But this should be understood that Pashtun and their areas are burning while they do not know as to where they should go because we are not the part of the game which is being played on the name of religion on the land of the Pashtuns. This should also be kept in mind that Pashtuns are not against Afghanistan as they consider Afghanistan their own home and understand that allied forces stationed in Afghanistan have been fighting to save the history, language, geography, and culture of the Pashtun /Afghan which were to be diminished by the enemies few years ago. Pashtuns want to see a stable, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan as they know that their future is tied with the stability of the Afghanistan.
10-Americans and allied forces should not pullout the forces from Afghanistan. Because Afghanistan still needs them and the region as well. If the foreign troops leave Afghanistan, there again will start a war like situation where terrorists, their supporters and promoters will seize the Kabul once again and the West and Americans including the region of Pashtun will see a deluge of the terrorism which they will not even think. The capitals of these countries will be targeted by the terrorists and the blood of the innocent citizens will flow (May God forbid).Kabul will also be seized by the enemies of the Pashtun/Afghan who have been dreaming to occupy it since long but thanks to Americans and allied forces which thwarted their nefarious designs and saved Pashtuns from annihilation by the enemies.
11-To strengthen the traditional/Political leadership in tribal/Pashtun areas will yield valuables dividends. Pashtuns are the victims of the extremism in region. Talibanisation is a great threat to their identity and culture. Extremist and obscurantist forces should not be allowed to suppress progressive nationalist and secular leaders and people who seek enlightened moderation, traditional values and secular rule.
12-Tribal/Pashtun elders and civic institution should be provided effective resources to strengthen civil society and empower moderate political parties and groups.
13-Durand line should not be closed for people as both sides are one people/Nations and this is a global trend to open borders and break-down boundaries
14-Terrorists should be isolated, not the tribes and communities. US should help solidifying the basis for long term peace, stability and development in the region
15-Americans should not repeat the blunder what the former USSR had committed in region.
Let me conclude with the following lines from a Nazi victim,
First they came for the Jews
And I did not protest
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for communists
And I did not protest
Because I was not a communist
Then they came for the trade unionist
And I did not protest
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To protest for me
Now the Pashtun Nation will have to seriously ponder over the political situations in their region as we anticipate that a very dangerous situations are ahead as we Pashtun will try our best to remove the stigma of terrorism and extremism from us and show the civilized world that we are neither terrorists nor fundamentalists and nor the supporters of the said negative forces .We are the people who know better how to go along side of the world.

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