Articles of the year 2006
Published on March 20th, 2006
Our public is well versed in the lethal consequences of the reverse swing, a ball that flummoxed the top batsmen of the day, and raised loud protests from the opposing teams, charges of ball tampering, ball gouging, use of bottle tops--- cheating in short . The history of swinging the new ball is lost in time, but the reverse swing took the cricketing world by storm till it was analysed and employed by all pace bowlers.
In Kargil our strategists wrong footed the Indians, by cutting off their supply lines In Baluchistan we, it seems are walking into a reverse Kargil situation. Where our Army will be drawn progressively deeper into a skirmish that can develop into a full battle, with no winners. The Nawab for all his foibles has succeeded in transforming his voice into that of the Baloch people. The slogan of the underprivileged, under developed, couples quickly with, exploited, dominated, oppressed. Catchy slogans, but if as in a swinging ball not read correctly, can have disastrous consequences. In Baluchistan the stakes are much higher than a Hero Honda.
It is important that the President take immediate control of this fast developing problem before it gets completely out of control. Islamabad has an atmosphere that is conducive to hallucinations of well being. The rest of he country is the real Pakistan, with many warts. Islamabad like all other Power centers is full of Sycophants, unfortunately there is no prudential regulation covering sycophancy so that NAB can be invoked. It is up to the President to separate the fiction from reality, and decide accordingly. This would be a good time to apply his policy of moderate enlightenment, in his own backyard. To be carried away by jingoistic sabre rattling of the thinkers around him will play into the not so hidden hands of the enemy.
The President must involve himself in the dialogue to defuse the crisis that is facing the Country. When all is going well why allow the Hawks to have their way? Does anybody in Islamabad actually think that they can conquer Baluchistan? Do the Hawks have access to the Daisy Cutters used by the US in Afghanistan? The Taliban were beaten by the massive bombings carried out by B52 bombers based in the safety of Diego Garcia, and ordered from the distance of Washington. Can any Pakistani stomach the thought of such measure being taken in Baluchistan? I am sure the President would never countenance such a move, and if any one in his cabinet is actually making these suggestions, he should be removed from his office and sent to Guantanamo Bay to contemplate his navel for a long long time,in an Orange suit. I am sure the Americans will oblige quite happily, and we will be well rid of some serious trouble makers.
Mr. President, You did not get to your present position by making wrong decisions. You are President because you took the right decisions at the right time. Your vision must not become clouded by wrong advice. President Ayub's downfall began with the publishing of 'The Decade of Reforms". Bhutto's unopposed election. History is replete with examples of good leaders brought down by bad advice. It would be wise for the Punjabi hawks to remember that the prime reason for leaving India and the creation of Pakistan was that we did not want to live as second class citizens, and away from the Bania's strangle hold. Does all of this sound familiar?