Does Pakistan continue to be a key ally of the US in its war against terrorism? On paper, Yes. Practically, No. What has been going on for a long time now is that Pakistan is thumbing it’s nose on the US and that too in full public glare.
Look at the way it has been treating the underworld Don, Dawood Ibrahim who was declared by it as a “Specially designated Global Terrorist” in 2003. The Don organized a lavish marriage function of his daughter with the son of Pakistani cricketer Javed Miandad in Karachi in 2005. Soon thereafter, he threw a gala reception in Dubai, which was attended by several business tycoons. Yet, ironically, for Pakistan he remained untraceable! To this day Islamabad has been sticking to its ‘we don’t know where he lives’ stand. It refuses to admit that Dawood is living a normal life in Karachi.
The US has now designated him and his notorious D- Company under the foreign narcotics kingpin designation act. But see the contradiction. The “Act does not target the countries in which these foreign individuals and entities are operating or the governments of such countries”. How US will translate its new diktat into action is anybody’s guess.
Not only the US, even the United Nations issued a similar notification about Dawood in 2003 only to be taken for a ride by Dawood and his henchmen. Dawood’s ally Shakeel is busy investing his fortunes in the UAE. But Pakistan just can’t see him anywhere. Yes, Pakistan recently refused to permit Dawood to go to Saudi Arabia for “UMRA”. But that was more to impress public opinion across the world.
Look at Omar Sheikh, the person convicted for killing Daniel Pearl, the correspondent of Wall Street Journal and a US citizen. A death sentence was passed on him four years ago which is yet to be executed. Pakistan has been able to find one or the other excuse to delay the execution.
No less important is the story of the nuclear smuggler A.Q Khan. He is the person who leaked nuclear technology to Korea, Iran and many other countries at official bidding. Yet Pakistan puts the entire blame on poor Khan and refuses to hand him over to the US just for questioning. If he is under house arrest in Pakistan, it is only because of severe international pressure. And, also to keep him away from preying eyes. If Islamabad had its way, he too would have been a ‘free man’ in Pakistan like Dawood and others.
General Musharraf has been telling the world that he is taking all possible action against the terrorists. But how is the LeT thriving with its Chief, Hafeez Sayeed and the Jaish-e- Mohammad under Maulana Masood Azhar. Both figure in the list of 38 most wanted persons India handed over to Pakistan at the recent Home Secretary level talks in Islamabad. For Pakistan their whereabouts are not known. Another person Salim Haji Ibrahim wanted in connection with the Godhra train fire is also making merry in Karachi.
About half a dozen accused in the IC-814 flight to Kandahar are also in Pakistan but Islamabad refuses to admit. All these are persons against whom Interpol has issued red corner notices. The three ‘terror heroes’ who were killed in the attack on RSS headquarters in Nagpur are identified as Pakistani nationals. It doesn’t come as a surprise.
And look at Pakistan’s machinations in Afghanistan. It has been doing everything to destabilize the pro-US government there. Quetta has become the new headquarters of the Taliban from where operations against Southern Afghanistan are mounted. The British, American and other NATO generals based in Kabul know about this and the western media keeps reporting about this home truth as an investigative report at regular interval. Yet, isn’t it naive for the US to expect Pakistan to arrest Bin Laden, for which it has put everything on stake.
One of the renowned analysts in the US, Paul Sperry of the Hoover Institution has forcefully sought a review of American policy in south Asia. He believes that the White House and the State Department know about Pakistan’s activities “but they are trying to keep the mess behind closed doors”. By doing so, Washington is deceiving none else other than itself and at a great risk.
And look at the irony of the situation. US has now agreed to go in for a new deal to supply arms worth $ 370 million to Pakistan. These will include 130 Harpoon missiles “to significantly upgrade Pakistan’s existing systems and to allow for improved target acquisition”. The deal is a part of the Bush administration’s effort to shore up the military dictatorship in Pakistan that claims to be fighting terrorism. That the deal is subject to the approval of the Congress is some consolation, though.
Could it be that America has little inclination to pursue the cases mentioned above as it is involved in the larger war on terrorism? In that eventuality one would only remind the US that if it ignores these so called small incidents today, it will be impossible for it to control it tomorrow. In fact, a drift in this direction has already begun.
Courtesy : Syndicate Features
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