وہی بت فروشی وہی بت گری ہے

میں ایک پاکستانی ہوں، ٹی وی پر چلنے والے ایک اشتہار نے مجھے حیران کر رکھا ہے، اور کچھ لوگ بہت شاد بھی ہیں اسے دیکھ دیکھ کر مختلف کمپنیاں ایک شو کے لیے تعاون کر رہی ہیں جس کا نام ہے “پاکستان آئیڈل”۔

“ارے کیا کہا؟ آئیڈل؟” آواز پاس ہی سے آئی تھی اور خاصی محظوظ لگ رہی تھی اس لفظ سے۔ “یہ وہی آئیڈل ہے نکمے اور کام چور والا؟”

“ارے نہیں بھئی دوسرا والا آئیڈل ہے۔” میں نے جھنجھلا کر کہا تھا۔

“آئیڈل یعنی کہ بُت؟ ارے بھئی پاکستان میں تو مجسمہ سازی کی اجازت نہیں تھی، بہر حال اب بن رہا ہے تو کس کا؟ علامہ اقبال کا یا قائدِ اعظم کا؟”

“کسی کا مجسمہ نہیں بن رہا جناب، یہ مختلف کمپنیاں مل کے ایک شو کر رہی ہیں، پاکستان کا چُھپا ہوا ٹیلنٹ ڈھونڈیں گی!”

“اچھا اچھا، کہاں چُھپا ہوا ہے یہ ٹیلنٹ؟ کیا سائنسدان آئیں گے یا ہونہار طلباء؟”

اس سوال نے مجھے جی بھر کے بے مزہ کیا تھا۔ “جی نہیں حضورِ والی، گلوکاری کا چُھپا ہوا ٹیلنٹ!”

“اچھا۔” آواز کچھ بُجھ سی گئی تھی۔ “اور لوگوں کا کیا ردِ عمل ہے اس پر؟”

“ارے کیا پوچھ لیا آپ نے، لائنیں لگی ہوئی ہیں آڈیشن کے لیے۔ اور اگر کوئی رد ہو جائے تو سوشل میڈیا پر انصاف کی فریاد لے آتا ہے اور موبائل کمپنیاں مفت آڈیشن کی سہولیات بھی دے رہی ہیں فون پر۔”

“اس سے ایک بات تو ثابت ہو گئی۔” اب کے مایوسی سے جواب آیا تھا۔ “ایک قیمتی چیز ایسی ہے جو یہاں بڑی بے مایہ ہے اور ہماری قوم بے دردی سے اسے لُٹا رہی ہے، جبکہ دوسری قومیں اس چیز کو بہت سینت سینت کر رکھتی ہیں اور سوچ سمجھ کر خرچ کرتی ہیں۔”

“اس میں اتنی مایوسی کی کیا بات ہے کہ ہم کوئی قیمتی چیز خرچ کر رہے ہیں؟ یہ تو فخر کی بات نہیں؟! بہر حال ایسی کیا چیز ہے وہ؟”

یک لفظی جواب آیا: “وقت!”

Afghanistan Base of Terrorism

By Brig Asif Haroon Raja / Opinion Maker

When war against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan was won by the Mujaheddin duly supported by Pakistan in 1989, the US claimed that the war couldn’t have been won without surface to air stinger missiles. In its view, stingers made the difference and forced the Soviets to beat a hasty retreat. In the ongoing war on terror in which the US for all practical purposes has lost the war and its forces are in the process of pulling out from Afghanistan and will depart by December 2014, the US is trying to project drone as the winning weapon against terrorism. It must not be forgotten that it is not the gun which matters but the man behind the gun. ISAF has the most sophisticated and lethal weaponry of all kinds together with latest technology but still couldn’t defeat the ill-clad and ill-equipped and under-strength Taliban. Drone has been selected as a choice weapon since it is unmanned and free of combat risks to US soldiers. Mounting casualties, suicides and loss of heart by NATO soldiers were the reasons to bank upon drones.

Had Pakistan not stood up against Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, nothing could have prevented Afghanistan turning into a satellite State of USSR and its Islamic identity, its tribal customs and traditions and historical heritage, all would have been destroyed. It cannot be denied that Afghanistan snuggled out of the stranglehold of USSR because of Pakistan’s momentous role. In its bid to save Afghanistan, Pakistan itself got entangled in innumerable problems. Wave of conspiracies, intrigues and terrorism ruined Pakistan’s peace.

War against the Soviets produced Jihadis in Pakistan and gave rise to Kalashnikov and drug cultures. Most of the Jihadis who took part in Afghan Jihad were from FATA and some parts of settled areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) like Malakand. Religious seminaries imparting religious training were converted into military training centres duly funded by CIA and Saudi Arabia. Since Jihadis came from other Muslim countries as well, camaraderie developed among them. A small force of about 500-700 from Saudi Arabia under Osama bin Laden supported by CIA also took active part in Jihad. This force was later named as al-Qaeda in mid-1990s.

Pakistan Challenges in 2014

This year is the ongoing war on terror which has taken its toll on the Army. Proposed peace talks which have so far have made no headway and about which the nation stands divided is another weighty problem. Possibility of launching a major military operation in North Waziristan (NW) cannot be ruled out in case the talks fail.

By Brig Asif Haroon Raja/Opinion Maker

Learning from his folly of sidelining most deserving and senior most Lt Gen Ali Kuli Khan and appointing Gen Pervez Musharraf as COAS in October 1998, PM Nawaz Sharif this time acted sensibly. Hullabaloo made by the media over delay in announcing the names of new CJCSC and COAS and then the supersession of Lt Gen Haroon Aslam was soon drowned after he appointed second and third senior most officers Gen Rashad Mahmood and Gen Raheel Sharif as CJCSC and COAS respectively strictly on merit.

Both are professionally sound with sterling qualities of head and heart and enjoy clean reputation. Gen Rashad is a go-getter and is likely to infuse more life in his huge organization. Belonging to a martial family and brother of Maj Shabbir Sharif Shaheed Nishan-e-Haider, Gen Raheel is fully qualified to take forward the good work done by his predecessor Gen Kayani. He has taken no time to settle down and make his presence felt. He knows that 2014 will be a highly challenging year.

Pakistan Quitely Start Cracking Down on USA Security Agents

Pakistani government has directed its intelligence agencies to identify & apprehend the members of US security firm Blackwater operating in Pakistan.

The government has issued a deadline of one week following reports about the ongoing presence of Blackwater agents in the country, according to a Press TV report.

The report, citing Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), said Blackwater agents are still operating inside the country. The American security firm was reportedly behind the killing of senior Haqqani network leader Naseeruddin Haqqani Nov 10.

Naseeruddin Haqqani, the son of Haqqani network leader Jalaluddin Haqqani, was killed in a firing incident in Islamabad. Naseeruddin Haqqani was responsible for fund-raising, logistics and political affairs of the Haqqani network.

In 2009, the former Pakistani government denied that the US security firm was active in the country. According to the report, the security firm has carried out targeted assassinations across Pakistan.

The American security contractor was formed to provide training support to military and law enforcement organisations. It is specialized in carrying out covert operations in hostile territories.