Riaz Ali Turi
Unite from Parachinar to Karachi
Scenic Parachinar belies an undeclared human rights free zone where they have no legal protection.
Years ago, when in my hometown Parachinar and in other tribal areas, malicious actions were initiated by inhuman terrorists against innocent and peace-loving people, I had written an article titled "Let think for Pakistan". At the time, I hadn't imagined that this article would be momentous and significant even years later. But unfortunately, today Pakistan is confronted with more miserable conditions than before.
We are in a quagmire of socio-economic and security problems set against a backdrop of ethnic and religious intolerance. From Parachinar to Karachi, the lives of human beings are at great risk. The terrorists have pushed Pakistan into a blind street where only political reconciliation, wisdom and unity with persistence in fighting terrorism can prove beneficial. Fortification through diplomatic wisdom has never been as pressing a need for Pakistan as it is today. There were no uncertainties that the allies of the "War on Terror" would fail and this would hurl Pakistan into a political mire.
I had told the government of that time that a spark of terrorism from the tribal areas could overtake the whole country soon if fierce action combined with wise strategy was not adopted against the miscreants in disparity to the strategy of combating USSR as we had a most terrible experience of the so-called Jihad against USSR.
Had the think tanks inside Pakistan chalked out a wise strategy with future planning, today there would have been no adverse impact on our society. At present, "War on Terror" has turned Pakistani streets into a breeding ground of terrorism. Terrorists got their strength in the worst days of dictatorship when public will, country constitution and state institutions had been rendered worthless and those who mattered in the country were busy in salvaging the one-man illicit regime. Today the entire nation is paying a heavy price for the dirt spread by two oppressors Zia-ul Haq and Musharraf.
Today tribal areas are breeding grounds of terrorism; life of mankind is hellish there due to the presence of terrorists in their soil. But, Tribesmen are braver and more spirited than the government of Punjab in challenging and condemning terrorists and terrorism. No tribesman nowadays has a soft corner for terrorists and no tribesman is convinced by their propaganda that they are doing everything for the well-being of Islam. Shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan Army, they are fighting against the terrorists.
Millions of Pakistanis in Parachinar - the upper part of Kurram Agency – live in a human rights free zone where they have no legal protection are subject to abuses by the Taliban on Thal-Parachinar Road. Millions of people are effectively living under the Taliban in lower part of Kurram Agency, Hangu and adjacent areas of the Thal-Parachinar Road.
On July 17, 2010 19 innocent passengers from Parachinar including 9 women have been brutally killed by terrorists on this road near Hangu. Hitherto more than 250 men, women and children are gun downed very maliciously on this road by Taliban.
Earlier to this incident, 106 tribesmen killed in a suicide bomb blast in Mohmand Agency outside Agency Political Agency office and many killed in a suicide blast in Mingora Swat. A non-stop genocide war against the poor, oppressed and ill-fated tribesmen has continued over a decade.
Let us take some obligatory and immediate steps for saving Pakistan and making it a peaceful part of the globe by uprooting extremism, targeting sources of terrorism, fierce actions against banned organizations, condemning those political powers abetting banned organizations and giving up any double games over the issue of terrorism and extremism.
Tribesmen want severe measures against the miscreants and criminals who have unlawfully captured their earthly paradise and made their lives miserable. Tribal people will remain steadfast in ridding their home towns of the enemies of humanity.
