by Abdulhadi Hairan

Created on: March 02, 2008   Last Updated: May 03, 2011

Pakistan is in fact playing a double game in the global war on terror. On one hand, he is a front-line ally of the United States of America and gets millions of dollars every month for the operations against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban operatives in tribal areas. On the other hand, the rulers have given a free hand to the intelligence agencies, the mullahs, the madrassahs and the extremists to terrorize people and do what they want in broad daylight.

The world knows only one aspect of Pakistan's involvement in the war against terror: that he is a front line ally of the USA. The other aspect, that he produces the armies of terrorists and extremists through its intelligence agencies and training centers known as religious madrassahs, is behind the veil. The world does not know about this or pretend to be not aware of it. It is true that a large number of Pakistani soldiers are deployed in the tribal areas to fight the terrorists, they fight each other there, kill each other sometimes, but then the same terrorists freely go to the mosques in the cities of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, Mardan, etc. inciting people for suicide attacks in Afghanistan and collect money for jihad. They deliver inflaming speeches after Friday prayers, distribute jihadi pamphlets and make lists of those who want to be a jihadi or martyr. Similarly, they go to schools and colleges, brainwash the young students and use them for their heinous crimes. The police and security forces rarely move against these elements.

One more point to be mentioned here, the Feb 18, 08 election was a clear verdict against the terrorism and extremism on behalf of Pakistani people. The result means that the common people don't want terrorists and extremists and their uncouth activities still the militants get stronger every passing day. So it is a valid question if the people do not want them and do not support them, who is funding and supporting them? Who does provide weapons and money to them? Who does keep them united and organized? Who does protect them from the wrath of the people and the government?

And one more question: When 80 percent of the people think (they think so because they know it) that the terrorists and extremists are created by the government itself, and Pakistan's war against the terrorists is only a drama, and if they think that the secret agencies and President Musharraf's party is helping the extremists, why does the United States of America and international community still insist on supporting President Musharraf? The international community must understand that the current rulers of Pakistan are not helping the war on terror but in fact support the extremist elements for getting more money for whatever purposes. And to continuously support these rulers will bring frightening results not only for Pakistan and Afghanistan but for the whole region and the world at large.

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