APC: civil façade of foreign policy — Farhat Taj

Both Nawaz Sharif and Mahmood Achakzai deserve credit for making their views heard to the APC participants dominated by pro-establishment political parties. Their voices, although not part of the ‘unanimous’ resolution, were echoed by the media

Since the recent attack on the US embassy in Kabul by the Haqqani network Taliban, Pakistan came under immense US pressure, including veiled threats of attack, for its links with the Haqqani Taliban with bases in Pakistan. Pakistan’s military, which runs the country’s foreign policy on Afghanistan, rejected all the statements from the US but still needed the country’s civil political leadership to stand by it to offset US pressure. Hence an All-Parties Conference (APC) was held by the PPP-led government to create a façade of civil ownership of the military-run policy in Afghanistan.

The text of the 13-point ‘unanimously’ approved resolution of all parties’ heads seems hardly anything more than a script from the ISPR. The text is mostly rhetorical without referring to the terror sanctuaries in Pakistan pointed out not only by the US but many people within Pakistan. The text, as expected, rejects US allegations about the ISI’s links with the Haqqani network.

A striking statement in the text is this: “Pakistan must initiate dialogue with a view to negotiating peace with our own people in the tribal areas [FATA] and a proper mechanism for this be put in place.” This is also the oft-repeated position of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan, who always projects the Taliban as synonymous with the Pakhtuns. What is the justification of giving such a prominent mention in the resolution to the position of the unrepresentative PTI while totally ignoring the scepticism of the twice elected prime minster of Pakistan and leader of an elected PML-N, Mr Nawaz Sharif? Mr Sharif asked the military leaders present in the conference that there must be a ‘reason’ why the whole world is holding Pakistan responsible for terrorism, a direct reference to the generals’ links with terrorist organisations.

Moreover, it is immensely surprising that the PTI’s position was recorded in the resolution but there is nothing in the text that reflects the view of Mahmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pakhtun nationalist party, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), who reportedly told the ISI chief at the APC that “there will be peace in Afghanistan within a month, provided the ISI stopped exporting terrorism into that country”. PkMAP, unlike PTI, has a representation in the Senate of Pakistan and has a longstanding firmly held position whereby it asserts that the ISI is responsible for terrorism in Afghanistan and FATA. It is remarkable to note that the ‘unanimously’ passed resolution does not accommodate the point of view of this party that has lost several political workers, who were anti-Taliban, in targeted killings in FATA. The party leaders hold the ISI responsible for their killings.

Both Nawaz Sharif and Mahmood Achakzai deserve credit for making their views heard to the APC participants dominated by pro-establishment political parties. Their voices, although not part of the ‘unanimous’ resolution, were echoed by the media, putting a question mark on the ‘unanimous’ status of the resolution.

A strange position not concurring with the longstanding position on Pakistan’s Afghan policy of the other Pakhtun nationalist party, the Awami National Party (ANP), was adopted by its leader, Asfandyar Wali, in the APC. It is pertinent to mention that the ANP issued an official statement on September 23, 2011 in the context of the growing tension between Pakistan and the US. The statement, while expressing concerns over US threats to Pakistan, “calls for an all out effort by the government (of Pakistan) to root out such (terrorist) groups, their supply lines and infrastructure (on Pakistani soil)”. The statement declares such effort as “an inescapable and urgent need of evolving a clear strategy for dealing with terror outfits (in Pakistan)”. The statement was totally ignored by the Pakistan media in line with its track record of suppressing the Pakhtun nationalist standpoint.

A few days later, ANP’s provincial leader, Afrasiab Khattak, expressed a similar view as in the official statement in a TV interview, also referred to in Dr Taqi’s column, ‘US-Pakistan relations: a rocky road ahead’ (Daily Times, September 29, 2011). By taking almost a U-turn a few days later the ANP-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed a unanimous resolution condemning US threats without any reference to the terror sanctuaries, including the Haqqani network, in Pakistan. A couple of days later, Asfandyar Wali Khan participated in the APC without making his party’s longstanding position on the Afghan policy heard and quietly toeing the establishment’s line.

This leaves one to wonder what the real position of the ANP is on the current US-Pakistan tension on the Haqqani Taliban. The ANP, which has sacrificed the blood of hundreds of its workers for the party’s anti-Taliban stance, must show the courage to publicly explain which of the two texts — the APC resolution or the party official statement — really represent the real party position.

In the current political scenario in Pakistan, it looks like the ANP position is oscillating between blackmailing the military establishment of Pakistan with the party’s nationalist position on Afghanistan and collaboration with the establishment provided it accommodated the party in the ruling alliance of Pakistan as a junior partner. Even under the leadership of Begum Nasim Wali Khan — many believe the party organisation suffered under her leadership — the ANP never compromised in publicly asserting its longstanding position on the Afghan policy of Pakistan, the position that asserts that the establishment’s strategic depth policy is responsible for the violence and instability in Afghanistan. The ANP today seem to be suffering from such a compromised leadership that the party has never seen in the past.

Notwithstanding Achakzai’s straightforward comment to the ISI chief, both he and Asfandyar Wali have to explain how they can accept the point in the resolution mentioned earlier in this column. Do the two leaders not know that the militants in FATA are the Punjabi Taliban and international terrorists linked with al Qaeda, who have committed atrocities on the tribal people, including the tribal political workers of the ANP and PkMAP? Do they not know that the ISI, not the tribal people, brought these terrorists to FATA? Do they not know that local communities in FATA view the local Pakhtun Taliban, a fringe element of the tribal society, as murderers and anti-social elements who need to face justice?

The two nationalist leaders should have boycotted the APC for inclusion of such a misguiding statement in the resolution. One must appreciate the Baloch nationalist leaders for boycotting the APC in response to the state crimes against the Baloch people. Alas the Pakhtun leadership is too compromised to take such a courageous stance on their people.

The writer is the author of Taliban and Anti-Taliban
Courtesy: daily Times

Murder of Wali Khan Babar: Mystery Resolved; Investigations Reveal the Identity of Murderers & Also Point to Internal Dynamics Within GEO News

Sources tell IH, Wali Khan Babar had some critical information on criminal links between political parties and the criminal elements and he was about to reveal some criminal links between MQM activists and the criminal elements.

GEO News reporter Wali Khan Babar gunned down on January 13, 2011

By IH Staff Reporter

He was killed in broad daylight. The administration, the police, the home department and the Interior Ministry assured speedy justice, finding some clue and nabbing the culprits behind the murder shortly, but nothing is done so far despite the eye opening revelations by the investigators. The government is aware of the identity of the culprits, but who will arrest them and how will it be possible is a million dollar question for the people in Sindh and elsewhere.

I am talking about the reporter at GEO News, a Karachi based Satellite TV Network, Wali Khan Babar, who was murdered in Karachi early this year. The young reporter belonged to Pakhtoon community. Very few people may be aware of the fact that he was working with a religious TV channel as a news anchor before joining the English language channel of the same network and was well aware of some of the top crime dens in the city of Karachi being supported by political figures or groups.

Wali Khan Babar was killed while on his way home from office. He was shot dead in front of Liaqatabad (famous as Laloo Khait) police station. The car carrying the gunmen who opened fire on him was traced as someone from police on duty noted its number and then was traced with the help of engine, chassis and registration numbers.

Initially it looked like a routine crime and an attempt to undermine media men chasing news and newsworthy people day and night, but suddenly it turned into a mystery when the policeman who noted the car number, a brother of the investigation officer and certain other people linked with the case were murdered.

The series of murders and follow up incidents and the campaign launched by the channel prompted the agencies and the interior ministry to conduct an independent inquiry, thus a high powered investigating team was set up that moved swiftly to complete the task.

Sources in the interior ministry have shown some parts of the report to this scribe, which are eye openers and a clear indication that the murder is not as simple as was initially considered and had some internal dynamics as well.

The report is based on certain statements recorded by the people arrested in connection of the murder and follow up incidents. One of the reported killers is said to be among the people who are in the safe custody of the Police and are being kept at a secret place in Karachi.

The details provided in the report suggest that the murder is or said to be linked with the MQM - ANP row in Karachi, besides the internal rivalries at the channel. It is observed in the report that both external and internal factors also show the interests of the rival MQM groups engaged in a battle for the control over the city of Karachi as well as in the TV channels.

The details mentioned in the report indicate that Babar Wali was not on good terms with some of the colleagues in the channel who wanted to safeguard the interests of MQM in the organization. He was a crime reporter and was working on criminal links between political parties and the criminal elements. He was reported to have some critical information. With increase of tension between the ANP and MQM, Babar was under huge pressure as he was connected with anti group of local pro-MQM journalists and also had a family link with ANP.

The feud erupted among the rival groups reportedly belonging to MQM and ANP and it prompted the rival group to keep him away from crime reporting as according to the sources, he was about to reveal some criminal links between few MQM activists and the criminal elements, sources confided. Meanwhile Shahid Motu (a code name) approached an MQM sector office with the complaints that “Pani Ser se guzar gia hai, ab isay khamosh krna goga” (water is over the head and ‘he’ would have to be ‘silenced’ now), sources added. He also informed the MQM sector office that Babar is the main source of ANP in Karachi journalism and he is about to reveal some sensitive information.

The complaint of Shahid Motu (actual name is not mentioned) was then sent to London Secretariat and on the arrival of a go-ahead signal, the next move was planned. The car belonged to a colleague who was actually not aware of the plan, the report suggests according to the sources. The execution was perfect; the victim was chased from I. I. Chundrigar road and was shot in front of Liaqatabad police station as the whole Police Station was considered to be apna (own).

Former Sindh Interior Minister Zulfiqar Mirza

The investigators are scared of a backlash from the Karachi based organization trying to enter in Punjab; however they suggested a prompt action. Sindh Interior Minister, Zulfiqar Mirza was reportedly about to order action against the murderers, but information was leaked thus pressure was exerted on the weak central government for his removal and for the sake of his own survival the Minister was asked to resign and go on leave.

Meanwhile, sources in the interior ministry have confided that Rehman Malik and some other top government officials have informed MQM chief Altaf Hussain about the findings and he is asked by the government to handover the real executors.

It is quite an interesting fact that the channel was running a campaign on the murder of Wali Babar, but immediately after the completion of the report, the campaign is intriguingly stopped and no single promo was aired in favor of justice to the family of Wali Babar.

The development has a clear link with the report as some parts were also leaked to the Channel administration, indicating that some people at the channel may be arrested which will defame the organization, thus a criminal silence is being maintained, sources observed.