The Singapore meeting is crucial for global peace. Pakistan is aiming FATF grey delisting but it is not doing enough to eliminate terrorism from its soil
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is scheduled to meet at Paris very soon, which among other issues would be examining Pakistan’s yet another desperate effort to come out of the “grey list” and be accepted as a normal civilised state.
Irrespective of the outcome of this meeting over which the city-state of Singapore would preside, there are a few principles and basic facts, which the participants representing the European Union, the US, the UK and other countries should not ignore. Equally important is their attitude in accepting the stand taken by the Government of India, after all, the people in India have been the single largest victims of Pakistani terrorism. Many countries in Europe, notably England and France besides the US, have had enough of battering from Islamic terrorism, and very often, it has Pakistani lineage.
The statement of Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs— “Pakistan is the global centre of terrorism and continues to be the source of terrorist activities, including in India. Pakistan continues to make no investment in human development but provides their resources for creating and sustaining infrastructure of terrorism”—needs to be taken seriously by all the participants before they take any decision.
It is expected by all the peace loving people, just not in India, that they are the principal target of on-going Pakistani sponsored terrorism. The so-called “infrastructure” is merely one aspect in understanding the nature and magnitude of the threat human civilization faces from Pakistan and similar other “pious” nations in pursuing their theologically sanctioned “Holy Mission.”
Lekhi’s assessment is both timely and apt. Countries like Pakistan, built and sustained on blind hatred of “others” have very different ideas on “human development” It is devoid of humanism and the finer aspects of human civilization, to put it very mildly.
Let us face facts which are known to many, but ignored by all those who matter most in fighting the battle against Islamic terrorism, that Pakistan and various other nations have embraced, and show no sign of any dilution in their tenacity and commitment in pursuing that agenda. From its very beginning, it was common knowledge that the Pakistani system is controlled by three “A”s – Allah, America and Army. Given this background, Pakistan is bound to suffer and lose out in the long-run. It is one of the enigmas of contemporary history that some of the most advanced democratic nations in the world often prop up Pakistan as an ally for very nebulous geo-strategic advantages, and that also against a democratic, liberal and civilized country like India!
India’s case suffers, because very often there is a studied reluctance to accept the reality and the deeper causes of this unending terrorism which for the perpetrators is Jihad. The problem in India is that the “domain experts” –both in the area studies departments in the university system, and sometimes in the North Bloc and South Bloc, are engaged in finding out layers and layers of meaning in distinguishing between the “hawks” and “doves” in the Pakistani state-system. Such an analytical tool, however useful it could be in categorizing other societies, miserably fails in understanding countries like Pakistan.
The Japanese have a term, Kokutai, that means that certain basic characteristics of a state-system do not change despite the changes in the complexion of a government. It is time to realize that Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and many countries in our neighbourhood would not suddenly turn liberal and humane.
Sensitivity and fellow-feeling develops over centuries, and societies which get cut off from those life-sustaining spiritual-cultural sources get deformed and stunted like weeds in barren deserts. Hence, any attempt to expect the basic minimum of civilized behavior from them is not only futile but also dangerous. Sir Vidia had vividly pointed out the many deficiencies of such societies so brilliantly even while another Nobel laureate Amartya Sen maintains total ignorance on such matters!
While the Singapore meeting would be looking at the various ways, a terror-infrastructure is considered innocuous or dangerous, the fact remains that there are various other factors that define a government and the dominant ruling groups, and in Pakistan’s case, it is entirely Sunni Muslim. We cannot forget that it was a “constitutionalist” and an English educated Shia, like Jinnah, who had organised the “Direct Action” in Calcutta on August 16, 1946, hastened the process of Partition, and subsequently overseen the swift and bloody elimination of the minorities from Pakistan.
That takes us to the most important component of the Pakistani State-system-the merciless treatment of its non-Muslim minorities—most of whom happen to be Hindus—the hated idol-worshippers! They, along with other non-Muslims also stigmatized as non-believers in Pakistan, formed about 23 per cent of its population at the time of partition/independence in 1947. Now, they stand reduced to about two per cent. They faced every form of terrorization-forced abduction of their women, and their forced nikah with the Muslim abductors. Cooked up “blasphemy” charges against hapless Hindus and Christians, and their inhuman treatment, coupled with the gross discrimination and denial, to which they are subjected every day is their tragic lot!
It is an unending list of heart-breaking stories and there are thousands and thousands of such victims from Pakistan and Bangladesh, who have found shelter in India. The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, as given by Narendra Modi’s government, is only meant to ensure citizenship for these tragic victims of ethno-religious cleansing.
If Pakistan very escapes often effective ostracisation in the comity of nations, and India lose out, it is also because of a malignant virus in our body politic-well placed in its political system, media, academia, entertainment industry and sports arena which overlooks Pakistan’s crime-record against humanity and weakens India’s legitimate concerns besides further jeopardizing its fear-stricken and dwindling kafir minorities. It is time to neutralize them effectively. Hence, the all-too familiar sight of Indian cricket players providing tips to their Pakistani counterparts, and occasional news of Track-2 or 3 or 4 diplomacy (basically bogus and wasteful) would have no impact on Pakistani attitude regarding the sanctity of an “Unbeliever’s” life, whether within Pakistan and India.
It is high time that the democratic and civilized nations of the world looked at Pakistan for what it is. Its current status as a terrorist state or a “criminal enterprise” a la Naipaul, or an “international migraine” as described by Madeleine Albright, a former US Secretary of State, and more recently, the description given by US President Joe Biden, as “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” needs to be taken seriously and remedial measures initiated. The sooner we can do it, the better it is for humanity.
Despite a correct diagnosis, this problem turns more menacing when it is further strengthened by gifting them squadrons and squadrons of fighter aircraft, as Washington recently did. Even a child knows that these can be only used against India.
(The author is a Member of the ICHR)