|
COVER STORY: MOOD IN PAKISTAN
SOCIAL FALLOUT
Rising Islamic Fury
With the moderates veering toward extremism anti-US outrage
gathers steam
The zealots couldn't
have known, but after nearly two decades of trying to infuse religious
extremism in a moderate Pakistan, all it took was two weeks to rake up
pro-jehadi passions. When a fortnight ago America decided to spew armed
vindication against Afghanistan, it was with the intent of wiping out
terrorism. What it has whipped up instead is a rash of belligerent sentiments
that has united the mullahs and moderates in Pakistan like never before.
| |
|
| |
SIMMERING OUTRAGE: A rally to protest the US assaults on
Afghanistan in Karachi
|
Barely a month ago, relief ripped through the
tolerant majority in Pakistan which welcomed the country's role as a frontline
state in the global coalition against terrorism. Today, the people are
aghast at the relentless US pounding, its scant concern for mounting civilian
casualties and its justification of "collateral damage". "At
the moment President Pervez Musharraf is in control," wrote cricketer-turned-politician
Imran Khan in Dawn recently, "but the silent majority is rapidly
turning against the bombing of Afghanistan."
"If the US strikes continue," affirms
Nasir Jamil, a civil engineer, "many moderates may turn jehadi overnight."
In fact, during the recent press conference with US Secretary of State
Colin Powell, Musharraf made no bones about the nationwide opposition
to the US strikes and fears of a domestic backlash if they didn't end
soon.
And if mounting protests across the Muslim world
are an indication, a pan-Islamic uprising of jehadis willing to defend
Afghanistan could be in the offing. In fact, Pakistani newspapers reported
last week that thousands had volunteered for jehad in Afghanistan in response
to a recruitment drive in the tribal areas. While the Urdu press may be
playing a key role in fuelling the pro-Taliban hysteria, jehad may yet
be some distance in the future. "Our maulvis have been saying jehad
should be waged but they have not said we must prepare for it," jokes
Noor Ahmed, a carpenter.
The disillusionment, however, is finding expression
in calls for nationwide strikes, lukewarm though they may be. A strike
on October 12 was followed by another on Monday which saw participation
even by Punjab, a state that had remained neutral so far. Many believe
that such protests may help disable US designs to establish a permanent
presence in Pakistan for a sustained campaign against Afghanistan.
The public sentiments would not have altered
so rapidly or radically had the US military action been short and sharp,
as Musharraf had assured his people, and had Pakistan not allowed the
US use of its airports. "There is a contradiction in words and deeds,"
says Jamil. Which has bred distrust. "I am not a supporter of the
Taliban but I don't trust America. It had no intention of catching Saddam
(Hussain), so how can I believe it wants Osama. This could just be an
excuse to target this region." Abid agrees. "I fear we may be
falling into a trap. But this doesn't justify the strikes that affect
business and trade. It only hurts Pakistan," she says.
Pakistanis are also beginning to fret over another
ramification of a sustained US operation-influx of Afghan refugees. Karachi,
with almost a million Afghans, is already bearing the brunt of the drugs-and-guns
culture introduced by them. A multistoreyed apartment block on the city's
western fringe is used by Afghans as a den for drugs, guns and prostitution.
Not far from it is a squatter settlement of over five lakh Afghan refugees.
And despite its pro-Taliban image fostered by the violent rallies, Quetta
too is concerned about the refugee influx.
The immediate focus of protests, however, is
the continuing US strikes. But it may not be long before the simmering
passions turn into a raging inferno.
—Sahar Ali in Karachi
|
METRO TODAY
Web
Exclusives
