Rhetoric versus action

Gone are the days when diverse groups with opposing ideologies showed tolerance and engaged with one another in a debate that could eventually lead to a consensus on the subject. People were civil and believed in the finer elements of humanity. They not only displayed restraint but also tolerance for the ideas of those who believed in some other ideology.
These days not a single day goes by without some night gem of wisdom comes out with a fancy idea for all the ills that are being faced by society. There are also some self-styled advisers of the government who would also like to create the impression that the top generals and the top political leadership of this country can hardly breathe without their ‘valuable’ advice. This has now continued for so long that the time has come for all the stakeholders to think deeply and honestly, without flowery rhetoric, and suggest workable solutions to the crisis-like situation the country is in.
The most serious issue remains terrorism and how it affects the lives of ordinary citizens side as well as the international ramifications it leads to. For example, the present government with all its experience and wisdom, found it better to engage the terrorists in peaceful negotiations.
Some good honest soldiers kept whispering in the ears of the government that with so many examples available in the world like Sri Lanka and Ireland or even the red brigades in Japan, the only viable means available was to crush terrorism with force. A long delay in the military operation can be called criminal negligence and when the army unilaterally decided to go after these terrorists who call themselves soldiers of Islam, the government meekly followed with a new theory that the army and political government were on the same page.
Here it would be pertinent to point out that the role of some of the religious leaders has been at best intolerable because they are not aware about the political realities of the world and continue to mislead the people with half-baked ideas that need to be resisted at all levels. These people should have been taken to task for spewing poisonous statements that could in no way benefit society. On its part, the government remains inept and confused on this vital national issue and has so far failed to convert its high sounding rhetoric into real action.
Political expediency, like the senate elections and other give and take strategies that only benefit a coterie of politicians and have nothing to do with the welfare of the masses, seems to rule the day. One is also astounded at the audacity of certain lawyers’ organisations who do not want speedy justice and exemplary punishment for these merchants of death. They have challenged certain laws that would decide the fate of those who were playing with the life and property of the people of Pakistan.
On the other hand the government has miserably failed to put in place a system whereby large swathes of ignorant people receive proper productive education and are then engaged as normal citizens of this country. There is no mechanism where the educated can expect to be accommodated either in the private sector or the public sector. They, therefore, become easy pickings for various terrorist groups that have tons of money to purchase the loyalties of these young people.
It is expected that once Operation Zarb-e-Azb is over the government will put in place a system where the people of those areas are helped in a way that can change their mindsets, which have been influenced by years of propaganda. Uneducated religious leaders could have played a positive role in detaching society from the clutches of these merchants of death posing as the saviours of the faith, but their priorities lie elsewhere and they have kept mum on this issue.
There have been several APCs in the country on this issue but there has been little implementation. The expectations of the people from state organisations have never been fulfilled. One wonders when the government and other state organisations will wake up to the reality. When will social and economic reforms be introduced in the poorest of the poor parts of the country so that a sense of participation in the affairs of the state is created within the people?
Until this happens mighty speeches and new ideas that have no relevance to the ground realities of this country will continue to hamper any progress in resolving the issue of terrorism. They in fact create impediments in the way of those who sincerely want to speed up the effort not only to eliminate these criminals but also to introduce both short and long-term reforms in the social and economic sectors of the country. Will the government wake up to these realities?
Email: zarnatta@hotmail.com