Head of PPP Media Cell
The exclusive story of Dawn contributed by its journalist Cyril Almeida was startling indeed, but only for the day. For, it contained nothing new that was not already in the public knowledge.
In the news and views, mention of non-state actors and proscribed organisations activities with impunity was indispensible to fill the void when the subject of security of the country was under discussion. The cascade of discussions might have run out of steam sooner than later if the government had not taken the irrational decision of putting the journalist on the Exist Control List (ECL).
The exclusive got phenomenal prominence and space in media and was blown up out of immense proportion thereafter, notwithstanding, in the backdrop of India-Pakistan ongoing tensions.
Thanks God, better sense has prevailed upon the ministry that has removed the name of the journalist from the Exist Control List (ECL). But, regretfully, the damage has been done because the fall out of the news story got extensive negative publicity all around highlighting alleged civil-military divide. As a damage control exercise, it is advised the matter may be now put to rest to deny the enemies the rare opportunity to exploit it unabated to their advantage by gaining psychological edge over us out of the choppy waters. Our adversary, obviously, will spare no effort to spotlight the contradiction in our security policy to fight out terrorism.
The hair splitting of the incident may be stopped forthwith in this case; otherwise, it will keep the incident alive portraying a house divided. They--government and the army--are not in competition and are working in unison to face the challenges.
The media persons and the outfits may consider downplaying this fiasco keeping in view the national security paradigm. Indian electronic and print media, in particular, and the world media, in general, excessively used it to highlight the perceived division between the civilian and the military establishment so far as the country’s policy of defeating terrorism (indiscriminately) is concerned.
The implied tendency to blame each other must stop forthwith as it will hand out the message, the security is not being handled with requisite seriousness and competence. Chest thumping is surely self-defeating because it emanates from vendetta than vision.
The widespread criticism of the decision to put the journalist on the Exist Control List (ECL) among the important segments of the society and in the world at large reflected as how things could be messed up as a result of poor judgement. It was triggered after the publication of the story based on the deliberations of high level meeting chaired by the prime minister and attended by the top brass of civil and military to discuss the security situation and the immediate challenges because of the tensions with India. The participants representing the civilian side reportedly maintained that Pakistan has been incrementally drifting in the direction of diplomatic isolation because of our inability to take indiscriminate action against the terrorists/militants. The disclosure, unfortunately, also implied casting aspersions on the security Establishment those was circumventing the efforts of the government to build up its diplomatic credentials badly hit by lack of clarity to defeat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The world is skeptical and Pakistan is not perceived as doing enough to address its reservations.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto strongly disapproved the decision of the Ministry of Interior to put the journalist on the ECL adding no one had the right to put restrictions on the free movement of the people which was the fundamental right of every citizen. He demanded of the government to immediately remove the journalist’s name from the ECL and should not put any restrictions on his movement so that he could undertake his professional duties in an enabling environment. He is a respectable journalist and should not be treated as criminal. The naivety of the government had hurt the image of the country’s democracy and freedom of press was subjected to intimidation and arbitrary executive action presumably destined to muzzle the freedom of press.
The CPNE, the APNS, journalist organisations, civil society and Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International have condemned the decision which was followed by the campaign against the newspaper. The newspaper published the contradiction of the PM House on the following day. Yet the campaign was uncalled for and, therefore, loathsome. They should have not done so and instead have subtly managed to push it under the carpet. For the disclosures in the exclusive were well known and reported/discussed both in news and views in one form or another. The putting of the journalist on ECL made it breaking news in the national and international media with disturbing comments like cleavage between civil and military leadership.
Instead, the government should have promptly lodged the complaints with the Press Council of Pakistan and resisted the temptation/instruction of taking unilateral action to punish the journalist in a failed bid to kill the message and the messenger. The Press Council of Pakistan was the appropriate forum that was mandated to deal with the cases of complaints against the newspapers. Or, the government should have sought the judicial recourse to deal with the issue that would have taken the thunder out of the allegation of “security breach” as the lengthy due process of law would have adjudicated fairly and squarely.
Civil-military relations’ vagaries were not the peculiarity of this government. Almost all civilian governments in the past went through such difficult phases of relationship whenever civilians tried to retrieve the space from the Khakis, or civilians expressed their reluctance to kowtow their just or unjust myriad demands. The institutional propensity to seek ascendance over and above of the constitutional rule could not be appreciated in a democratic dispensation build on the narrative of the supremacy of Parliament. In established democracies, the institutions were required to conduct their official business as strictly defined in the Constitution. In Pakistan, regretfully, Ganges flows upstream. It had inevitable pitfalls, and the history of government and politics of Pakistan was witness to this propensity exemplified in the metaphor--tail wagging the dog not the otherwise.
The non-state actors and the proscribed organisations have become an unbearable liability that the foreign/ security policy of the country cannot afford. Pakistan had enough of the first sin and its inevitable sordid aftermaths. These militants should not only be abandoned but also be seen by the international community as having been abandoned for all times to come. The largely held perception of contradiction in our security/foreign policy have to be tackled comprehensively and thoroughly if Pakistan wanted improvement in its diplomatic credentials. The world knows exactly as who is who-- their supporters and facilitators. Pakistan will not be able to extricate from the quagmire of isolation till the international community is convinced that the non-state actors have been marginalised without an iota of doubt. USA, European Union, Russia and even China have been lately asserting that these rough elements be eliminated for the sake of the regional peace and security. One wonders as when curtain will be lifted from the senses and foresight of our leadership to learn to get along the world as a respectable nation contributing in the peace and security in the world.
It is not difficult for the state to delegitimise and dismantle proscribed organisations because according to Mr Tariq Khosa, a distinguished retired police officer, ‘no non-state actor can exist without the support of visible and invisible state elements’. Unwavering sincerity and commitment of the state institutions are the condition precedent to undertake the operation whole heartedly leading to pleasing conclusions. The processions of the Pakistan Dafa-i- Council and the PTI plan to lay siege on Islamabad on October 30 agitate the minds of the people with skepticism emanating from the back to back dates of the two protests against the sitting government. The conspiracy theory of hidden agenda gets a modicum of credence.
It may be recalled that former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani wanted to reciprocate the status of most favoured nation to India but could not do so because Dafa-i-Pakistan Council took out the procession at Wagah border against the government’s intention. Now, who is pushing the protests (covertly) is left to the judgement of the people? Opposition Leader, Syed Khurshid Shah Media talk in the recent past is suggestive indeed when he said, ‘one Party let siege Islamabad and other to resign’.
At the international level, Pakistan’s image of hunting with hounds has to be addressed, sooner the better. President Obama has time and again urged the government of Pakistan to move pro-actively and sincerely to delegitimise and dismantle the Haqqani Network and others. State Department’s frequent demand urging Pakistan to go after the proscribed organisation suggests the level of frustration of the US. Reports are appearing in the media that our time tested friend China is also feeling annoyed and threshold of its patience may run out at the end of the day leaving us high and dry. Why the Pakistan government and the Security Establishment are hesitant to take action against such organisations? They owe an explanation to the nation and to the international community. To seek redemption in silence is no more tenable.
muhammadshaheedi@yahoo.com
