Saturday, February 25, 2017

Racially Biased Policing of Pashtuns in Punjab

In the recent wave of bombings across the country, the whole political and military leadership is off its comfort zone, passing executive orders to avenge the losses in no time is very much reminiscent of the US President Donald Trump.

The reactionary quick fixes to what we call countering terrorism is in no way the panacea to our agonies. Leave alone terrorizing the terrorists and their abettors, this approach of ours will turn those against us, who have always been on our side.

Yes, the racial profiling of the Pashtuns in Punjab to what the security enforcement officials call a measure to drive back terrorists is clearly in error.


It is an open secret that my Pashtun cousins are all over Pakistan for a variety of reasons, including getting education and doing business. And they have always been the nicest and welcoming people even being on the visiting side. Profiling them for our own failures is in no way justifiable and acceptable.

This state of affairs is not only unthinking and reactionary, lacking in clarity and substance, but also is guilty of perpetuating hatred towards a particular race.

Yes, the current phase of blasts has badly terrorized us, but it does not mean that we react and respond to it with a tit-for-tat policy instead of a well thought out plan. Our this tendency of abrupt reaction to something unpleasant and unnatural has brought us more losses and less gains. While the psychopaths are cheering their fresh series of successful blasts, their ecstasy is being doubled, watching the drama, where patriotic and nationalist Pashtuns are being forced out of their cars and dishonored. This is but a massive victory for them.

Imagine if in KP or Balochistan such a racial profiling of any other race took place, what would it be like; how would it feel. Of course it would hurt and hurt badly.

Remember, wars are not won merely on offensive grounds but also on moral grounds, where the whole nation is standing by you; sacrificing for you. Here this is missing, meaning that those at the helms of affairs have to rethink their strategy before it is too late to correct what is erroneous.

It is therefore paramount to change the reactionary strategy, aimed at doing whatsoever is deemed appropriate to torment and punish terrorists and their abettors. A holistic, sensible and sustainable plan needs be adopted if we want to get rid of the terrorism.

The ideal way to do this is to start with the NAP. Again, I have to underline the significance of NAP. It is the only well-conceived plan to conquer terrorism. If political will is there, progress on NAP can be made in no time.

It is time we stopped blaming others and started taking responsibility. Racial profiling of Pashtuns is no help nor a good move. Humiliation of one tribe for the wrong-doings of someone with no identity, race, religion and origin is unwise and needs to be corrected.

Remember, Pashtuns are the primary victims of terrorism from the day first, projecting them as terrorists or their sympathizers, financers and abettors is only deteriorating the situation.


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