A Letter to General Raheel Shareef
By Syed Kamran Hashmi
Westfield, IN
Dear Sir,
Through this letter, I want to thank you in particular and acknowledge the role of Pakistani Army in general for showing an extraordinary resolve against the terrorists who shot down over one hundred innocent children in Peshawar last month. Your immediate response with coordinated air strikes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and prompt execution of the terrorists who had been found guilty by the courts reassured us that Military has got our backs, a gesture that both calmed us down and lifted our spirits to fight this war in which the enemy follows no rules, shows no sympathy and relies upon pure savagery to spread terror.
Sir, I can affirm that the whole nation stands behind the Armed Forces today, fully aware that the cost of this war, both in the form of civilian casualties and military sacrifices, can run high. However, we also believe that the dawn of a new and safe Pakistan will eventually set in liberating us from our fears.
Sir, since you have sworn in as the new Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), we find that every organ of the state - political parties, judiciary, bureaucracy and the media outlets - has finally united to take on the ‘existential threat to our nation.’ And for the first time, all of them have realized that the terrorists on our soil, like the parasites chewing down their own hosts, act as our enemies and not friends, irrespective of their religion or political ambitions in the neighboring countries. Although we still mourn the death of our children, but we celebrate the clarity in thought which may have been the essential ingredient missing to defeat this menace once and for all.
Sir, after passing the 21st constitutional amendment, politicians cannot back out from their commitment. Whether they understood the limitations and inefficiencies of the civilian judicial structure; they were convinced it was the right thing to do; or they gave in after a little ‘arm twisting,’ whatever the case may have been; they still have put their trust in you by establishing the military courts and agreeing to prosecute the criminals by your officers. Sure, this step has irked some liberals, but Sir, most members of the Parliament have supported it, nevertheless. As far as the ordinary Pakistanis are concerned, they do not understand the real difference between the military and the civilian courts, what they do understand is that terrorism and Pakistan cannot go hand in hand any more. One will have to crush another for its own survival. And who do they trust to get the job done? Only you. In the end, through the recent visit of John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, to Pakistan and by releasing the funds for IDPs, America too has pledged its support in your favor. From a practical standpoint in the current circumstances, you can't ask for better support than this. Now Sir, with all the power in your hands - military courts, political backup, public sympathy and the American assistance - let us be clear that there isabsolutely no room left for failure.
As always Sir, through an organized campaign, we are being fed with conspiracy theories yet again, theories that almost exonerate Taliban from incidents like the Peshawar massacre and put the major blame on India and other countries. It may very well be true; however, even if it were true, we still have to consider it as the failure of our leading spy agency, ISI, for its inability to uncover the plot and catch the miscreants before they had executed their plan. Yes Sir, I agree that CIA, RAW, MI 6 and French intelligence, all of them failed to preempt such an attack on their soil. But, each one of them only failed once. We, on the other hand, have failed on numerous occasions, including but not limited to, the GHQ attack, assault on Karachi Airport, Wagha Border massacre and raids on PNS Mehran. The time for such excuses like foreign involvement and international agenda has passed. We do not want unfounded theories, cooked-up explanations or unnecessary blame games. Now, we want results.
Sir, if some of the terrorists get illegal financing, even then I have to say it still falls in your domain. The agencies need to track down the money trail and block the process while prosecuting the culprits in military courts. Non-military institutions for the reasons well known to you, do not have the capacity nor the understanding to handle these complex issues. Notwithstanding their ineptitude, ISI, with its experience in dealing with such matters, should detect and prevent such transactions at all costs. If it needs assistance, you know it can be obtained in a heart beat. However, in case of its failure to stop such funding, we must not blame the powerless and unskillful civilian institutions.
You must know that terrorismis not the only war we need to win. Our struggle has to be directed at extremism and sectarianism too. And without taking action against the sectarian organizations, neither we can win the war against terror nor we can attain durable peace. That action is the litmus test Sir; we have to evaluate our Army’s capability and resolve based on its success against the banned outfits like Sipah e Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Lashakr Jhangvey (LeJ) and Lashkar e Tayeeba (LeT).
In the end I am writing this letter to you instead of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, because I want to set the record straight that the ultimate responsibility for the outcome of this war, whether we win it or lose it, lays in the hands of the Pakistan Army. We cannot blame the civilian leadership for their alleged incapacity or dishonesty anymore. In case of failure, we must realize that this is not Kargil. We can't afford another scapegoat for sacrifice. People of Pakistan have done their job, it's time for you to do yours.
Thank you,
Concerned Citizens
