Summary: Pakistan, Armed Forces and Terrorism - the Armed Forces are Responsible
Ulrich Stahnke
President General Musharraf has led the country, which had been converted to Islam by the military dictator Zia ul Haq, from supporting the Taliban for years to fighting international terrorism. Awareness, however, that the country had been involved with terrorists, and had used terrorists to obtain its own political and military objectives in Kashmir for too long, still has to grow within both the elite and wide sections of the society of Pakistan. Time for that is required. The internal Islamic potential, which has grown up with this false policy, can only be deliberately dried up in generations by long-term investment in education, and by an economic development which provides enough jobs.
To be exact, in the conflict against India concerning Cashmere Pakistan bets on Islamistic "guerrillas" and paramilitary Pakistan units logistically supported by the Pakistan armed forces. Amazingly the same Islamistic forces, which fight against the Pakistan security forces in the "North West Frontier Province" in the area bordering Afghanistan, are called terrorist by Pakistan’s political and military leaders, whereas - deployed in Cashmere - they are called freedom fighters.
As president Musharraf is a guarantor for stability in Pakistan. He is equal to his duty and - concerning the war against terrorism - has become a recognized and reliable partner of the free world. At the moment there is no alternative for his person and the interior and exterior policy directed by him. But he seems to feel challenged by Islamists, even by those within the armed forces. The Pakistan "Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)" is a "state in the state" of the Pakistan armed forces, difficult to control and to direct. Furthermore, even today former secret service leaders are acting as military advisors for Islamistic parties. Annoyance in the armed forces, a vast self-contained organisation cut off from the secret service, at Musharraf’s policy supporting the USA seems to be substantial.
According to Pakistan considerations, with some organisational help by Al Qaida, and by means of deliberate attacks, radical Islamists might be willing to bring about a nation-wide escalation of acts of violence between Shiites and Sunnites in order to destabilize Pakistan and its government because of their cooperation with the USA. The objective presumably is to shake the inner stability of Pakistan and to bring about chaos and unsteadiness. Thus, Pakistan’s economical recuperation is meant to be hindered, its wide-spread poverty and insufficient education solidified, and the breeding-ground for extremists cultivated. Pakistan is in need of inner stability. Its education and health systems must be renewed; its infrastructure and its institutions must improve. The country badly needs investments. Investors, however, do not sink their money in an unstable and insecure country. Only with education, labour and social security the increase of extreme Islamists can be stopped successfully.
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