Why no outrage against Taliban?

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) executed 15 kidnapped members of Pakistan’s Border Security Guard, a paramilitary force that guards the country’s northwestern border region in a major blow to government efforts to pursue peace talks with the militants. While the news about this massacre appeared in media on January 5, 2012, the video was released to media through Ansar ul Mujahideen, the media portal used by Taliban and Al-Qaida. This video clip was downloaded from their website on January 24, 2012.
Most astonishing thing is that no outrage against these militants and solidarity with the security forces of Pakistan could be seen in media or even general public in Pakistan. It must be recalled that an attack by NATO on Pakistan’s Salala checkpost on Afghanistan-Pakistan border was strongly resented by media, political leaders and public alike. There were public rallies and demonstrations organized by right wing political parties throughout the country, against NATO’s attack. Even Insani Huqooq Ittehad, an alliance of progressive NGOs and human rights activists, could not stay silent and a public demonstration was held by them in Islamabad.

But sadly, this particular incident in which 15 soldiers from Pakistan’s security forces were brutally killed by the militants from TTP, went without public and political rage. One argument that someone gave me on Twitter was, there was more outrage against NATO because they are Pakistan’s allies, while Taliban are the enemies. Well, this argument could be crafty, not honest. If Taliban are enemies, it is all the more necessary to give public support to our security forces and TTP must be confronted with a public sentiment against them. Imran Khan who does not leave an opportunity to radicalize the youth against the West, must be held responsible specifically because he claims to represent 60% of the country – the youth bulge – and does not feel it important to shape up public opinion against the militants and in support of our security forces who are fighting them. Sad and shameful.

Below is the video, which is NOT RECOMMENDED for people with weak heart and children below 18 years of age. It is graphical and will make you numb for hours. In fact, many nights. My heart cries for these soldiers, for these sons of my country being butchered like this by militants who are doing it in the name of religion. It will be shameful if an ordinary Pakistani does not wake up and stand with our forces who are fighting to save our country from militants.

Heart felt condolences to the families of these martyrs. Pakistan zindabad

Responses

Royal Humanist

January 24, 2012

Its a shame for the Govt of Pakistan and the politicians to keep quiet about this incident: Taliban are murdering like Nazis and Fascists ….

LikeLike

Reply
TZ

January 24, 2012

TTP is a known enemy, ruthless and barbaric. US and NATO had been enemies in disguise. TTP killed these soldiers with AK-47’s and NATO used Apache’s. TTP’s is a reactionary enemy, and the solution to them lies with getting your arse out of NATO’s coalition and then rock the hell out of TTP, leaving them with no ideological justification called “Takfeer” I hope you know what it is. If you don’t go to http://www.truemanhaj.com

LikeLike

Reply
1. Marvi Sirmed
  
  January 24, 2012
  
  In short, since Taliban are our enemies and are not pretending to be our allies, we should not mind them killing us and our soldiers. Right?
  
  Also, since they are what they are, and since they believe in a concept like takfeer (which is not – repeat – NOT accepted and endorsed by many serious Islamic scholars, lets give them a right to dictate us on our foreign policy. And if we don’t act upon their advice, we and our soldiers will be killed like this. What a shame Mr / Ms TZ. Now this is what I would call biggest be-ghairti. Curse on Taliban and their apologists.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
  1. TZ
    
    January 24, 2012
    
    Did I say that they should be left alone ? You totally missed out my whole point and instead interpretated in a completely wrong paradigm. These monsters have got their back shattered by Pakistan Army recently. They have been engaged and decimated througout their formation and activism by forces. Even the Taliban movement in Afghanistan has strictly disowned them in fact recently they gave them stern warnings to restrain from attacks against innocent people and forces in Pakistan. Who caught their leaders ? Who broke them into factions ? Who has made rehab centers for misguided suicide bombers arrested during attacks or in planning stages ? Yes, its our army ! Apart from their efforts there are organizations like JuD who have given thousands of lectures and conducted phenomenol research in letting people know about “facade of takfeer” so that people can know the real face of TTP and they can be saved from becoming tools of Takfeer. I had to explain this candidly only because you mistook me as if I was endorsing the concept of Takfeer. My point was to believe that we have to end the reasons that provide fuel to these TTP’s as an ultimate solution, doestn mean we don’t chase them,expose them and bring them to justice or speak against them. Since the Nato supplies have been blocked, and Pakistan took a legitimate stance against Nato these TTP’s started starving only because sentiments were on Army’s side. When we accept open humiliations and commit mistakes it gives them fuel. Getting rid of this plague we need to have a comprehensive strategy of getting out of this war similar to other coalition partners US had, not only because of TTP but for all implications this war has had. Then only we can rehab,retreat or redefine our script that will see the end of these mindless and heartless takfeeris. U have to understand that these militants are a part of a massive regional problem that has developed after the occupation of Afg whose leader is NO MORE a terrorist according to UN, Mr.Mullah Umer who has never been hostile even in the harshest decade of this war against Pakistan similarily like many other religous leaders who are part of the solution to the issue of uncalled jihad and facade of takfeer.
    
    LikeLike
  2. Marvi Sirmed
    
    January 25, 2012
    
    The argument ends here if you think we should indeed “chase them,expose them and bring them to justice or speak against them”. . . ! So, you should not have been irked on my posting this video and urging people to at least feel outraged by their barbarity!
    
    But since you are adamant on a thoroughly misleading ‘Imran Khanish’ approach towards terrorism in Pakistan, I must put the record straight here. Your argument – which is otherwise not an illogical, as it is important to not provide fuel to rogue elements – is based on the assumption that they started with this bloodshed after we became US allies in war on terror.
    
    One: they did not start in 2004 as Imran Khan claims. Not putting any claim on Imran Khan, just saying that the poor guy is being fooled by establishment’s conservative elements. People who proclaimed themselves as ‘Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’ in 2007, did not start their activities in 2004, or after 9/11. It is very much on record that they had consolidated their influence in Pakistan’s NWFP (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) as back as 1998. Especially in Malakand, where army had to take action in 1999.
    
    Two: They were very much supported by the Taliban in Afghanistan in those years, so much so that LEJ, TNSM, LeT, JeM, HuJI etc had their training camps in Afghanistan near Jalalabad and Kandahar, under the protection of ruling Afghan Taliban.
    
    Three: No government should let any non-government or non-state element to dictate any policy let alone foreign policy. What tomorrow they ask Pakistani state to establish Qazi courts throughout Pakhtunkhwa not just Malakand? And then throughout Pakistan not just Pakhtunkhwa? What if tomorrow they ask us to break all ties with Iran (they are anti-Shia and anti-Iran for your kind information). Will you still advocate to accept their demand just because ‘they should not be provided fuel’? This whole approach of giving away our sovereignty to selective entities has brought us to this day. No more.
    
    LikeLike
Salman C

January 24, 2012

Dear Marvi, I think the answer to the question that what ails Pakistan lies in just one word, Islam. A country where the state sanctioned curriculum brainwashes the citizens by teaching them a violent, distorted and false version of history, where the citizens are constantly and easily seduced by the barbaric concept of Militant Jihadism, people do start to tolerate atrocities like these. As a Pakistani Muslim (well ex Muslim, I emerged out of the darkness of religion and embraced the ideology of reason and science) living in the U.S, I am uber thankful for all the freedoms which are provided to me by my adopted homeland.
The first step towards correcting Pakistan’s ills should be to reject the notion that an outdated dogma should be made the supreme law of the land. The Pakistani youth would be well served if all the venom about the Ghazwas, the Jihads, the idea that a Muslim should be in constant war with all non believers and similar idiocies be stricken from the curriculum and textbooks.
Marvi you are one of my heroes. I can only imagine and admire the courage that you possess. You raise your voice of reason in a country where these ignorant people are blinded my dangerous extremism. I wont lie and tell you that I will pray for you, because as an atheist I reject the whole idea about praying to a God who is all powerful,merciful and kind but allows these atrocities to be committed in his name.Instead, I would like to tell you that you are constantly in my thoughts, and my admiration towards you is immense and I am grateful to you for giving me hope. Thank you
with all my love

Salman C.
Louisiana State University

LikeLike

Reply
Salman C

January 24, 2012

Dear Marvi, I think the answer to the question that what ails Pakistan lies in just one word, Islam. A country where the state sanctioned curriculum brainwashes the citizens by teaching them a violent, distorted and false version of history, where the citizens are constantly and easily seduced by the barbaric concept of Militant Jihadism, people do start to tolerate atrocities like these. As a Pakistani Muslim (well ex Muslim, I emerged out of the darkness of religion and embraced the ideology of reason and science) living in the U.S, I am uber thankful for all the freedoms which are provided to me by my adopted homeland.
The first step towards correcting Pakistan’s ills should be to reject the notion that an outdated dogma should be made the supreme law of the land. The Pakistani youth would be well served if all the venom about the Ghazwas, the Jihads, the idea that a Muslim should be in constant war with all non believers and similar idiocies be stricken from the curriculum and textbooks.
Marvi you are one of my heroes. I can only imagine and admire the courage that you possess. You raise your voice of reason in a country where these ignorant people are blinded my dangerous extremism. I wont lie and tell you that I will pray for you, because as an atheist I reject the whole idea about praying to a God who is all powerful,merciful and kind but allows these atrocities to be committed in his name.Instead, I would like to tell you that you are constantly in my thoughts, and my admiration towards you is immense and I am grateful to you for giving me hope. Thank you

with all my love
Salman C.
Louisiana State University

LikeLike

Reply
habib

January 26, 2012

Marvi, There were no TTP before 9/11. There were jihadies, we were using against India. There were training camps in tribals and different parts of the pakistan but these were not TTP.
Secondly in Malakand, there were no taliban before 9/11. The people you were referring to were extreme rightest who wanted a Sharia system completely different from taliban, they wanted a justice system. Remember they never killed anybody. They were trying to create a movement.
There were jihadies which we had created against russia and india but they back clashed once we entered into this war on terror.
Ideally TTP should be erased from pakistan soil, but its not possible with this strategy of becoming an ally of US, where there is so much anti american sentiments in tribals and other parts. You cannot finish these barbaric people until you come out of US war. Create an environment where all people of the country support you, while trying to bring the soft cornered jihadies into mainstream and then go after TTP.

I dont agree with the thesis that these taliban are reactionaries to NATO attack but i do agree that they took support of many people using anti-US sentiments.

In pakistan, there is a huge gape between the liberals(liftest), common man and the rightest. A common man, who prayes a few times day, who is moderate, listen to music, want to earn money, are not either extreme liftest or rightest. I think we need people in our society who can look at the problems from a common man perspective.

Liberals in Pakistan are living in an ideal, intellectual, and safe world, want to put things according to their wishes. While Mulvies want to impose their own interpreted Isalm on people.

I think Imran khan represent more of a common man who is neither liftest nor rightest.
Who prayes but enjoy concerts. Imran is not rightest, who has problem with discussing issues like beard, women dress, Tv entertainment, concerts etc. Ghamid is his favorite who is very enlightened. I dont think he is the extension of Zia conservative team though he was with those people but at the same time he was with more liberals as well.

In short, i have great respect for marvi, you were extremely couragous against many extremist voices in this country but i think, it needs more courage to look at things through other angles as well….

Habib

LikeLike

Reply
ammar

February 3, 2012

hi marvi sirmed main app ke sath kam kerna chahta hun .main app ko kaise join ker sakta hun?

LikeLike

Reply
Human Being First

July 24, 2012

I think we should protest against Islamists by banning beard and burqa. I can’t believe that even literate people of our society believe in such things. Many of my friends are growing beard. This is the first step towards barbarism. Its time to rewrite Islam which would be more logical and Secular. Killing innocent people in the name of Islam and then pray to God for mercy is the wrong side of Islam. I think we should remove everything in Islamic books relating to uncivilised acts even if we have to change Quran aur Hadith. As 1400 years old Arabic language is beyond our understanding. Every one is interpreting it differently.
I was the first one who called Taliban as terrorists in the class and office but everybody looked at me with hatred and then I told them that soon when they start killing your children in your city then you will realise it. When TPP started bombing in Pakistani cities then everybody realised that I was telling them the truth.
My next prediction is that they soon take over Pakistan and start killing people without beard, children studying in English medium schools, women without burqas and killing almost everyone in foreign clothes and speaking English. Then these stupid Muslims of Pakistan will realise that there is no such thing as Islamic system. Its just a fraud system created to establish slavery. Islam is just an Arabic religion not a system.

LikeLike

Reply