By Koshur Mazloom
When West talks about instability in the South Asia, they attribute all of it to the Islamic ‘terrorism’ unleashed by ‘Fanatic Jihadists’ who harp hatreds against the so called ‘civilized world’. They show concern about ‘Islamic insurgencies’ going on in Afghanistan and its side effects on Pakistan. They talk about the brutal aggression of Afghan Taliban on US and NATO forces. Taliban’s open harboring of Alqaida and its cohorts is being considered as Taliban’s Pan- Islamic ambitions and a source of violence prevalent in this region. Pakistan’s tacit support to Western forces is always a less acknowledged feat but its Army’s role in ‘supporting’ the anti – Western forces is the most talked about sin. Whatever is happening in this region is being attributed to Pakistan’s inability or unwillingness to fight the enemies of West openly. Every day mayhem and man slaughter in Pakistan has found no sympathizers in those whose wars Pakistan is fighting. Pakistan is being considered as the key ally by the West in the fight against ‘terrorism and extremism’. At the same time it is being considered as a suspicious ally. What a paradox.
No one is trying to dig into the past and find out what has fuelled this strife in the region and what is the reason of inhibitions of Pakistani public vis viz the West.
HISTORY OF DECIET
Partition of Indian subcontinent gave birth to India and Pakistan in 1947. Socialist India chose to ally with USSR and Pakistan was forced to fall into the lap of the US. This was a compulsion for Pakistan as it was engaged in a dispute with India over Kashmir. Territorial dispute over Kashmir saw India and Pakistan drifting away from each other . Animosity between India and Pakistan over Kashmir made this region a battleground in which future wars between the two blocks (Soviet block and Western block) would be fought. Who gained from keeping the pot boiling in this region? This is not a difficult question to answer. And who was instrumental in the creation of this dispute is as equally not so difficult to guess as well. West by its deceit and double standards deprived this region of having a tangible peace.
Many wars were fought between Indian and Pakistan over Kashmir and these wars have benefitted none but only those powers who were instrumental in the creation of the conflict. India was sustained and supported by the Soviet block and Pakistan was supported by the Western block although support to Pakistan was always merely a lip service.During 1971 war between these two nations which gave birth to Bangladesh, US pledged Pakistan of its unconditional support and promised to send its 7th fleet to support the Pakistani army in its war against India. But that promised was never honored. 7th fleet of US armed forces never reached the battlefield. Pakistan lost the battle, primary reason for which was the animosity over the region of Kashmir. Cold war between the West and Communist block was the reason behind the Kashmir dispute which served as a tool to have the battleground of future wars between Communists and the West shifted from Europe to South Asia. In 1971 Pakistan actually fought the war for West without any support from the West. What a paradox. Pakistan’s loss in that war was not the actual loss for the West. In the fight between two elephants, it is always the grass which suffers. So Pakistan became the grass.
Then Soviets chose to invade Afghanistan in 1977 for obvious hegemonic reasons. Anatoly Brezhnev (Then USSR head of the state) declared that Soviet Army shall wash their shoes in the Indian Ocean. This sounded alarm bells in the West. They foresaw the monster of Communism knocking at their doors. With India and Afghanistan already in the belly of Soviets, Pakistan was the only wall which was in between them and the Oil fields of the Persian gulf. Oil is a very sentimental asset for the West. They can afford to lose everything but not their oil fields. So the West under the leadership of US came running down towards Pakistan. Millions of Afghan refugees also came running towards Pakistan. Pakistan accommodated all without an iota of reluctance since Afghans were the people of the faith and US was the ally. West again promised unconditional support to Pakistan both in the war against Soviets as well as in the rehabilitation of Afghan refugees. Gen Zia – Ul - Haq the then President of Pakistan, did everything possible to win that war. Afghanis who are called as terrorists today were called Mujahidin then, by the same West. Guns, Mines, Bombs, Stingers and what not were supplied by the West to Afghan Mujahidin without any reluctance. They asked for 100, they were given 1000. Millions of Dollars were pumped into the war without any account. Muslims from all over the world were encouraged by the same West to fight that ‘War against Communists’. Osama Bin Laden and company became poster boys of the West. At that time they were brave Mujahidin. Millions of Afghans and Muslims of other nationalities lost lives in that war of ideologies which was being fought on the alien Muslim lands. Not a single US soldier died. And Afghans emerged victorious. Soviet Union fell apart like pack of cards. West celebrated the victory which was gifted to them by Muslims of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mission accomplished for them.
Now it was the time to move out of that quagmire. They left quietly leaving behind a ravaged nation and millions of refugees, who were left to fend for themselves only. No promises honored again. Their ally Pakistan, which took the direct brunt of that war, was abandoned again. Who thinks about the trampled upon grass when big Elephants finish their fight? Gen Zia who supervised all the fighting, for his beliefs in the Islamic brotherhood started to question US deceit openly. He had an unfinished agenda in front of him. He wanted to send Afghan refugees back to their country in a dignified way. His fight for the conquest of Kabul was only unfinished when his friends in the West thought to get rid of him. He was killed along with his trusted Generals and a US diplomat also became an unavoidable sacrificial lamb with them. Defaint voice was silenced. Mission accomplished once again.
Afghans did not stop at that. They continued to fight their wars on many fronts. They fought against pro – India Northern Alliance and pro – Russian Najibullah. Afghan Mujahidin who by now had become Taliban ran over their enemies to gain the control of the whole Afghanistan.
To be continued…
Koshur Mazloom © 2011
When West talks about instability in the South Asia, they attribute all of it to the Islamic ‘terrorism’ unleashed by ‘Fanatic Jihadists’ who harp hatreds against the so called ‘civilized world’. They show concern about ‘Islamic insurgencies’ going on in Afghanistan and its side effects on Pakistan. They talk about the brutal aggression of Afghan Taliban on US and NATO forces. Taliban’s open harboring of Alqaida and its cohorts is being considered as Taliban’s Pan- Islamic ambitions and a source of violence prevalent in this region. Pakistan’s tacit support to Western forces is always a less acknowledged feat but its Army’s role in ‘supporting’ the anti – Western forces is the most talked about sin. Whatever is happening in this region is being attributed to Pakistan’s inability or unwillingness to fight the enemies of West openly. Every day mayhem and man slaughter in Pakistan has found no sympathizers in those whose wars Pakistan is fighting. Pakistan is being considered as the key ally by the West in the fight against ‘terrorism and extremism’. At the same time it is being considered as a suspicious ally. What a paradox.No one is trying to dig into the past and find out what has fuelled this strife in the region and what is the reason of inhibitions of Pakistani public vis viz the West.
HISTORY OF DECIET
Many wars were fought between Indian and Pakistan over Kashmir and these wars have benefitted none but only those powers who were instrumental in the creation of the conflict. India was sustained and supported by the Soviet block and Pakistan was supported by the Western block although support to Pakistan was always merely a lip service.During 1971 war between these two nations which gave birth to Bangladesh, US pledged Pakistan of its unconditional support and promised to send its 7th fleet to support the Pakistani army in its war against India. But that promised was never honored. 7th fleet of US armed forces never reached the battlefield. Pakistan lost the battle, primary reason for which was the animosity over the region of Kashmir. Cold war between the West and Communist block was the reason behind the Kashmir dispute which served as a tool to have the battleground of future wars between Communists and the West shifted from Europe to South Asia. In 1971 Pakistan actually fought the war for West without any support from the West. What a paradox. Pakistan’s loss in that war was not the actual loss for the West. In the fight between two elephants, it is always the grass which suffers. So Pakistan became the grass.
To be continued…
Koshur Mazloom © 2011
Wow ! Such a complex history explained so simply. Only God gifted writers can write in such a way. I am impressed with the writer. Mr. Koshur Mazloom should come up with more and more articles. I recommend this article to everyone especially our young generation. Such eloquence in writing without using complex vocabulary is a treat to read.
ReplyDeleteHats off. Keep it up. You are a gifted writer.