Pakistan, the word leaves altogether different impression in people’s mind in general and in an Indian’s mind, in particular. As famously commented by our former P.M. Shri Atal Ji “you can change your fate but not your neighbour” underlines the basic complications, we got to live with them, and there is nothing wrong with it. We have a very remote and stereotype image about our neighbour that needs to be changed.
To my mind the biggest problem that Pakistan faces today is that of absence of defined centre of power, in other words the idea of authority and decision making is so dispersed and diluted that countries and people at large find this country very uncertain. In Pakistan, there is a paradox, the paradox of polarity, means there are multiple sub centers of power affecting their own specific constituencies and in result leaving the whole country shattered, pulled in many opposite directions and working at cross purposes.
For example, they have centers of power like the elected government, Islamic fundamentalists, jihadi groups,tribals, the ISI, army and finally the civil society. Elected government has some degree of control over the diplomats and the civic policies but failure of democracy at many occasions have led to erosion of confidence about its stability, by the global civil society in this institution. The government is often at loggerhead with the army and the ISI and its control on these two institutions are seriously doubted .on other hand, it has desperately failed to check the growth of Islamic fundamentalism.
Islamic fundamentalist get their support on the basis of religion and their strong anti India- Israel stand, they are the one who appeal mostly to the frustrated young unemployed youths, they also provide strong resource base to different kinds of terrorist organizations. Tribal groups mainly in north west and FATA regions have their own complains primarily rooted in political isolation and lack of development, these groups find themselves sandwiched and ready to connived with anyone who is against the government. They are the most dangerous one as they don’t know who their enemy is? Army has its own agenda that is mainly against India, so, no matter what happens at diplomatic level they always prepare some kind of shadow war. Kargil was immediately after the Agra summit which shows that diplomat and army man both were working at the same time, although at cross purpose. Army chief is always regarded parallel to the President and it is not mere coincidence that so many army generals have become presidents or P.M. in Pakistan, so he Army chief exercises his own power and influence ,thus army is virtually not in civilian control.
The biggest mystery is the role of ISI, it seems that they sit on the wall, keep swinging. but the permanent work is supporting jihadist in Kashmir and arranging man and material for anti india shadow operations. Who control them? Sometimes its army another times jihadist or may be government but nobody is sure of it.
There is only one fine point where these institution’s isolated axis of influence and power become congruent, and that is against India, that’s why they perform anti India task with high degree of precision.
The weakest force is the civil society, a common Pakistani is as peace loving as an Indian or an American and there is no doubt in it. But unfortunately, the voices of civil society largely go unheard. the reason is, first, huge division in the society itself and the absence of credible institutional platform where they can make themselves heard, that’s a very serious situation because this vacuum generally lead to popular revolt.
It is the civil society which is the biggest loser in current scenario when global attitude toward Pakistan is becoming hostile, they will be at the receiving end and that is why case of Pakistan need to be considered, keeping in mind the interests of the weakest of all, the people.
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