Black day for humanity

The world should wake up at least now. The terror attack on innocent children in Pakistan’s Peshawar is a crime against human civilisation. Messages of sympathy are pouring in. Condemnation is obvious. But, this is not just enough. The world has to find a solution to the problem of global terrorism. The root causes are to be addressed.

The first lesson is for Pakistan. Taliban and similar such outfits are the creation of Islamabad. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, with the active support of the United States, invented and nurtured inhuman terror groups in Afghanistan to fight the pro-Soviet regime. But, these terror groups later expanded to other regions too. Taliban now poses a threat to the entire region. The Afghan Taliban or Pakistan Taliban or other Islamic terror groups have made Pakistan their home ground. Pakistan state actively sponsors many such terror groups. Export of terrorism has become the foreign policy of Pakistan. State and many non-state actors, abetted by the state, have turned Pakistan into a breeding ground for fundamentalism and terrorism. Pakistan society is now the victim of its own deeds. Pakistan establishment is still not realising this. These sinister forces will dismember Pakistan if they go unchecked.

Meanwhile, the United States is also not realising the flaw in its understanding of the problem. India believes Pakistan is the part of the problem. Many terror acts in different parts of the world are planned and executed from the Pakistani soil. But, the United States still considers it as an ally in the global war against terror. How can perpetrators of terror be partners in the fight against it? The sole super power should realise this.

The West is myopic in its understanding of the problem. The so-called fight against terror is confined to their interests only. The United States supports many such elements in some countries, while it fights against them in other regions. Terrorists cannot be friends and foes, depending on the strategic requirements. Unless the international community arrives at a consensus on what constitutes terrorism, the true global fight against such a danger is not possible. The brutality in Pakistan cannot be condoned by anyone. Terrorists have to be defeated whether they are in Kashmir or Peshawar. Terrorism has no religion. It’s a crime against humanity. But, the humanity is yet to fight unitedly against it. Military and strategic needs, economic interests, foreign policy priorities of the powerful nations decide the nature, content and the course of global war on terrorism. Such a war can never be successful.

Fundamentalism fuels terrorism. All ideological manifestations of fundamentalism should be frustrated. Supply of arms, finances and other logistics support should be curtailed. Their networks have to be shattered. The social and economic conditions that breed terrorism should be checked. The war on global terrorism should be honest and comprehensive.