Another bombing

March 13th, 2012

There seems to be no end to death in our part of the world. As has happened scores of times before, another ANP leader was targeted on March 11. Khushdil Khan, the deputy speaker of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa narrowly escaped death when a bomb exploded minutes after he left a funeral on the outskirts of Peshawar. A teenaged suicide bomber detonated 10 kg of explosives as the funeral ended, soon after Khan had walked away having offered his prayers. Fifteen other persons were killed while 37 people are reported to be wounded. There have been many other incidents of a similar nature where ANP leaders have primarily been targeted repeatedly, but as is inevitable, several other people have unfortunately died as well. What makes this attack even more agonising is the fact that it happened at a funeral, victimising those who were already in mourning.

The message the Taliban want to send out is a clear one. They disagree with ANP’s vision for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and are ready to use the only means they know to prevent the party from curtailing extremism. Others who have pursued peace have also met a similar fate. One recent case is of the pro-government tribal elder, Malik Waris Khan, who had been awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz for his efforts to combat militants and restore peace in his area, but was gunned down a few days ago in the Orakzai Agency. The strategy of the Taliban is quite clear. Their purpose seems to be to impose the rule of terror everywhere and destabilise the lives of people in the region, and the country at large.

So far, they have succeeded to a frighteningly large extent. The question that arises is how to stop them. All the plans worked out in the past have failed miserably; the question is whether a new one can be devised. Any such plan must be one backed by the will and commitment of all agencies and all security force personnel. Otherwise it can never succeed and we will only see more and more killings of the kind which left Peshawar’s streets stained with blood on March 11 as a suicide bomber struck once again.

Killing of Afghan civilians

March 13th, 2012

any war zone, which is why all options need to be pondered before war is declared. The massacre of 16 civilians — nine of whom were children — in Kandahar goes far beyond the regrettable but expected deaths that accompany war. News reports differ on whether it was one US soldier or a group that went on this killing spree, but there can be no doubt that this was a premeditated slaughter of civilians that qualifies as a war crime. So far, US President Barack Obama has only offered his condolences to his counterpart Hamid Karzai and promised further investigation.

This massacre which, according to Afghan witnesses, was carried out by drunk soldiers, who were reportedly laughing throughout, is reminiscent of the behaviour of US troops as they became embroiled in a quagmire in Vietnam. Soldiers who are fighting a war they know cannot be won and for a cause that now eludes them, are bound to snap. Add to this toxic brew, the inherent superiority felt by troops that are armed to the teeth, consequently setting the stage for many such incidents. Then there is the ‘collateral damage’ that is an inevitable by-product of drone strikes and raids, which only serves to further inflame Afghans and it seems that US withdrawal from the country can’t come soon enough.

Unfortuantely, Hamid Karzai cannot afford to complain too loudly about the brutal murder of his citizens. As it is, he is already viewed as an American collaborator and his reputation will take a further nose-dive if the US soldiers responsible for the massacre, are not put on trial. However, his silence further strengthens the hand of the Taliban, who can now legitimately portray themselves as resisters to an overbearing imperialist force. Such is the tragedy of all military invasions. They may start off with high-sounding rhetoric and good intentions but soon descend into senseless violence. There have now been too many innocent lives lost for the US to ever claim the moral high ground in the country again.

Up in smoke

March 13th, 2012

A testimonial by Abida Hussain carried in the publication Newsweek, titled “My favourite mistake” (February 24), has stirred up a furore. To many people, the testimonial appears as an advertisement since it backs smoking. It also claims that Abida states the habit has caused her no ill-effects in terms of health, although 100,000 people die in the country annually due to the use of tobacco. The issue, of course, is a contentious one. It is a well-established fact that cigarettes damage health. Experts around the world concur on this. It is also a fact that companies are increasingly marketing their products to third-world countries and targeting women in particular. The number of women smokers is rising globally, even as men quit the habit. In this sense, the use of Abida Hussain’s story has sent out what health experts in the country are calling a ‘pro-smoking’ message which fits into a familiar pattern.

But then, we must also consider the issue of free choice among adults. Abida has simply chosen to tell her reasons for favouring smoking. Is this truly a crime? The matter is open to many arguments — though in a country like ours, perhaps responsibility needs to be shown when it comes to promoting health. After all, we have many issues that arise from the abuse of tobacco. But the issues go far beyond cigarettes. NGOs should also focus on other substances that damage health, such as the widespread use of chaalia or betel nut, sometimes marketed specifically to rope in children.

Other problems of a similar nature exist and need to be dealt with as efficiently as possible. Abida Hussain has told her own personal story. Whether or not she should have done so is a matter open to debate and is something which everyone needs to decide for themselves. Judgment on moral issues is, after all, always a delicate task and should be handled with care.