NOVANEWS

Posted by: All Fateh

NOVANEWS

NOVANEWS

Local resolutions have helped advance many issues, including war opposition, when they’ve been passed in large numbers.

War Is Crime

When we passed a resolution in Charlottesville, Va., last year opposing any attack on Iran, I heard from numerous cities that wanted to do the same.  As far as I know, none did.  I heard back from some that they’d been told it was anti-Semitic to oppose a U.S. attack on Iran.  I didn’t have an answer to that — not a printable one anyway.

When Charlottesville passed a resolution against drones in February of this year, I heard from people all over the country again.  Since that time, to my knowledge, one little town in Minnesota called St. Bonifacius has passed something, while dozens and dozens have tried and failed.  The problem seems to be that drones can have good uses as well as bad.  Of course, that’s grounds for halting the lawless and reckless spread of drones until we can figure out any ways in which their good use can be compatible with our Constitutional rights.  But that would make too much sense.  When there’s money to be made, technology to be played with, and terrorists to destroy our freedoms if we don’t hurry up and destroy them first, the American way is full steam ahead.  But I actually think I might have at least a partial answer this time.

There are two separable issues to be addresses in anti-drone resolutions and ordinances and laws and treaties.  One is weaponization.  The other is surveillance.  I’m not aware of anyone yet having any difficulty getting their local officials to oppose weaponized drones.  Most are unaware that some U.S. localities already have drones armed with rubber bullets and tear gas.  Most consider it a crazy idea — as they should.  But it is an idea that should be addressed, because it is not science fiction; it is a dystopia that is already upon us.  Getting localities in the United States to oppose the use of weaponized drones in their skies should be easy.  Having thus established that our towns can address the problem of drones, we could come back and deal with the complex matter of surveillance.

The best solution on surveillance may be the one produced by the Rutherford Institute and embodied in the Charlottesville resolution.  There is nothing in that resolution that prevents a drone from delivering your coffee or checking out a forest fire.  I wish there were, but there actually isn’t.  While I’d like stronger resolutions, I think at this point the movement would benefit from passing any resolutions at all.  And I think the way to make it simpler, clearer, and extremely easy would be to ask our local representatives to simply oppose weaponized drones.

Ideally, of course, I’d like to see cities and counties join the movement to ban weaponized drones from the world.  Such a resolution might read:

Weaponized drones (or unmanned aerial vehicles) — including those carrying lethal weapons such as hellfire missiles, and those carrying non-lethal weapons such as tear gas or rubber bullets — are no more acceptable than chemical weapons or land mines.  Whether these drones are controlled by pilots or act autonomously, whether they are publicly or privately owned, they can have no place in a civilized world and should be banned.  The City of ________ urges the State of _________, the U.S. Congress, and the U.S. State Department to pursue state, national, and international prohibitions on the development, ownership, or use of weaponized drones.

The trouble with this, of course, is that most of your city council members approve of murdering foreigners with drones.  Thus it becomes a harder measure to pass.  What we want, therefore, is something that does not conflict with the resolution above but addresses itself to local, state, or U.S. skies.  To ease passage most swiftly, we want local resolutions that don’t commit localities to anything, but simply make recommendations to states and the federal government.  However, I suspect that — as in Charlottesville — a statement of local policy will not be a deal breaker.  Here’s a version of the Charlottesville resolution stripped down to the weaponized drone issue alone (just delete the last 14 words to commit your city to nothing):

NOW, THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the City Council of ________ calls on the United States Congress and the State of ________ to adopt legislation precluding the domestic use of drones equipped with anti-personnel devices, meaning any projectile, chemical, electrical, directed-energy (visible or invisible), or other device designed to harm, incapacitate, or otherwise negatively impact a human being; and pledges to abstain from similar uses with city-owned, leased, or borrowed drones.

Opponents of this resolution will be, and should be denounced for being, supporters of putting weaponized drones in our skies.  Supporters can remain technology lovers.  They can continue to believe every move we make should be videotaped by Big Brother.  They can plow right ahead with their brilliant idea for replacing the pizza guy with a drone.  But they will be taking a stand on a popular issue that has no opposition.  There is no organized popular movement in your town in support of putting weaponized drones in the sky.  There’s not even a concerted effort by police, or even by the drone profiteers.  They can make big bucks off surveillance.  They can fill the skies with drones first.  The weapons can largely come later.  They are not prepared for us to build a movement against weaponized drones and then turn our focus toward the lesser offense of spying.  And by us I mean essentially everyone.  Libertarians and leftists are in agreement on this, and so is everybody else.

So, you can build public pressure.  It’s not hard.  In Charlottesville, we brought a crowd of people to two consecutive city council meetings and dominated the public speaking period.  You should watch the videos of the January 22^nd and February 4^th meetings here.  We published a column in the newspaper making the case, including the case that it is proper for cities to speak up on national issues.  We organized an event in front of City Hall on the day before the vote.  We displayed a giant model drone produced by New York anti-drone activist Nick Mottern.  Our little stunt produced coverage on the two television channels and in the newspaper.  I asked people to commit to attending the meeting on a FaceBookpage.  And when I spoke in the packed meeting, I asked those in agreement to stand.  Most of the room stood.

We presented a weak resolution at the first meeting, which put the issue on the agenda.  We then proposed a stronger one, which one of the best city council members put into the official agenda for the second meeting.  At the second meeting, the council members negotiated a compromise.  You might want to try that approach, which we stumbled into unplanned.

You can also lay the groundwork.  We invited Ann Wright and Medea Benjamin and Nick Mottern and Kathy Kelly and other great speakers to Charlottesville in the months leading up to this resolution effort.  This was not part of a plan, but we knew that it never hurts to educate people about their government’s crimes.  If you sign the international petition to ban weaponized drones from the world, you’ll see a list of organizations at the bottom.  Those are the places to go for resources, speakers, props, reports, flyers, and books that can help you in this effort.  You can also print out a mammoth list of signatures on the petition to impress your elected officials.  Or you can gather signatures locally and add them.

It’s time we made things nice and simple.  Are we in favor of killer flying robots over our homes and schools, or are we not?

Once we’ve given the obvious answer, maybe we’ll start asking each other whether we really think Pakistanis disagree.

NOVANEWS

NOVANEWS

By Sajjad Shaukat

In the recent months, the militants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliated outfits accelerated their terror-activities by attacking the leaders and election-sites of the Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) including some other political parties and offices of the Election Commission of Pakistan till May 11, 2013 to sabotage the elections which were held in accordance with the schedule. Despite the subversive activities and threats of these insurgents, a majority of people cast their vote, and turn over was more than 60 percent.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan, Pak Army, political and religious parties including media and civil society remained determined to see democracy flourishing in the country by favouring the polls.

While accepting responsibility, TTP had not only felt pride for latest terror-assaults which killed several innocent people and candidates, but had also threatened to continue such attacks in future. Meanwhile, recently, the TTP militants distributed pamphlets in Buner, Peshawar and different areas of Karachi, warning citizens against attending political rallies and casting their votes at polling stations. While rejecting the elections TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan said that democracy was un-Islamic and western system of government.

It is mentionable that addressing the Constituent Assembly on August, 11 1947, Quaid-i-Azam who wanted Pakistan as a democratic state, said that he did not want Pakistan to be a theocratic state. He wanted Pakistan to be a liberal, secular and progressive state.

Even the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in his sermon at Hajjatul Wida issued directions for protection of life, property and dignity of the whole mankind. The sermon became a charter of democracy which was included in the constitutions of the western elected governments in one way or the other.

Pakistan has to move along with the demands of modern time. Therefore, periodic reinterpretation of Islamic teachings is essential. Such movement is called Ijtihad, which could provide new perceptions to Islam in accordance with the changed world vision.

Besides, Islamic laws can be implemented through a system of governance, hence, elections are essential for placing the elected representatives to make rules and govern in any part of the country. Laws of Sharia (Islamic Jurisprudence) can best be put to practice through democratic system which does not make us un-Islamic or anti-Sharia. In fact, it is a representative system which is based upon equality of all the people, ensuring enforcement of rule of law through an independent justice. Nothing is forcibly imposed on the political will of the people who fully enjoy the freedom of thought and action.

In this regard, by condemning the TTP insurgents’ inhuman activities, more than 60 Islamic scholars recently clarified in their joint fatwa (edict) that “killing of innocent people, target killings and suicide bombings including sectarianism are nor Jihad”, and “are against the spirit of Islam…the terrorists’ self-adopted interpretation of Islam was nothing but ignorance and digression from the actual teachings of the religion.” Unlike the Taliban, they elaborated; “Islam does not forbid women’s education.” No doubt, these Taliban and their linked groups are defaming Islam and are destabilising Pakistan.

However, Taliban’s earlier threats to the PPP, ANP and the MQM worried these parties which had almost curtailed their political activities in public to save lives of their leaders as well as those of general masses. And the lack of interest by the PPP in the election campaign had confined itself to mere newspapers and TV advertisements. But these parties did not boycott the polls.

Notably, participation of the people in elections from all segments of life and politicians has proved that a handful of terrorist elements must not be allowed to dictate their agenda and to impose their self-perceived ideology on the majority of Pakistanis through their undemocratic and un-Islamic practices.

In this respect, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani who let the coalition government complete its tenure of five years, said on April 30, this year, “A small faction wants to enforce its distorted ideology over the entire nation by taking up arms…the anti-democratic forces will never be acceptable.” Gen. Kayani explained, “I assure you that we stand committed to assist and support the free, fair and peaceful elections…aimed at strengthening democracy and rule of law…linked to prosperity of the nation.”  He also stressed a greater political consensus to tackle extremism and terrorism.

It is notable that President Asif Ali Zardari had declared that polls would be held on time, but his reference to ‘conspiracies’ made it abundantly clear that attempts were  being made to derail the process of elections. The conspiracy theory was also strengthened as Information Minister Arif Nizami too had repeatedly been talking about attempts to disrupt the election process or its postponement.

In fact, based in Afghanistan, secret agencies like American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad which have already been arranging terror-attacks on the places of worships, security forces, sectarian violence etc. through TTP, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other similar militant groups left no stone unturned to thwart the process of elections and to create chaotic situation in Pakistan in order to complete their secret strategic designs. Especially, RAW has hired the services of Indian Muslims who have well-penetrated in the BLA, TTP, Jundollah, (God’s soldiers) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi which have been conducting subversive acts in various regions of the country.

Pakistan’s civil and military leadership has repeatedly disclosed that militants along with huge cache of arms are being sent to Pakistan from Afghanistan.

Recently, PPP, ANP and President of Balochistan National Party (BNP) Sardar Akhtar Mengal had requested the Chief Election Commissioner and the caretaker government to provide security for their candidates by Pak Army. Nevertheless, Gen. Kayani who had approved the plan for army deployment to provide security during polls; himself visited Balochistan and Karachi in this respect.

Nonetheless by castigating the conspiracy, Pakistan’s media, politicians and leaders of religious parties including security forces got victory over these militants who intended to accomplish their self-motivated designs by sabotaging the elections.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

NOVANEWS

No cooperation with British war crimes!

Since Nato launched its illegal and unjustified invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, drones (aka Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) have gone from being an untried technology to one of the primary means of warfare.

The runaway leader in the field, the US, now operates 7,500 vehicles – more than 40 percent of all US defence aircraft – and trains more drone pilots each year (350 in 2011) than fighter and bomber pilots combined. Meanwhile, some 40 other countries, seeing the writing on the wall, are in the process of buying or developing their own unmanned vehicles.

Although information about British involvement in armed drone strikes is largely kept from the public, the MoD has recently admitted that British pilots have carried out thousands of drone missions in Afghanistan and Libya, flying US drones from US bases. As of 25 April, however, Britain’s first homegrown drone base became operational as airmen at RAF Waddington in Lincoln began piloting armed Reaper drones over Afghanistan.

As a mass hunger strike by inmates brings the US’s concentration camp at Guantanamo back into the media spotlight once again, it is instructive to note that the Nato imperialists’ chosen method of blanket terror and intimidation has shifted since Obama and Cameron replaced Bush and Blair from seizing and locking up a random selection of men of military age to murdering them – and very often their families as well – instead.

A new kind of terrorism

Imperialist politicians claim that drone strikes are aimed at ‘surgically removing’ ‘high-value’ ‘al-Qaeda operatives’ from the ‘field of battle’. In reality, while resistance fighters may sometimes be hit, it seems that anyone is considered ‘fair game’ by the joystick-wielding mercenaries who operate the guns from the safety of their suburban bases.

The truth is that drone strikes are terrorist attacks, killing at least 10 civilians (many of them women and children) for every one resistance fighter, according to a 2009 report by the Brookings Institution. Californian data agency Pitch Interactive, after recording every knowndrone strike in Pakistan since 2004, and recording every known casualty (3,115, but the true figure is certainly much higher), has concluded that a mere 1.5 percent of those killed had been previously identified as ‘high-profile’ targets by the US intelligence agencies. So much for ‘precision warfare’.

Some critics inside the establishment are said to be upset at the switch from detention to assassination as they regret losing opportunities to ‘interrogate’ prisoners, but Obama has certainly learned one lesson from his predecessor in the White House: the longer you keep innocent men locked up, the more likely it is that your lies about them being ‘dangerous terrorists’ will be exposed.

It is so much easier for the imperialists to order a kill, then slander their victims and move on. Particularly when they know that western journalists are not exactly queuing up to find out what really goes on in remote and inaccessible war zones, far from the comforts of their air-conditioned hotels and offices. Most ‘reporters’ for the capitalist press have been well trained in the art of rewriting military and government press releases as if they contained reliable and proven facts.

Journalists whose reports conflict with the interests of the ruling class soon find that their stories are not printed and their services are quickly dispensed with. To the extent that debate on any issue does make it into the pages of the corporate media, it is usually as a result of dissention within ruling-class circles - and confined to the limits of what is considered acceptable by the capitalists.

So who will listen to the protestations of a poor Aghan, Pakistani or Yemeni community that the latest ‘targeted killing’ has in fact only massacred farmers, village elders, school children or wedding guests?

We are told that drones have ‘pinpoint accuracy’ and are thus a ‘humane’ alternative to ground troops, whose fire just might (accidentally of course) kill civilians during the heat of a battle. But the truth is that remote-control operation simply allows the soldiers with their fingers on the button to kill with total impunity – without having to take the risk of being hit back.

According to US-based FightBack!, “ The US government takes serious measures to cover up and lie about the deaths of civilians from these brutal attacks. A ground-breaking 2012 report by the Stanford International Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Clinic calledLiving With Drones found that the Central Intelligence Agency classifies all military-age male casualties of drone strikes as ‘militants’ unless they find evidence to the contrary after their death – a kind of ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ that allows war-makers to hide their crimes against civilians.

“ Further, the report found that US government officials have encouraged media outlets to call the victims of drone strikes ‘militants’ in order to build support for their horrifying pro-war agenda. ” (‘Commentary: Drones in the SunshineState will bring more war and poverty, not jobs’ by Dave Schneider, 23 March 2013)

Meanwhile, the people who are living under the shadow of these devastating weapons are subject to daily terror as they find themselves under constant surveillance, never knowing when a deadly Reaper or Predator drone will stop overhead or where it will fire next. Bitter experience has taught them that nowhere is off limits; no-one is safe.

Parents are powerless to protect their children, whose young minds are inevitably scarred by this insecurity, as well as by the sight of exploded bodies and destroyed homes and by the grief of losing loved ones. The whine of an approaching drone is all it takes to reawaken previous traumas, leading inevitably to psychological problems and recurring night terrors.

Joystick wars

Preparation for this kind of warfare takes place not in the forced hikes and assault courses that squaddies are supposed to endure in their quest to ‘Be the best’, but in the pornographically violent computer games and Hollywood blockbusters that glorify imperialist war, dehumanise the ‘enemy’ as some kind of insane and unknowable ‘other’ and prepare our young people to slaughter without mercy at the push of a button.

This was perfectly illustrated by Prince Harry’s revealing and apparently unembarrassed admission that he saw killing Afghans from an Apache helicopter as being similar to playing video games. Indeed, our fair prince even went so far as to call it “a joy” to have his finger on the trigger, since he was “one of those people that loves playing PlayStation … with my thumbs, I like to think that I’m quite useful”.

Full marks for honesty, if not for tact and diplomacy. But while it may be in the interest of Harry and his parasitic family to inflict collective punishment on peoples who are resisting imperialist aggression, it is not in the interest of most British workers, who have been sold a pack of lies about the dangers that our Afghan (or Pakistani or Iraqi or Libyan or Syrian or Yemeni or Somali) brothers and sisters pose to ‘us’, even as workers in uniform are being made into perpetrators and accomplices of vicious crimes against humanity.

Ironically, as the surveillance technology on board these drones improves, their pilots are starting to lose the disconnect that they previously felt when dropping payloads from 30,000ft in the air. Now, once more, they are having to look at their victims’ faces before they pull the trigger.

But, this small caveat aside, our rulers love drones because they allow them to kill without comeback and to avoid the politically dangerous business of having to justify British casualties.

The consequences of this new warfare are far-reaching indeed. As the imperialists continue to use drones to target anyone who they see as a threat, they are turning our whole world into a battlefield where nothing and no-one is off-limits.

As Chris Cole of Drone Wars UK has pointed out, “ drones are also expanding the battlefield even within conflict zones, as politicians and military commanders have such faith in the perceived accuracy of these unmanned systems that they are much more willing to use them in civilian areas. In short, drones are ‘normalising’ war and simply making war more likely .” (‘Why our leaders love drone warfare: the power of killing without political risk’,stopwar,org.uk, 15 April 2013)

Using drones against our own

And, of course, the logical development of all this unlawful shooting down of ‘foreigners’ is the emergence of a new trend among imperialist governments, who are now increasingly using armed drones to wipe out their own citizens without bothering to go through even the most cursory of judicial processes.

The first known case of this was the intentional assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki and the apparently accidental ‘collateral’ murder of Samir Khan, both of whom were born and grew up in the US but were killed in Yemen on 30 September 2011. A month later, Mr Awlaki’s 16-year-old son, also a US citizen, was ‘mistakenly’ cut down by another drone strike as he went in search of his missing father.

Despite the authorities’ attempts to keep these murders secret, details have slowly leaked out, causing some of the US’s more far-sighted citizens to wonder: if the president can order the assassination of Americans overseas, based on secret intelligence, what are the limits to his power? Moreover, by declining to specify what it means to be “engaged in combat”, the US attorney general has not ruled out the possible scenario of a military drone strike against a US citizen on American soil.

Meanwhile, the ConDems have ramped up a secret programme, initiated by the previous Labour government, whereby British ‘terror suspects’ are being quietly stripped of their citizenship before they are captured or assassinated by British ‘allies’ – a ploy that allows the authorities to ‘wash their hands’ of those to whom, at least in theory, they owe some duty of care and to sidestep the toxic issue of a state in which the death penalty has long been officially outlawed sanctioning the murder of its own subjects without even a token recourse to the courts.

At least five of the 21 people who have are known to have been deprived of their UK nationality so far were born in Britain, and one man had lived in the country for almost 50 years. Those affected have had their passports cancelled, and have lost their right to enter Britain – making it very difficult to appeal against the home secretary’s decision. In most cases, the government has kept its actions out of the public eye by acting when the victims were staying abroad – even, in two cases, while they were on holiday.

The case of 23-year-old Mahdi Hashi is a typical one. A former care worker from Camden in north London, Mr Hashi is now incarcerated in a high-security US prison having been secretly ‘rendered’ from the African state of Djibouti last year.

“ Mr Hashi claims that before being sent to the US on charges of working with the terrorist group al-Shabaab he witnessed torture in an African prison, before being handed over to the CIA and forced to sign a confession.

“ Despite Mr Hashi being brought up in the UK, the British government has washed its hands of him, having stripped him of his citizenship shortly before he disappeared in Somalia last summer.

“ His UK family say that when they lost contact with their son they approached the Foreign Office for help. But they were told by officials that they could not provide assistance because the home secretary had issued an order depriving him of his British citizenship.

“ It was only five months later, when he reappeared in the US, that they were able to contact him again. The family’s lawyer, Saghir Hussain, said at the time: ‘The UK government has a lot of explaining to do. What role did it play in getting him kidnapped, held in secret detention and renditioned to the US? ‘

“ The case has led to allegations that Britain may have conspired with the US to strip Mr Hashi of his citizenship knowing he would be arrested in Africa. They have no further obligations towards him and can avoid potentially embarrassing questions about his treatment before his rendition.

“The case is all the more bizarre as Mr Hashi gave an interview to The Independent in 2009 when he alleged that MI5 had attempted to recruit him. He claimed that on a previous trip to Africa he was held for 16 hours in a cell at Djibouti airport, and that when he was returned to the UK he was met by an MI5 agent who told him his terror-suspect status would remain until he agreed to work for the security service.

“He alleges he was to be given the job of informing on his friends by encouraging them to talk about jihad.” (‘British terror suspects quietly stripped of citizenship … then killed by drones’ by Chris Woods, Alice K Ross and Oliver Wright, Independent, 28 February 2013)

At least two British men are known to have been murdered by US drones after the home secretary stripped them of citizenship – Bilal al-Berjawi, who came from Lebanon as a baby and grew up in London, and his London-born friend Mohamed Sakr. Following harassment by British ‘counter-terrorism’ agents, they left the country and headed for Somalia, where they are said to have become involved with the anti-imperialist al-Shabaab resistance movement.

Berjawi’s murder came just hours after he had called his wife in London to congratulate her on the birth of their first son, further fuelling assumptions that British authorities are actively assisting the US military in locating and killing these ‘former’ citizens. After his murder, an intelligence officer described Mr Sakr as “a very senior Egyptian”, clearly hoping that the reality of his British nationality would never be revealed.

Meanwhile, when it comes to surveillance, drones are becoming extremely attractive to police and secret services – as well as to the hosts of private security contractors and mercenary agencies that the ruling class likes to outsource its nastiest business to. According to Ryan Calo, an assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Law, “Drones drive down the cost of surveillance considerably. We worry that the incidence of surveillance will go up.” (See ‘Current laws may offer little shield against drones, senators are told’ by Matthew L Wald, New York Times, 20 March 2013)

As can be seen, where the US nazis lead, their British counterparts are never shy to follow. In the States, use of both surveillance and armed drones by police and other agencies is set to rise exponentially as the technology becomes cheaper and more reliable.

Here at home, having tested out their use during the Olympic games, it is not difficult to believe that police might soon be using armed drones to control demonstrators or strikers, while the cheapness of surveillance drones is bound to make them ubiquitous among allthe various ‘security’ operators – official and unofficial – who do our rulers’ dirty work.

StW jumps on the bandwagon

Meanwhile, the recent anti-drones protest outside RAF Waddington is a classic example of how not to disrupt the war machine – as well as of how the ‘anti-war’ leadership allows its agenda to be set by the ruling class.

Anti-drones protests have been going on for some time in Britain without any particular input from Stop the War (StW). The biggest protests have taken place in Bradford, where there is a large population of Pakistani origin, outraged at the illegal and undeclared war being waged by the CIA against civilian populations in areas of Pakistan that are considered by the US to be sympathetic to the Afghan resistance.

Recently, however, the issue has been receiving considerably more publicity in the corporate media, as members of the ruling class debate whether detention or assassination will serve them best in their wars for domination. With their unfailing nose for ‘respectable’ activity (ie, that which at least some parts of the ruling class will look kindly on), and keen to make itself look ‘relevant’ again, StW belatedly cranked into what passes these days for ‘action’, by calling for a ‘joint demonstration’ with CND, War on Want and Drone Wars.

What transpired was both farcical and instructive. Less than 200 people assembled by the side of a road on the outskirts of Lincoln on Saturday 27 April as a result of this ‘mobilisation’ – and very few of them (with the exception of a few leaders) were members of either StW or CND. In the main, those present were unaffiliated peace-loving people of various religious persuasions, along with some anti-drones campaigners. Despite the topicality and the depth of feeling among many workers on the issue, the entire ‘left’ was absent, with the single exception of the CPGB-ML, who had brought a sizeable contingent.

The march itself was less a display of working-class power than an amble down a deserted country lane. Setting off from a corner of a park on the outskirts of Lincoln town and ending up 3 miles later in a deserted field near to the RAF base, the whole event had been organised so as to have as little impact on the workings of capitalism or the consciousness of workers as possible. We passed no-one to whom we could give our leaflets and we disrupted neither the smooth running of the state nor the war machine that we were supposedly there to oppose.

Not one speaker on the platform called for any kind of direct action that might prevent the drones from operating out of Waddington. There was no suggestion that workers might be mobilised to blockade the gates to stop supplies getting in or to tear down the fences and destroy vital machinery inside. Just an amble to the top of the hill to hear the usual suspects tell us how marvellously we’d done by turning up and to advertise their other activities. The most ‘militant’-sounding speaker turned out to be a charity worker from War on Want whose ultimate vision appeared to be a scenario in which we were able to “ban the drones” by getting “Cameron to the table”!

British workers have got so used to such weekend (sh)ambles taking the place of real political action that they have forgotten that things can be done any differently. But the whole point of a demonstration is that it should be a show of strength.

Demonstrations that are effective in making the ruling class take notice are those that show some determination by workers to join together and put up a fight. That usually means that they take place on a weekday rather than a weekend, and are in the centre of big cities, so that people are pulled out of work (without notice to their employers!) and the daily business of running capitalism is severely disrupted. A demonstration should be a reminder to the ruling class that the workers have the power to disrupt and destroy profit-making; an ultimatum that concessions had better be made if the capitalists want to continue in place.

There is nothing revolutionary about the above proposition: such demonstrations are typical of many countries where the rule of capital is not remotely threatened, but where the working-class movement has retained its basic function of fighting for workers’ rights and interests within the capitalist system.

While the leaders told lies from the platform about their determination to ‘oppose’ the use of drones and about how the assembled marchers made up the “biggest anti-drones demonstration in Britain so far”, the journalists present were at equal pains to give credence to the event and present it as being much bigger and more significant than it was.

Instead of underreporting by a factor of 10 to 1 (the standard technique used by police and media to downplay events that can’t be ignored), the media has persistently reported a crowd that couldn’t have numbered more than 200 (and that’s being generous) as being three times larger, while most TV reports assiduously avoided mentioning numbers at all.

Anyone who has ever been on a massive demo that got little or no coverage on the TV or in the newspapers will be able to confirm that this is decidedly unusual. Only by understanding that the agenda had been set in advance could one account for reporting so sympathetic from the BBC (for example) that the producers went to extraordinary lengths to make sure that the screen always showed marchers during their two-and-a-half-minute film. To do this, they had to edit in footage from the beginning of the demo when the marchers had finished filing past their reporter, and to reposition him at the front for the final part of his presentation.

While StW will no doubt be happy to take the credit for the disproportionate media interest in such a tiny demonstration, the truth is that there is clearly a strong divide of opinion within the ruling class, which is allowing this issue to penetrate into the corporate media. But the limits of their debate “drones vs detention” cannot be the limits of ours!

No cooperation

It is clear that we need to free ourselves from the disabling influence of the capitalists’ propaganda and realise where our real interests lie. We are not ‘all in it together’; British society is split between exploiters and exploited, and if one benefits, the other will suffer.

The billionaires who order these incessant wars to be launched are not doing so to protectus, but to protect their profits. They are the same billionaires who want to stifle all political dissent at home, even as they are dismantling our education and health services and kicking us out of our homes. They want to save their rotten system by making us pay for the worst ever capitalist crisis – and they are doing their best to trick us into blaming each other for the problems their beloved system is creating for the mass of workers.

But if we continue to accept the assassination of those deemed to be ‘enemies’ abroad, how long will it be before British workers are asked to accept drone strikes against working-class leaders and activists at home as being necessary for our ‘security’?

Instead of falling for the capitalists’ lies, we need to unite with all those who are standing up against British imperialism in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and elsewhere. We need to launch a mass campaign of non-cooperation with British imperialism’s war crimes. Together, we have the power to ground the drones and stop imperialism’s dirty wars, just as we have the power to resist the bedroom tax and hospital closures, for it is workers who ultimately have to carry out these anti-worker programmes.

If we refuse to fight in imperialist wars for profit or help with their logistics; if we refuse to broadcast imperialist propaganda in support of such wars; if we refuse to make or transport munitions or supplies, then the British war effort will collapse.

Moreover, taking such action would give workers a much-needed morale boost in the fight against capitalism here at home, helping us to see in practice that we really are on the same side as those fighting abroad, and that together we can defeat the bloodsuckers and build a new society!

NOVANEWS

With a rebellious youth vote, the media watching every move, and a new radical player to the game, Pakistan’s elections come at a critical moment, with instability, political violence and an energy crisis tearing the country apart -   May 10, 2013

Full Episode Pakistan on the brink Pakistan’s Elections More Unpredictable than Ever Musharraf’s Forgotten Dark Legacy: Pakistan’s ‘Disappeared’ Pakistan’s future tied to the oval office What do the Taliban want in Pakistan? Global meltdown: Pakistan and the Tali

NOVANEWS

By Sajjad Shaukat

Recently, controversy arose between Pakistan and India over a Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Haq who received head injuries, as he was badly beaten by a fellow inmate in an Indian jail in the Indian occupied Kashmir in an apparent revenge for an assault on Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh who was in a Pakistani jail in Lahore, and was attacked by his fellow prisoner. Sarabjit expired due to serious injuries.

However, Pakistan’s Foreign Office summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner and launched a strong protest against assault on Sanaullah Haq.

Pakistani government not only provided best medical treatment to Srabajit, but also suspended the superintendent of the jail, while ordering an investigation into the incident.

As the attack on Sanaullah Haq came a day after the death of Sarabjit Singh, which shows that it was conducted deliberately by an ex-Indian army man who was supported by the Indian concerned officials.

While, Pakistan’s top officials and members of the civil society strongly condemned attack on Indian prisoner, Sarabjit and expressed sorrow on his death. But, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned Sarabjit incident, calling it ‘barbaric and murderous attack, but remained silence over Sanaullah. It is another display of New Delhi’s selective morality which Indian rulers employ, while dealing with Islamabad.

Sarabjit Singh was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for spying and deadly bombings which killed 14 innocent people in Pakistan’s cities of Faisalabad, Multan and Lahore in 1990. But Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari commuted his death sentence into life imprisonment on June 26, 2012.

Last year, Pakistani government released Indian spy, Surjeet Singh who was handed over to the Indian authorities. He was given death sentence in 1991. But President Asif Ali Zardari commuted his death sentence into life imprisonment.

Surjeet openly admitted that he was in Pakistan to spy when he was arrested in 1982. In this regard, he disclosed before Indian reporters that he was sent to Pakistan by Indian secret agency RAW for espionage purposes.

Quite opposite to the admission of Surjeet, on June 29, 2012, Indian Home Secretary RK Singh told a news conference in New Delhi, saying, “We do not accept this that Singh was Indian spy…it is completely wrong.” However, it shows Indian illogical approach as New Delhi denies facts in order to conceal the presence of other Indian spies in Pakistan.

Surjeet Singh also revealed, “Sarabjit Singh is a terrorist and terrorists are not released.” On the other side, Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna stated on June 25, 2012 that it was now “time for Sarabjit Singh to be freed.” Like Indian home secretary, even external affairs minister defended the Indian agent. It indicates that Indian high officials are deliberately and officially supporting RAW agents to destabilise Pakistan.

Besides, Indian spy also pointed out, “All Indian prisoners are treated well in Pakistani jails. Sarabjit Singh is also doing well there…I was treated well by prison officials and I am thankful to them.”

While India has arrested hundreds of Pakistan’s citizens, often accusing them of being spies after they have strayed across the land or maritime border due to unconscious mistake. It also includes some tourists who went to India. Quite contrary to the well-treatment of Indian spies in Pakistani jails, RAW and other security agencies employ various techniques of torture on the so-called Pakistan’s suspected persons. Most of the Pakistani nationals have also been killed in Indian jails, while a majority of them have been killed by Indian security agencies in fake encounters.

Nevertheless, both Surjeet Singh and Sarabjit Singh were responsible for the string of blasts in various cities of Pakistan in which several innocent persons were killed. They were also behind other terror-activities in Pakistan.

On June 28, 2012, BBC reported, “in recent years, several Indians returning from Pakistani jails have admitted to spying for Indian intelligence agency RAW” and some have criticised India’s government for abandoning them.”

It is mentionable that in April 2011, Gopal Das, one of Pakistan’s longest-serving Indian prisoners, was released after President Asif Ali Zardari intervened in his case.

Upon his release, Das also acknowledged that he was an Indian spy. Similarly, Kashmir Singh, sentenced to death in Pakistan in 1973 for spying, was released in March 2008. Afterwards, he also confessed that he was spying for RAW.

The fact of the matter is that admission of the Indian spies indicates that with the tactical assistance of American CIA and Israeli Mossad, RAW has set up its espionage network in Afghanistan, which is in contact with its spy-network in Pakistan.

In this context, India’s several secret training camps are present in Afghanistan from where highly-trained militants, equipped with sophisticated weapons are being sent to Pakistan’s various places to conduct suicide attacks, target killings, bomb blasts, assaults on civil and military installations, forced abductions and sectarian violence regularly.

Indian RAW, CIA and Mossad have also been supporting the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and another separatist group, Jundollah (God’s soldiers) which have been committing various subversive acts in the province of Balochistan. The main aim behind to fulfill secret strategic designs of US, India and Israel.

Some Indian Muslims and foreign insurgents who are particularly backed by RAW have joined the ranks and files of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Sipah-e-Sahaba, BLA and other religious sects. They have also got the membership of MQM, ANP and PPP. Besides killing the leaders and persons of the rival religious parties, and attacking the offices of the political parties so as to sabotage the forthcoming elections, these miscreants also target the Pushtuns, Urdu-speaking people and even the people, belonging to the interior Sindh with the main aim to weaken Pakistan.

Nonetheless, by showing lethargy approach towards Sanaullah Haq, Indian government is making Sarabjit episode as another excuse to put the Pak-Indian peace process on the back-burner. New Delhi has always used some pretext to delay the solution of various issues, especially the Kashmir dispute.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

فلسطین فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان نے ’’یوم نکبہ ‘‘ پر ہفتہ فلسطین منانے کا اعلان کر دیا،فلسطینیونں کی فلسطین واپسی کی مہم چلانے کا اعلان 

10مئی بروز جمعہ کو ’’یوم یکجہتی فلسطین‘‘ منانے کی اپیل،بعد نماز جمعہ فلسطینیوں سے اظہار یکجہتی اور غاصب صیہونی ریاست اسرائیل کے خلاف احتجاجی مظاہروں کا اعلان

انبیاء ؑ کی سرزمین فلسطین پر صیہونی ریاست اسرائیل کے غاصبانہ تسلط پر عالمی برادری کی خاموشی سوالیہ نشان ہے۔

فلسطین فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان نے ’’یوم نکبہ ‘‘ پر ہفتہ فلسطین منانے کا اعلان کر دیا،فلسطینیوں کی فلسطین واپسی کی مہم چلانے کا اعلان ،10مئی بروز جمعہ کو ’’یوم یکجہتی فلسطین‘‘ منانے کی اپیل،بعد نماز جمعہ فلسطینیوں سے اظہار یکجہتی اور غاصب صیہونی ریاست اسرائیل کے خلاف احتجاجی مظاہرے کئے جائیں گے۔انبیاء ؑ کی سرزمین فلسطین پر صیہونی ریاست اسرائیل کے غاصبانہ تسلط پر عالمی برادری کی خاموشی سوالیہ نشان ہے۔ان خیالات کاا ظہار فلسطین فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان کے مرکزی سرپرست رہنماؤں سابق رکن قومی اسمبلی مظفر احمد ہاشمی (رہنما جماعت اسلامی)، جمعیت علماء پاکستان کے رہنما علامہ قاضی احمد نورانی صدیقی، مجلس وحدت مسلمین پاکستان کراچی کی سیکرٹری جنرل مولانا صادق رضا تقوی، پاکستان عوامی مسلم لیگ کے رہنما محفوظ یار خان ایڈووکیٹ اور فلسطین فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان کے مرکزی جنرل سیکرٹری و مرکزی ترجمان صابر کربلائی نے کراچی پریس کلب میں پریس کانفرنس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کیا۔

فلسطین فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان کے مرکزی رہنماؤں نے کہا کہ دنیا بھر میں فلسطین کی آزادی کی تحریک میں کام کرنے والے حریت پسندوں نے فیصلہ کیا ہے کہ اس سال یوم نکبہ کو ’’فلسطینیوں کی فلسطین واپسی ‘‘ کے عنوان سے منایا جائے گا اور اس حوالے سے فلسطین کے اندر بھرپور پروگرام تشکیل دئیے جائیں گے جبکہ فلسطین کے باہر سرحدوں پر اردن،مصر،لبنان اور شام سے ہزاروں فلسطینی اپنے وطن کی طرف مارچ کریں گے جو کہ ان کا بنیادی حق ہے۔اسی طرح دنیا کے دیگر ممالک میں آزادئ فلسطین کے لئے کام کرنے والے رضا کار اپنے اپنے ممالک میں خصوصی پروگرام ترتیب دیں گے،اسی حوالے سے فلسطین فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان نے بھی فیصلہ کیا ہے کہ یوم نکبہ کو ملک بھر میں ’’فلسطینیوں کی فلسطینی واپسی‘‘ کے عنوان سے منایا جائے گا اور اس ضمن میں ملک بھر میں 10مئی بروز جمعہ کویوم احتجاج و یوم یکجہتی فلسطین قرار دیتے ہیں اور پاکستان کی تمام اکائیوں سے اپیل کرتے ہیں کہ وہ فلسطینی عوام کے حق میں اور امریکہ اور اسرائیل کے خلاف احتجاج کریں۔واضح رہے کہ فلسطین فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان کی جانب سے آئمہ جمعہ کو خطوط لکھے جا چکے ہیں جس میں ان سے اپیل کی گئی ہے کہ وہ نماز جمعہ کے خطبات میں فلسطینیوں کے حق واپسی پر بات کریں ۔اسی طرح فلسطین فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان نے تمام ٹی وی چینلز کے ڈائرکٹر پروگرام نیوز اور ڈائرکٹر کرنٹ افئیرز سمیت ڈائرکٹر نیوز کو خطوط لکھے ہیں جس میں اپیل کی گئی ہے کہ ٹی وی چینلز پر یوم نکبہ کی خصوصی نشریات دکھائی جائیں اور فلسطینیوں کے حق واپسی پر زور دیا جائے۔فلسطین فاؤنڈیشن پاکستان ،جمعیت علماء پاکستان،جماعت اسلامی،پاکستان عوامی مسلم لیگ اور مجلس وحدت مسلمین سمیت دیگر سیاسی و مذہبی جماعتوں کے ساتھ مل کر مشترکہ طور پر ملک بھر میں یو م نکبہ کے عنوان سے 10مئی سے 16مئی ہفتہ فلسطین منایا جائے گا اور اس عنوان سے احتجاجی مظاہرے،سیمینارز اور تصویری نمائشوں کا اہتمام کیا جائے گا۔ہم اقوام متحدہ ،او آئی سی،یورپی یونین،غیر جانبدار ممالک کی تنظیم اور دیگر علاقائی تنظیموں سے مطالبہ کرتے ہیں کہ فلسطینیوں کے حق واپسی کے لئے اپنا کردار ادا کریں اور لاکھوں فلسطینیوں کو ان وطن فلسطین میں واپس آباد کرنے میں اپنا کردار ادا کریں۔

ن کاکہنا تھا کہ فلسطین روز اول سے فلسطینیوں کا وطن ہے،جسے دنیا کی کوئی طاقت ان سے جدا نہیں کر سکتی اور فلسطینیوں کو یہ حق حاصل ہے کہ وہ اپنے وطن لوٹ جائیں او ر اپنی زندگی گزاریں ۔اسرائیل ایک ایسا سرطان ہے جو نہ صرف فلسطین کو تباہ و برباد کرنا چاہتا ہے بلکہ مشرق وسطیٰ اور پھر ایشیاء سمیت پورے عالم اسلام او ر پوری دنیا کو اپنے پنجوں سے زخمی کرنا چاہتا ہے تاکہ پوری دنیا کے لوگ غاصب اسرائیل کے محتاج ہو جائیں او ر اس کے غلام بن جائیں ۔اگر ہم نے مظلوم فلسطینیوں کے حق کے لئے آواز نہ اٹھائی تو عنقریب پوری دنیا اسرائیلی سرطان کی لپیٹ میں آجائے گی اور پھر پانی سر سے گزر چکا ہو گا۔ان کاکہنا تھا کہ سنہ 1948ء سے قبل لا کر بسائے جانے والے یہودیوں کو یہ حق حاصل نہیں ہے کہ وہ سر زمین فلسطین کے مالک بن بیٹھیں اور اس سر زمین کے مالکوں کو بے گھر کر دیں۔انہوں نے مزید کہا کہایسے تمام فلسطینی جو سنہ 1948ء کے وقت فلسطین میں آباد تھے خواہ وہ کسی بھی مذہب یا مسلک سے تعلق رکھتے ہوں ان کو حق حاصل ہے کہ فلسطین لوٹ آئیں اور آنے کے بعد ایک عمومی ریفرنڈم کے ذریعے اپنے لئے ایک حکومت یا نظام کا فیصلہ کریں اور پھر وہ نظام یہ فیصلہ کرے کہ سنہ 1948ء کے وقت اور اس کے بعد دنیا بھر سے لا کر بسائے جانے والے یہودیوں اور صیہونیوں کو فلسطین میں رہنے کا حق حاصل ہے یا نہیں۔اور ایسے حالات میں صرف ایک ریاست کا وجود ہو جس کا نام فلسطین جو نیل کے ساحل سے لے کر تا بہ خاک کاشغر ۔

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NOVANEWS

By Sajjad Shaukat

In the past few years, many serious crises erupted in Pakistan when leaders of some political parties and media anchors spread rumours that army will impose martial law in the country. But Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani acted upon the principle of non-interference in politics. While, people witnessed that the coalition government completed its tenure of five years. These internal elements also misguided the general masses that war against terrorism is American war, which our Army is fighting. However, these misperceptions need appropriate analysis.

In this regard, on April 30, this year, the most important speech, delivered by Gen. Kayani on the occasion of (Martyrs’ Day) Youm-e-Shuhada made clear the role of Army in relation to democracy and war against terrorism.

While referring to the sacrifices of the armed forces, Rangers, police, Frontier Constabulary, Levies, journalists and people who became victims of extremism and terrorism, Gen. Kayani said that the war the army was fighting was Pakistan’s war and that the anti-democratic forces would never be acceptable. He clarified that even in democratic states, treason and uprisings against the state have never been tolerated and in such struggles their armed forces have had unflinching support of the masses.

Regrettably, some senseless analysts presumed that Gen. Kayani said it in favour of former President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s much publicized treason trial.

Gen. Kayani explained, “I assure you that we stand committed to assist and support the free, fair and peaceful elections…this support shall solely be aimed at strengthening democracy and rule of law…linked to prosperity of the nation.”  He stressed a greater political consensus and a clear policy to tackle extremism and terrorism.

It is mentionable that by following the realistic approach, after the 9/11 tragedy, like other small countries, Pakistan joined the US war against terrorism because the latter was facing multiple problems of grave nature besides hostile factor of India. In case of refusal, the US-led major states which have strong hold on the UN Security Council, and its financial institutes could impose sanctions on Islamabad. These powers could even attack Pakistan, and India could be beneficiary. Notably, every time, IMF and World Bank give loans to Pakistan after the green signal of America.

Since then, by setting aside the ‘realpolitik’, and noting the bomb blasts, suicide attacks, targeted killings, sectarian violence etc., Pakistan’s political and religious leaders started propagating that under US pressure, Pak Army and country’s intelligence agencies have been waging American war against terrorism. In this context, instead of grasping reality, these internal entitles have neglected a number of factors. In fact, like other less developed countries, Pakistan has multiple crises of serious nature. Despite it, Islamabad has rejected American duress on a number of occasions.

Within a few years, when the US-led NATO forces felt that they are failing in coping with the Taliban, they started false allegations against Pak Army and country’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of supporting the militants in Afghanistan, while emphasising to ‘do more’ against the insurgents by ignoring the internal backlash. Differences increased between Islamabad and Washington because ISI thwarted the anti-Pakistan activities of the agents of Blackwater and CIA. In this respect, vacation of the Shamsi Airbase, closure of NATO ground supply routes through its territory to Afghanistan for seven months, refusal of military operation in North Waziristan, Pakistan’s inauguration the gas pipeline project with Iran in wake of US threat of sanctions and hading over the control of Gwader seaport to China show that Islamabad has rejected the US duress.

Although Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliated militant outfits have conducted high-profile terror-attacks on the civil and military installations of Pakistan including sectarian killings and assaults on the security forces, yet they have accelerated their subversive acts to sabotage the forthcoming polls by targeting the election-sites of the political parties and killing the independent candidates. They have killed many leaders and workers of the Awami National Party (ANP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan Peoples Party through suicide attacks and bomb blasts.

While accepting responsibility, TTP not only felt pride for latest terror-assaults, but has also threatened to continue such attacks in future. Meanwhile, in the recent days, the TTP militants distributed pamphlets in Buner, Peshawar and different areas of Karachi, warning citizens against attending political rallies and casting their votes at polling stations. TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan said that democracy was un-Islamic, western system of government, and was the agenda of secular forces in Pakistan.

But, Islam is a religion of universal application, as it emphasises peace, democracy, moderation and human rights including tolerance of political groups, religious communities and sects.

In this respect, addressing the Constituent Assembly on August, 11 1947, Quaid-i-Azam who wanted Pakistan as a democratic state, said that he did not want Pakistan to be a theocratic state. He wanted Pakistan to be a liberal, secular and progressive state.

Besides, Islamic laws can be implemented through a system of governance, hence, elections are essential for placing the elected representatives to make rules and govern in any part of the country. Laws of Sharia (Islamic Jurisprudence) can best be put to practice through democratic system which does not make us un-Islamic or anti-Sharia. In fact, it is a representative system which is based upon equality of all the people, ensuring enforcement of rule of law through an independent justice.

Pakistan has to move along with the demands of modern time. Therefore, periodic reinterpretation of Islamic teachings is essential. Such movement is called Ijtihad, which could provide new perceptions to Islam in accordance with the changed world vision.

Notably, by condemning the TTP insurgents’ inhuman activities, more than 60 Islamic scholars recently clarified in their joint fatwa (edict) that “killing of innocent people, target killings and suicide bombings including sectarianism are nor Jihad”, and “are against the spirit of Islam…the terrorists’ self-adopted interpretation of Islam was nothing but ignorance and digression from the actual teachings of the religion.” Unlike the Taliban, they elaborated; “Islam does not forbid women’s education.” No doubt, these Taliban and their linked groups are defaming Islam and are weakening Pakistan.

In fact, based in Afghanistan, secret agencies like American CIA, Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad are supporting TTP, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other similar militant groups to sabotage the democratic system and to create chaotic situation in Pakistan, as the latter is the only nuclear country in the Islamic world. A continued wave of terror-assaults on the places of worships, security forces, sectarian violence etc. is also part of the same plot against Pakistan. For the purpose, especially, RAW has hired the services of Indian Muslims who have well-penetrated in the BLA, TTP, Jundollah, (God’s soldiers) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi which have been conducting subversive acts in various regions of the country.

Pakistan’s civil and military leadership has repeatedly disclosed that militants along with huge cache of arms are being sent to Pakistan from Afghanistan.

So far, these terrorists have killed more than 5000 personnel of the security forces and 40000 innocent people including huge collateral damage. They have also destroyed thousands of schools.

Now, people from all segments of society including politicians have realised that a handful of terrorist elements must not be allowed to impose their self-perceived ideology through acts of sabotage in the country.

In this connection, in the same speech, Gen. Kayani pointed out, “I would like to ask that if a small faction wants to enforce its distorted ideology over the entire Nation by taking up arms…defies the constitution, the democratic process and considers all forms of bloodshed justified, then, does the fight against this enemy of the state constitute someone else’s war?”

Nevertheless, Pakistan’s security agencies are fighting a ‘different war’ with the invisible enemy.  It is a war in which offence knows its target, but defence does not know. Army and security agencies cannot wage this war alone, as it is everyone’s war. This new style war demands strong cooperation of the media, political and religious leaders including general masses with the security forces and intelligence agencies in order to castigate the self-motivated designs of the Taliban and their affiliated militants.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations