I was hoping to avoid posting anything in August, deciding to take the month off and lie low for awhile, so to better enjoy the summer and do other things like read, watch movies and have an ice cream cone or two. Nevertheless, this item in Dawn grabbed my attention and I had to write something in response:
“Recognising Taliban and launching a jihad is the only way to take revenge,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Maj (retd) Tanveer Hussain Syed while taking part in the debate on the foreign policy “with particular reference to recent statements of some US presidential candidates, US civil nuclear treaty with India, threat of military intervention in Pakistan, the country’s role in war against terror and the improper conditions in the US legislation for aid to Pakistan.”
He alleged that the US and India wanted to take control of Kashmir to keep a check on China. The parliamentary secretary also called for sending “jihadis” to Kashmir because, according to him, Pakistan would never be able to get Kashmir through negotiations.
He claimed that through jihad, Pakistan could get Kashmir within six months.
Major Tanveer also alleged that the CIA, RAW and Khad were behind the killings of Chinese nationals in Pakistan. “There is a need for revenge and there is only one way to do it, Jihad, Jihad and Jihad,” he concluded.
And they say Americans make irresponsible statements. Honestly, what Mr. Syed said paled in comparison to what Obama said: who, as president, would unilaterally bomb Pakistan if it didn't cooperate. What Obama is saying is, in reality, what many Americans are thinking but are not saying out loud, including the Bush Administration, who, regardless of their fawning public statements to the contrary, are equally frustrated with Pakistan's lack of follow through.
Here we have a parliamentary secretary, thus representing the current government, making statements about supporting the Taliban and jwaging jihad in Kashmir. It is pure wing-nuttery. It just confirms fears that lunatics are running amok in Pakistan.
