A US Think Tank, “Foreign Policy Journal”, has ranked Pakistan tenth in the list of failed States, in its latest categorisation. TIME FOR PAKISTAN TO END CAT AND MOUSE GAME
A US Think Tank, “Foreign Policy Journal”, has ranked Pakistan tenth in the list of failed States, in its latest categorisation.
The criteria of ranking is based on demographic pressure, refugees/internally displaced persons , group grievance, uneven development, economic decline, delegitimisation of the State, public service, human rights, factionalised elites and ex-ternal intervention. The top 10 failed States in the latest list of 2008 are: Somalia , Zimbabwe , Sudan , Chad , Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq , Afghanistan , Central African Republic , Guinea and Pakistan .
In the “Failed States Index 2008” of Foreign Policy 177 States ranked, of which 35 were classified as “alert”, 92 as “warning”, 35 as “moderate”, 15 as “sustainable”. The worst 20 States are:
1. Somalia
2. Sudan
3. Zimbabwe
4. Chad
5. Iraq
6. Democratic Republic of the Congo
7. Afghanistan
8. Côte d'Ivoire
9. Pakistan
10. Central African Republic
11. Guinea
12. Bangladesh
13. Burma/Myanmar
14. Haiti
15. North Korea
16. Ethiopia
17. Uganda
18. Lebanon
19. Nigeria
20. Sri Lanka
Thus, it may be seen, that India is surrounded by failed States all around, that is Pakistan , Bangladesh , Sri Lanka and Myanmar . The fall out of a failed State is always felt by the neighbours, as people like to migrate and seek sanctuary there. Like good neighbours, our politicians have been saying that Pakistan faces the threat of becoming a failed, and it is not a failed State. The truth is that nobody, including the Americans know as to who is controlling Pakistan , whether it is the Army or ISI or the civilian Government.
A part of Pakistan is being controlled by the Taliban. Other parts are fortified by the tribal lords, where the Government presence is by their courtesy. Still other parts have training camps for the terrorists groups, funded and supported by the ISI, for anti-Indian activities and terrorist attacks on India, like the one in Mumbai on 26/11 or the attack on Parliament or on Bangalore, Surat, Ahmedabad, to quote a few.
The upshot is that any assurance given by the Pakistan Government remains only a trickery or a ruse. What we sow, we reap and this is what Pakistan is reaping. Collapse of administration can be seen from the fact that the fundamentalists are out to squeeze already minuscule minorities out of Pakistan and they want protection money in the form of infamous Jazia from non-Muslims.
According to a report of April 2009, Pakistan 's Sikh community had been forced to pay Rs. 20 million as Jazia (religious tax) to the Taliban so as to return to their homes and resume business. The minority Sikh community had met the Taliban demand in return for “protection” in Orakzai Agency, which is in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The Taliban then released Sikh leaders and vacated their houses. They announced that the Sikhs were now free to live anywhere in the area. They also announced protection for the Sikh community, saying “no one would harm them after they paid jazia . Sikhs who had left the agency would now return to their houses and resume business”. Now another group has demanded Rs.60 million as Jazia from the Hindu community.
According to a report of June 2009, Sikhs, Hindus and Christians living in Khyber Agency have agreed to pay tax in exchange for their security and safety to the group, the Lashkar-e-Islam.
Each non-Muslim is to pay Rs. 1,000 per year as tax. The Bara-based Lashkar-e-Islam, had issued a threat to the non-Muslim communities asking them to leave the area or pay tax. With little support from the police, the communities had to succumb to the extremists' demand. There seems to be no relief for non-Muslim communities in Pakistan despite the military offensive against the terrorists.
Pakistan also treats another sect of Muslims called Ahmediyas as third class citizens, who are being harassed as much as other non-Muslims. It is noteworthy that Mr. Zardari, the President of Pakistan, was at the United Nations to participate in the High-Level meeting where it was declared “The meeting further recalled that all States have pledged themselves under the Charter to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all including freedoms of belief and expression without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion”.
Pakistan has a population of nearly 180 million people, and has 60 nuclear weapons. It has an army bigger than the U.S. Army. Al-Qaeda headquarters are right in Pakistan . Nearly on the two-thirds of the country, Pakistan Government has no control. Neither the Pakistani military nor the police and the intelligence service, read ISI, though paying lip services, really carry out the half-hearted dictates of the civilian government. They are a law and a rogue States within a State. Pakistan President has himself admitted the dangers of a Taliban takeover.
India faces the greatest danger from a failed Pakistan . It is notorious for harbouring anti-Indian, Islamic extremist organizations, which are responsible for terrorist attacks, which have the potential to raise communal holocausts. Our efforts should be to do everything possible not to have a Fractured, Fascist-Islamist or Failed Pakistan, but a Friendly Pakistan. A failed Pakistan will have the potential of arming these extremists groups with the ultimate weapon of mass destruction, nukes. India would be at an increased risk of nuclear attack by a radicalized Pakistan . India , not only has to exercise greater vigilance on keeping a watch for Pakistan sympathisers and ISI, but also to take pre-emptive action to neutralise them. The first priority should be to safeguard the Nation's territorial integrity, which should not be allowed to become a hostage to vote-bank politics. Democracy and so called human rights of the criminals, terrorists and their supporters, will be of no avail if the country withers away.