A Quiet City simmering with Confusion

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By Salman Masood.

ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 -- The dull blue sky, dimly lit by the sunlight that is choked by the dust clouds, is witnessing the slow incursion of autumn in this city surrounded by the Margalla hills. The green of trees and bushes is fading to lighter shades and there is a twinge of chill in the air these days. Every thing appears grim and somber. The war clouds that are hovering around Afghanistan have cast their grim shadows over the lives and thoughts of people in this city also which has normally been thought to be aloof and indifferent to the happenings around the country and globe as such.

Osama bin laden is still elusive and in hiding, Mullah Omer resilient and defiant and ordinary Afghans famished and dying every passing day. The fighter jets of United States have pounded every visible building, no matter in what rudimentary form, to rubbles and pieces and continue to blitz Kabul and Kandahar.

On the streets, there is growing sympathy for the civilian people of Afghanistan. Although everyone is unequivocal in denouncing the terrorist attacks in United States, many question the bombings that have just resulted in mass civilian casualties. Bounded by emotions of Islamic fraternity and tied by lineage and ethnic affinity, many people find it just natural to feel sympathetic for the Afghans. But they also feel compelled to act pragmatically. Sandwiched between a hostile India, always on its haunches to pounce at Pakistan, and an unstable Afghanistan that assumed the potential of dragging Pakistan into an abyss of obscurantist dogmatic interpretations of living and religion, distancing from Afghanistan was understandably inevitable. The processions led by religious parties are seen by the onlookers passively. Nobody wants to join them as they pass by. The polarization is obvious. The fundamentalists are violent and vociferous, the moderates are silent and apprehensive.

While the leaders of religious parties have tried to stage processions and mobilize masses on a nationwide scale, their efforts have resulted in crystallizing the polarity that exists between the people. On one hand people are resentful of the bombing campaign and have a soft corner for the Taliban as fellow Muslims but on the other hand, they are fearful of any possibility that might mean religious parties gaining political power in Pakistan. While talking about Islam and the oppression of Muslims is a favorite topic, they cringe at the thought of religious parties becoming masters of their political destinies. However such passive disapproval of the hardliners appears negligible in the face of vocal and often violent outbursts and proclamations by the religious extremists. The situation has been further exacerbated by the slaying of Christians in Bahawalpur on Sunday.

The news that Pushtun tribesmen blocked the Silk road in the Northern areas and were anxious to join hands with Taliban to fight doesn’t arouse much surprise though. “It’s the way of Pushtuns. We are one against our enemies. History confirms that we have never bowed to any foreign power”, says 26 years old Amin Afridi , a pushtun settled in Islamabad. Emotional and emphatic, he feels strongly for the Taliban and hopes that they would emerge as victors. “Why doesn’t USA stop Israel when it rolls its tanks over the poor Palestinians?”, he asks showing his strong disapproval for American Foreign Policy. However, ironically, soon after the end of the war he hopes to go to United States in search of work. He has a number of relatives settled in the Unites States.

Such ambivalence is characteristic of the people who are torn apart between two dissenting ways of life. The equilibrium between the dichotomy of tradition and modernity has remained unattainable. The various segments of society have their own peculiar interpretations and expectations, based on their different economic, ethnic and religious foundations. Although religion is a powerful driving force, yet its application in the running of the state and society remains a moot question. Various quarters with their divergent view points are at loggerheads and striving to achieve their objectives. From the fundamentalists to the progressive liberals, the cauldron is stirring for a change that might prelude cataclysmic repercussions.

Amid these precarious settings which have their moorings in religious and ethnic sensitivities, the Musharraf government has been treading on thin ice. Being a part of the international campaign against terrorism and getting flaked in the country for succumbing to western pressures as accused by the religious extremists, it has to act dexterously and often forcefully. ‘The silent majority’ a term loosely used for the middle class and the upper echelons of society is supportive of the government’s decision to sideline itself from supporting the Taliban. However, many in the middle class, which attach huge importance to religion, question the futility of the decision when they see everything but the Taliban being affected by the military campaign. “Nothing tangible can come out unless ground forces are mobilized inside Afghanistan”, opines Mansoor Ahmed, a recent graduate of International Relations from a local university.

Umpteen questions smother the minds of the ordinary citizens which border on a mix of confusion and clarity. They are clear about being a part of a global campaign against terrorism. They are confused and saddened at the loss of innocent lives.