Identifying Benign Terrorists and Malign Terrorists
By Tajwar Ali
After the implementation of the national action plan the government of Pakistan identified a new kind of terrorism; “malignant terrorism” which is also called “Economic Terrorism” in the context of Pakistan. Malignant terrorism is especially treacherous in nature. Dr Asim, a close aid to the ex-president of Pakistan, was detained by Pakistani authorities as a corrupt politician. For the first time in the history of the Pakistan Civil military, leaders have enacted genuine efforts to determine the authentic syndrome of vulnerability of Pakistan which is responsible for multiple system based ailments. Corruption is the mother of all that ails Pakistan. NAP was also applied in Gilgit Baltistan to penalize political activists and the true sincere front-runners and leaders of the region. The government of Pakistan imprisoned Tahir Ali, a political activist of BNF and Mutahar Abbass of MWM. They were charged as terrorists. Baba Jan another “benign” terrorist has been moved to prison and sentenced to life imprisonment. One thing is clear, although they were treated as terrorists and sentenced with the highest crimes, the government could not find even a water gun on these so-called terrorists. Not even a single penny was stolen by these activists from government funds. Why then did the government considers them terrorists? Why then are they being tried in anti-terrorism courts? These activists are what is called “benign” terrorists.
The government has started targeting these benign terrorists and letting the malign (or serious) terrorists roam free. The malign terrorists of the region are continuing to enjoy a majestic life and maintaining their honour. These malign terrorists have assets, they have palaces and they have extensive wealth. These terrorists are some of the ministers of the ex-government of PPP in the region, and many other so called public servants who have pilfered public money from the treasury of the government. They have perpetuated corruption and made it a norm of the Pakistani society. One ex-minister of education sold more than 800 teaching positions and is now living a kingly life from his profits. The executive engineers have made large assets as well and are living a royal life while continuing to loot public money simply because they consider it their birth-right. These people are the genuine, true and malign terrorists in the region, however the government continues to be negligent about “malign” terrorism even though it is exactly this type of “economic terrorism” which is at the center of all that ills Gilgit Baltistan.
The Pakistani government was quick and proactive in capturing and charging Baba Jan and Tahir Ali, only due to the fact that they were struggling for the legal rights of Gilgit Baltistan, all that the malignant terrorists aim to destroy. It is obvious that the government is not yet ready to effectively charge and capture the detrimental terrorists who are extremely hazardous to the economy of the region by creating a new corrupt elite class of people. The government should know the reality that economic crises begets and be aware of all of the regions teething troubles.
In the district of Ghizer every individual knows the reality of how the ex-minister made such a huge amount of wealth by peddling off teaching positions to the highest bidder. All people know about his corrupt wealth and assets which he has collected after assuming office as minister of education in GB. Why then is the government of Pakistan reluctant to incarcerate this malign terrorist who shattered the education system of Gilgit Baltistan? Why has the government not treated this ex-minister in the same way Tahir Ali and Baba Jan were treated and also forced him to live as a criminal in the Gahkuch Jail? The general public of GB recognize that the “benign terrorists” have no assets, no wealth and no weapons. The sympathies of the true citizens and common people of the area are with these so-called benign terrorists. Common citizens of the region continue to provide pecuniary assistance and other legal backing to these so-called benign terrorists. This comparison of the way the malignant terrorists and the benign terrorists are treated, gives a loud and clear message to the government of Pakistan that the conduct of government itself is responsible for the secessionist mind set in Gilgit Baltistan.
Unchecked corruption can create limited loyalists, but it does however produce unlimited antagonists of the state. The uninhibited corruption of Gilgit Baltistan is directly responsible for the rampant unemployment rate in the GB area. The government is not yet serious about the economic conditions of the area, but it will be perilous for the government in the upcoming years. The government should be proactive to pinpoint and point out the malign terrorists who are precarious for the sovereignty of Pakistan in Gilgit Baltistan. And on the other hand the true leaders and political activists of the region or “benign terrorists” should not be criminalized and charged and compared to the true malign terrorists in the area. Justice should be provided for the “benign” terrorists and served on those true economic terrorists in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The writer is graduate student of policy and poltics. he can be reached at tajooformanite@yahoo.com
