Pakistan is in turmoil. According to some analysts it is already a failed state and is on the brink of disintegration. There is a virtual civil war going on between the citizens of the same country. Muslims are killing Muslims. Every body is keeping the fingers crossed whether the country will survive in its present shape? There are two disturbing aspects. One is the blood bath going on among the nationals of the same country and the other is the fate of nuclear weapons already available in a large number in the country. There is a great anxiety among the western powers especially USA about the security of these weapons of mass destruction. This especially so in view of the recent threat of Al Qaeda that if it were in a position to use Pak Nukes, they will use these against USA! March of Taliban towards Islamabad has been probably the first step in that direction?

Dr. Iqbal, the poet of the east and Mohammad Ali Jinnah had seen a vision and a dream for creating a Muslim Nation in the sub-continent. It is debatable whether the dream country was really needed. It may be hypothetical now but if one ponders over the situation of Muslims in united India, it may have been better! Surely the Indian Army would have had a large percentage of Muslims who have been traditional fighters. There would also have been a sizeable presence of Muslim politicians in the Parliament. The presently combined population of Muslims in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India is over half a billion people. In a united India Muslims may have carved out a dominant role for themselves. The net result might have been the united India becoming a super power much earlier. The west would not have liked it at all and that is the most important reason for partition and the creation of two antagonistic countries. The two visionaries could have never imagined that their dream would go sour in such a tragic way! The country has come to such a pass by the greedy, selfish, and callous attitude of both its leaders and the people. There were only two political leaders of stature who could have made Pakistan into a dream country for the Muslims of the sub-continent. One was Mohammad Ali Jinnah and the other was Liaqut Ali Khan. Both died within a few years of the birth of this new Nation. Had they survived the things may have taken a positive turn. After their departure it was the feudal aristocracy especially from Punjab which took hold of the country.

It was said that there were about 20 odd families which owned and ruled Pakistan. This piece of information was widely believed during the reign of Field Marshal Ayub Khan. He was the first Martial Law Administrator. Pakistan has been ruled by military dictators for more than 30 years. Democracy never took roots in the Pakistani society. The first mistake on the part of Pakistani rulers has been the neglect of modern education. Had they ensured modern education of children in addition of religious one, the things would not be as difficult and extreme as these are at present. Spread of modern education would have helped in the creation of a sizeable middle class. At the moment it has either awfully rich people or extremely poor. The size of the middle class is very small. The absence of a vibrant middle class also prevented creation of institutions. The feudal lords never allowed growth of any institutions. Pakistani society grew round the hatred of an external enemy and India with its action in Kashmir provided the easiest alternative. Pakistanis were fed on the theory that India has never reconciled to the creation of Pakistan and it is bent upon disintegrating it.

The annexation of Muslim majority Kashmir against their will by India provided an easy way out for Jihad against Hindu India. America found this Jihadist sentiment quite useful against Communist Bloc and roped in Pakistan in a number of military pacts like SEATO and CENTO. They supported Pakistan’s case in Kashmir to the hilt and it was the counter vetoes of USSR which saved India from losing it. The American support for the Jihad saw its culmination during the Taliban offensive against Russians in Afghanistan. General Zia-ul-Haq not only used religion to Islamize the Army, the only disciplined institution but also settled scores with his opponents including Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto whom he mercilessly hanged. Ultimately, he too himself suffered an ignominious end. But the damage had been done. He created a Frankenstein monster which is now eating the country itself. As long as the feudal lords could use religion to suppress the common people and keep them under a leash it was good but when they saw the monster not only nibbling at but completely destroying their modern way of life, they became panicky and unleashed the troops on their own people. There is a total war going on in some parts of Pakistan. Bombers and tanks are being used to kill the citizens of the country (earlier hailed as mujahids and now called terrorists) who have in fact, been created by the very same soldiers that are now after their blood. Americans were the creators of Taliban and are now their avowed enemies and want their decimation at all costs. Even a cursory look on the history of Pakistan reveals that the Americans have exploited its people right from its creation. The worst thing they did for Pakistanis was to destroy their self-respect and dignity. The Americans made them as the frontline state against terrorism and in the process virtually shattered the whole society. After having destroyed a major portion of the country, rendering over 3 million homeless, and making Pakistanis kill each other in thousands they are now throwing few crumbs of aid as relief. Their war effort in Afghanistan is costing them 100 times more. There cannot be a bigger joke and humiliation than this! The poet who dreamt of Pakistan as a nation of Muslims had advocated raising of the human dignity and self-respect to such heights that even Almighty God would have to give him a choice! He would be terribly shocked to see the behaviour of Zardari and his ilk. Americans have simply put him on the mat.

Will Pakistan survive as an entity? That is a million dollar question. However, for the stability of India, the sub-continent, and even South Asia itself it is unthinkable to see further disintegration of this country. India will not be safe if Pakistan disintegrates or Taliban ultimately take over the country along with its nuclear weapons . Firstly, Pakistanis themselves have to realise that Islam is a religion of Peace. Pakistan which is claimed to be a nation of Muslims has to be an abode of Peace and not a haven for misguided suicide bombers. Suicide is anathema in Islam. Holy Quran emphasises that the Man is on Earth on trial because of his failings and any escape from here is negating the whole purpose of Almighty God. The recent happenings seem to have awakened the common people to the futility of these terrorist acts which are destroying the very foundations of their society. The Army which has so far remained the only disciplined institution is receiving backing of both the politicians and the common people in its war on terrorism. Pakistanis have a long way to go. Insurgencies do not disappear overnight. Firstly, they will have to transform their society drastically. The society has to move out of the syndrome of two extremes of dirty rich and awfully poor. The middle class has to grow. To achieve this modern education has to be made available to every one and the growth of new generation has not to be left only to the religious preachers. Pakistan’s neighbours especially India has to play an important role in helping Pakistan to overcome the monster devouring it rapidly. After all if Pakistan goes, India cannot remain unscathed. There is still time to retrieve the dream seen by the poet of the east. Let us hope and pray that this happens. The alternative is too horrible to be even imagined!