Mad as Hell - The Only Response to the Taliban Juggernaut

In Pakistan, people are finally, ‘mad as hell.’ For too long, the ‘mad as hell’ platform has been monopolized by the far-right Islamic extremists. In a country, where everything is wrong, being ‘mad as hell’ will bring you closer to the people than trying to defend the present status quo ever will. For a short time, Nawaz Sharif was ‘mad as hell’ about the deposition of the Chief Justice (read: disqualification of his brother), and the laurels and popularity his stand brought him, across the length and breadth of the Punjab cannot be disputed. Altaf Hussain and the MQM are always ‘mad as hell’, and they continue to enjoy the unqualified support of the majority of Karachi’s inhabitants. The same applies to the Balochi nationalists, the Sindhi nationalists, and generally ‘Pissed off Pakistanis’ across the political spectrum. But by far, the Taliban and the rest of the Islamic extremist network have definitely ruled the ‘high blood-pressure’ roost. And it has paid dividends. They have excelled in homing in on key grievances among peoples in the areas of the country who are the most entitled to being angry, the peoples who have consistently been marginalized and alienated by the leadership and leading institutions of this country.

The result of the rightward shift of this country since the Zia days, is that this country’s liberal intelligentsia, has also been marginalized. Finally, however, they seem to have woken up, and are, at last ‘mad as hell.’ The Nizam-e-Adl regulations in Swat, the resultant institutionalization of Taliban control, the flogging video, have finally brought out their rage. One columnist writes, “We do not want to live in a society where anyone is flogged, where anyone’s limb is hacked off, where anyone is stoned. Period.” Another writes, “No more waiting and seeing! We have already wasted a lot of time over this. It’s now a matter of life and death of the people, nation, state and the country. It’s time to take the terror tangle head-on.” Yet another claims, that the Nizam-e-Adl bill, “passed by the political parties present in the assembly on that disgraceful Monday in April is pure and simple appeasement by a weak government, by parties who have abandoned their principles.”

Meanwhile, in the Senate, lawmakers are showing their anger as well…finally. After the shameful display last week in the National Assembly, when the Nizam-e-Adl bill was passed in a day, and Sufi Mohammad, the broker of the Nizam-e-Adl deal from the Taliban side, our government’s apparent “ally” in Swat, declared all legislators who voted against the bill “Non-Muslim”, the MQM senators were quick to show their anger, pleading with the Senate Chairman, “Mr Chairman please tell us whether we sitting here are non-Muslims and whatever have been doing for the last one and half year was un-Islamic?”

Even Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of the Islamic political party, the JUI, usually so supportive of the Taliban and their ilk, seems at least worried, declaring, “The process of enforcing Sharia in Swat is incorrect.”

Yes, they are all ‘mad as hell.’

The reason? There is no state more marginalizing and disenfranchising than a Taliban state. Liberals will, of course, be non-existent, ethnic parties will be irrelevant, and given Sufi Mohammad’s recent rants against democracy, parliaments, judiciaries, and all institutions of the modern nation-state, even political Islamists will lose their place. So, everyone’s feeling the pinch. Good for them. About time too.

But two key players in the political landscape, two very key players, remain in their Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne attires, refusing to acknowledge the dire situation and the need to don the cape of unwavering confrontation and uncompromising action. The ruling Pakistan Peoples’ Party, and the leading opposition party the Pakistan Muslim League, which also runs the Punjab the largest province. In the current political configuration, they firmly hold the reins of power and influence, and fear doing anything to lose their grip. Far from being ‘mad as hell’ they seem rather content. Prime Minister Gilani is bending over backwards to please the extremists, defending Sufi Mohammad’s statements against democracy, the constitution, the Supreme Court etc, saying, “there are many people who do not believe in democracy.” It’s a sad day when the prime minister of a democratic government defends such a position taken by the de facto authority of one of the regions that falls under his supervision. Meanwhile, the Muslim League prefers to dodge the issue, falling back on anti-Americanism, declaring the end of American drone attacks as the key to ending the Taliban onslaught, thus framing the Taliban’s position as a mere defense reaction to American aggression, as opposed to describing the Taliban for what they are, militant barbarian expansionists.

This confusion and inaction from the two biggest political players is infuriating. The Pakistan Muslim League have done much to earn the committed support of the people of Punjab, and if the League choose to take a firm stand against the Taliban and Islamic extremism, they do not stand to lose this base. In fact, a strong position on their part could well help bring around a lot of people who are currently on the fence regarding the threat posed by the Taliban. They have nothing to lose, and the country has everything to gain if they take a stand. The PPP, ever since their dramatic failure regarding the Long March, has retreated into such a cowardly posture, that they refuse to acknowledge the opportunity they have right now. Let’s face it: the current peace deal in Swat will not last. This is the TNSM and the Taliban we are talking about. In fact, the current expansion of operations by the Swat Taliban in Buner and Mansehra clearly demonstrates that the deal is really only being held up by the government. This is the time therefore, that they should be vilifying the Taliban, their expansionist intentions, and their perverse brand of Islamic justice. They should be showing how, in the peace deal they sincerely pursued they have been betrayed by the other side, expose the other side for what they are. This is their chance to be ‘mad as hell.’

The two leading political parties benefit the most from the present status quo, and seem unwilling to acknowledge that the way things are going presently, this current political landscape will very quickly disappear. The two main parties are allowing themselves to be held hostage by vocal minorities and political setbacks, where as they need to show some leadership. The left is outraged; the right is concerned, so if the center takes a stand, there is a good chance the rest will fall behind them. The time is now, people are waking up to the danger, to the fact that barbarians are not just at the gates, but have already breached the walls, and are in our heartland, in our cities, in our neighbourhoods, permeating every porous inch of our world, ready to bring an end, a dramatic end to the nation, the identity, the way of life, that we hold so dear. The leaders can now choose between being the Neroes of our tragic downfall or the Churchills of our glorious resistance. The time for the leaders to be ‘mad as hell’ is now.