Critics of General Parvez Musharaf are of the opinion that Lal mosque episode, unrest in Waziristan and Swat are a part of deliberate strategy of his government to delay elections and extend his rule in the country on a plea that for elections peaceful environment is a prerequisite and currently the country is facing turmoil of extremism, so elections can not be conducted in January 2008. If we peep into history it becomes evident that both peace accords concluded in 2004 and 2005 by Pakistan government with tribesmen and militants of Waziristan were not respected by the militants, during the truce period militants had piled up weapons in Lal mosque of Islamabad, Maulana Fazlullah had raised his Commando force in Swat which consist upon five thousand men, government after concluding peace agreements due to its compulsions best known to President Parvez Musharaf had turned a blind eye for quite some time towards extremist forces active gaining strength in the cities and tribal areas of Pakistan, either it was height of cunningness at part of extremists or lack of efficiency and expertise in government intelligence and security agencies that Lal Mosque in Islamabad just at distance of two or one and half mile from presidency became center of extremism.
In September 2004 during Afghan Presidential elections while working in IOM UNOCRV as Assistant Voter Education Officer with Mr. Dragos Dinu Voter Education Officer, we were assigned to conduct polling for Afghan refugees living in Pakistan, from Waziristan to Bajure tribal agency we both were handling all the issues concerning elections, due to my proficiency in both Pashto and Urdu languages I was helping Dragos to get the real picture, when Dragos came up with a letter written in Pashto I translated it to him, it was clearly mentioned in the letter that all Pakistani staff shall immediately resign from this project, it is unIslamic to hold elections, and in case of noncompliance with the dictates in this letter, all of you will face dire consequences, your lives and limbs of your children are in danger, we will kill you and will cut the limbs of your children, that was the extract of that threatening letter received by Dragos.
After conclusion of the project I was free to pursue my research, being a journalist I took it seriously, after interviewing dozens of extremists, I have reached to the conclusion that extremists present in Pakistan and Afghanistan are against elections because of their hateful ideology, their extreme view regarding interference in personal lives and liberties of the people makes them unpopular among the masses, realization of this fact after getting humiliating defeat in Afghan Presidential elections have made them more anti elections. In civilized society of Pakistan extremists have no hope to win elections, majority of Muslims in Pakistan are deadly against unIslamic practices of extremists, like slaughtering of captives and attacks on unarmed civilians in New York or elsewhere in the world.
Critics of President and General Parvez Musharaf shall keep these facts in mind that despite of upsurge of extremists in Swat and Waziristan, despite of suicide bomb attacks within the big cities of Pakistan, President is unwilling to impose even emergency rule in Pakistan, preparations regarding forth coming election in January 2008 are almost in its final shape, candidates are quite actively campaigning in small and large cities of Pakistan, according to recent statement issued by Major General Arshad Waheed of ISPR, situation in Waziristan is under control, most probably within day or two uprising in Swat will also end stage is set for election 2008.
Submitted by
Abdur Raziq