Pashtun Movement: National Security vs Personal Rights Debate
By Farzana Shah
Peshawar, Pakistan
Since 9/11, the question of national security has overshadowed every other issue in most nation states, especially those that have been the target of international terrorism and are in close proximity of active geostrategic hotspots, and feel the heat of protracted war against terrorism. Pakistan is among such countries.
As national security takes precedence in every nation-state, balancing nrequirements of national security and provisioning of civil rights under the constitution remains a question of sensitive subtleties. Though the phenomenon of human rights compromised at the cost of national security is nothing new, it has intensified post-9/11 in many regions of the world and given rise to resentment and a sense of deprivation amonst segments of population caught in the conflict zones. Pakistan being no exception to this phenomenon is facing a massive populist Pashtun movement that is taking the country and international media by storm. Allegations and counter-allegations, use of social media platforms and inclusion of ethno-sub-nationalistic politics in this volatile situation, has turned it into an elusive security-rights situation for the state where seeking a balance between the two to ensure the rights of the protestors without compromising national security is a task to be reckoned with. Specially, in a state where there is virtually no government, courts are questioning the functionaries of the state, economic meltdown hinting at another bailout by IMF, political polarization on the rise and socio-economic development sinking in the void created by class-based divisions.
Faced with such alarming complexities, governance can be nothing short of a nightmarish challenge for any government. Such a challenge becomes more insurmountable in a country where there exists practically no long-term politically stable model of governance. Besides, the political history of the country is marred by military takeovers and subsequent under-the-table deals by elites alienating the political leadership from the strivings and aspirations of the masses.
Failure of political leadership stemming from such deals in the past gives birth to the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) like phenomenon. This lot of political elite has completely failed to cope with the challenges of the state which according to many global geopolitical commentators is in the ‘eye of the storm’. The question of balancing between national security and civil rights is often left to the security establishment which is a dangerous route to begin with.
Pakistan has been fighting the war on terror against foreign and homegrown militant wings in FATA for the past 16 years. Unfortunately, not for once, the issue of mainstreaming FATA was addressed in the context of protecting both the territory and the rights of those living there. This is the cost of the makeshift political leadership which Pakistan is now bearing in the form of anti-state agitation by those very people for whom the security forces lost thousands of their finest men. Those who are agitating against the same security forces have their own reasons, and not without merit too, like the hardships of going through multiple check-posts, strict behaviour of security personne, and lack of economic opportunities for the war-torn regions. This is just one half of what the Pashtun movement is complaining about, the other half is related to the question of integration of FATA with mainland Pakistan, eradication of FCR, granting financial autonomy and establishing local administration like other provinces of the country.
When one looks at the other side of the situation, it is obvious that the Pakistan army has done a lot more than fighting terrorism in this region. Whatever rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts have been done so far in this region, they have been spearheaded by the Pakistan Army. Sacrifices of the troops aside, Pakistan army has built hospitals, schools and markets which were destroyed in counter-terrorism operations. Security check-posts were established all over FATA to ensure the safety of the locals and mainland Pakistan and this step has paid dividends which is evident from a sharp reduction in terrorist attacks across the country, including FATA and KP.
Notwithstanding all these tireless efforts by the army to re-construct war-torn regions, the fact remains that in any democratic country, it is not the army’s job to govern, administer and police any region in the post-operation phase. Civilian institutions must take over and come forth with policies and plans ensuring the participation of the local population which is critical for trust building. Such an approach also signals to the locals that the security forces were in the area to restore order and not to police them as the Pakistan army is compelled to do in FATA today even after active military operations have ceased. Security personnel at the check-posts were trained to fight the terrorists and to man these check-posts now is the job ofthe police force. Regretfully, in FATA today there is no police force as the region remains constitutionally under the FCR. Recent overtures to merge the region with the KP were thwarted by the federal government to secure political mileage. Consequently, the status quo prevails and Pakistan Army remains perforce in FATA to police the region and proiding PTM a new impetus for their agitation!
In the last few days, however, PTM’s leader ManzoorPashteen has sent confusing signals. First, he attended a ceremony in Madrassah Haqqania which is considered the ideological center of the Taliban who PTM despises the most. Then at their April 8th rally in Peshawar Manzoor sounded more anti-state than a spokesman for "Pashtun Rights". This has now begun to sow the seeds of suspicion among the genuinely concerned and affected Pushtuns who have been backing the PTM demands. A section of the PTM wants to prove their case through social media and are harming their own cause. Usage of photoshoped images to malign the Pakistan army is going to create trouble for PTM if this trend continues.
Regardless of the true nature of PTM, the only option for the state of Pakistan is to embrace these people and engage them through public dialogue, both locally and on the national media. Countering a popular movement with another counter-movement is probably the worst way to handle such a situation which is part of our overall stymied national security dilemma. We simply cannot afford to complicate this equation any more. So engage with the genuine PTM leadership and a solution will emerge through dialogue or else the PTM shall stand exposed and whoever is prompting them to incite ethnic clashes in the country will lose all their investment and interest in them.
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