Pakistan in Media

Editorial

Dawn

Tuesday, 12 May, 2009

THE MQM may have taken a commendable stand against Talibanisation and won public support when it opposed the Nizam-i-Adl Regulation in parliament but it should refrain from implicitly equating the Taliban with Pakhtuns and alleging that the ANP and PPP are patronising a Taliban influx into Karachi. It is obvious that not all Pakhtuns are Taliban — in other words that there are many militants who are not Pakhtuns. They also hail from Punjab and Central Asia. Hence generalisations, even if not categorical, can be offensive and in this case considerable restraint must be exercised. This is not the time to open another front in Karachi where only a tiny spark is needed to ignite the tinderbox of cultural, ethnic, religious and economic diversity. A wiser approach must prevail especially vis-à-vis the internally displaced from Malakand some of whom have sought sanctuary as a matter of right in Karachi. If some among them are taking up guns, they need to be handled firmly — as any other gun-toting militant of any ethnicity with allegiance to any party should be. An approach that fails to make this distinction will hurt the cause of the displaced who have fled their homes to escape the devastation of war. The IDPs need assistance and sympathy. It is the responsibility of the government and civil society to ensure these.

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