Friends,
Here is an articles from my book "Harvest will come" wrote in August
2008. Judge for yourself where we stand after five opportunities lost.
Regards,
Iqbal Tareen
__________________________
August 18, 2008
Reconciliation not a capitulation
Taking a long road since my younger years in activism, my ideas have
come full circle. After early idealism and then progressing to
pragmatism, I find my political philosophy akin to early faith in
basic goodness of man and his rightful place on the planet earth. I
have zero tolerance against pessimism. I also find myself fearlessly
siding with the truth with an uncanny sense of justice. I clearly know
the difference between reconciliation and capitulation. There are
crimes which can't be condoned for any rhyme or reason. Principled
leadership pays the price but it rekindles man's mission on this
planet.
I am so committed with Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's vision for
reconciliation and mending the ways for peace and cooperation between
various parties in Pakistan. More than ever the need for this
cooperation is vital if the nation has to sail through one of the
severe most political storms. But the justice must prevail and the
culprits must be taken to the task. I do not hold any punches when it
comes to setting the record straight. I will be very honest and frank.
If history is any witness, I remain skeptical about the sincerity of
MQM and some of its old artifacts from past dictatorial regimes. MQM
has been a very unreliable friend of representative democracies in
Pakistan. It usually finds its way to power from the top down. But I
will be very happy to be wrong. If MQM is truly sincere about
strengthening of democracy and working with elected representatives of
the people there can't be a bigger blessing than that.
Reserving the right to disagree, one can't deny the fact that MQM
represents a significant number of citizens and it is custodian of
their mandate. Same can also be said about other political parties
including Pakistan Muslim League (Q), and MMA. Obviously during the
recent elections, the people of Pakistan revealed its overwhelming
choice by returning Pakistan People's Party, Pakistan Muslim League,
and Awami National Party to power by defeating a dictator who ruled
Pakistan with an iron fist.
MQM and Muslim League (Q) can't be absolved from their responsibility
of May 12th and October 18th incidents. No one has a right to forgive
deaths of so many innocent and unarmed people who came under open
fire. On October 18th hundreds of peaceful civilians lost their lives
due to security lapses and inexcusable handling of the evidence from
the site of the suicide bombings. A denial by provincial government to
register an FIR in both incidents requires accountability and
explanation.
As claimed by the leadership of both parties if there was no foul play
then they should welcome such a probe to clear all speculations. Both
MQM and Muslim League (Q) leadership should unlock itself from the
prejudices of the present moment and give way to alternative public
point of view. More than accountability, there is a need for removing
cause for distrust between various parties and followers and families
of the victims of those tragedies. Reconciliation shall not be
conditional on the denial of justice to the families of the victims.
The moral governance requires valuing the life of every citizen no
matter how weak and helpless he or she might be. Loss of one innocent
life is morally a high enough ground to subordinate all other
considerations.
Eight years of Musharraf rule and after spending billions of dollars
of foreign aid including $10 billion dollars of American tax payer
money, Pakistan's national security and the economy took a deep dive
overnight. Instead of taking the punches on its chin, PPP government
must bring Musharraf and his allies to the parliament for open trials
and accountability. General Musharraf and his ring of confidants will
also have to explain how Pakistan's precious resources were spent
during the eight years of their unchecked rule.
Democracy should not be confused with weakness. Those who commit
heinous crimes must fear due legal punishment. If this representative
government failed to punish murders and criminals, the hope for
justice and faith in democracy will be lost forever. It is morally and
legally incumbent upon Pakistan government and Pakistani judiciary to
probe into all political assassinations and killings including that of
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Murtaza Bhutto, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and
many others. Pakistani government must continue pushing for UN probe
into the assassination of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
Let the chips fall where they may.
Iqbal Tareen
President
Silver Lining International, Inc.
A 501 C (3) Nonprofit
1380 Monroe Street NW, # 435
Washington, DC 20010
(202) 747-2640
iqbal.tareen@gmail.com
Author: Harvest will come – Embracing diverse Pakistani heritage
SLI supports Democracy, Individual and Collective Human Rights,
Education and Skills Development, and Fight against Hepatitis in
Pakistan
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