The only exit: Sign the NPT

(a)Pakistan Army was instrumental in the creation of Taliban and imposing them on Afghanistan. It protected Taliban regime for the grandiose purpose of gaining 'strategic depth'.

(b)Pakistan has been an active proliferator of the knowledge of atomic bomb making, blueprints, technology and all. That Pakistan Army or Army-dominated governments did not do so and what happened was a dismal private enterprise of some scientists is an unbelievable story. No one has bought it anywhere. In any case, both the Army and socalled governments failed to check the proliferation; it was their duty to do so. Why did they fail?

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(c)Pakistan has been, in most foreign eyes, happily materially supporting the Jihadis in Kashmir for 13 years. Now, the most powerful foreigners regard the Kashmir Jihad as terrorism, to be fought no matter why has it arisen. Like the withdrawal of support from Taliban, Islamabad stopped supporting what India and the US regard as terrorism in Kashmir after India credibly threatened an invasion of Pakistan itself. The US too showed that it is a strategic partner of India.

(d)There are religious schools that mass produce Islamic fundamentalists ­ in the sense the west uses this term. Islamic extremism, the foreigners notice, is widespread in Pakistan. It can be seen in its press, judiciary, politics and Army as well as administration. Pakistan's image conforms to this reality.

(e)Therefore, not unnaturally, there are a lot of supporters and protectors of the fugitive Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders in the country. Insofar as the US CIA and FBI, now also operating in Pakistan, have not lost all their contacts gained in the last 25 years, their information regarding their presence cannot be dismissed. In any case, Pakistan's own ISI too, knows a lot about this matter. How can any individual be blamed for Pakistan having acquired an image that corresponds to reality? Since there has been no democratic government or any mechanism of consulting the liberal opinion, the blame must rest with the Army Chiefs who have ruled either directly or indirectly by having appropriated the spheres of national security and foreign policy. Nominal civilian governments have stayed under the thumb of the Army Chiefs.

Irrespective of who has done what, the consequences are going to be visited on the common folks. Well, ordinary Pakistanis have asked for it. They have to pay for their weakness and cluelessness in controlling governments and especially the Army. No outsider will weep for them when they suffer. But no use crying over spilt milk. The point now is what can be done? Here again that political incompetence of the citizenry prevents it from doing anything necessary. So, the agency that is in fact in a position to do anything is the Army Chief alone. One pins no hope on the socalled federal government. Its relationship with reality is questionable. It is more of an illusion or charade insofar as policy-making on sensitive matters is concerned. What we are left with is the Army, as noted, and functionally only Gen. Musharraf. The latter is making all the decisions that matter; no one else, except his own aides and a few Army colleagues, has anything to do with higher policy-making. So, what does he propose? Among the Presidential actions, so far, three are notable: First the President chose to ignore foreign and other reactions and hurriedly accepted Dr. AQ Khan's mea culpa plea without fully disclosing the results of over a month long military investigations. It seemed to all the world that the Pardon was some sort of a deal with the Doctor. In any case, foreign reactions speak for themselves. It is also the opinion of most commentators at home that thus the matter has not been closed; Pakistanis are likely to hear more of it. Secondly, Gen. Musharraf collected most of the national press ­- editors and columnists ­- and gave them a stiff dose of his displeasure. He appeared to be truly angry over the temerity of his critics ­- not sparing the "pseudo intellectuals" who once wore uniforms. That was a PR disaster, as many have put it. The President, apart from being PR savvy himself, has an army of advisors in the Administration over which he truly presides. Didn't they tell him that this wholesale berating is counter-productive? Not that he needed such an advice. If he indulged in the exercise, there must be a specific purpose ­- even if it might be limited to only terrifying the weak-minded. But was it limited to that? Could it be that he has had enough of this anomalous press freedom in a dictatorship and may be a direct approach or controls are under consideration? Thirdly, again ignoring the socalled government, he called for a big conference of Ulema and Mashaikh (religious divines) and again unburdened himself about the stark eventualities awaiting Pakistan, if 'we all' did not get our act together. What is implied is not clear. There may be a lot of things that he, the Army, and government departments may have to do to take Pakistan out of the quagmire. But there is little that the ordinary people can do; besides, the spectacle of Ulema and Mashaikh shouting pro-Musharraf slogans was a strange display. Here too there must be a definite purpose.

Presidential performance this time was a study in contrast with what he regaled the editors and commentators with: He was more or less at an invisible hustings and was wooing the extraordinarily large gathering as if they were voters and he a candidate. There was no suggestion that Islamic extremism results from the authentic teachings or interpretations of Islam by authentic or orthodox Ulema. 'There were a handful of Madrassas that produced intolerant fanatics', he said, and most were devoted to promoting a sufistic Islam that preaches love and service to all. The President appeared to be at pains to imply that his audience represented the mainstream Islamic learning while there were only a few fanatical leaders.

One need not anticipate what the authentic religious leaders of the Savad-i-Azam (majority) will say. Most of the MMA constituents did not seem to be there. Pray, why were those Ulema and Mashaikh so full throatedly shouting pro-Musharraf slogans? Could it be a case of rent a crowd, with only a sprinkling of traditional Mashaikh and rest were ubiquitous Sarkari Maulvis. One would also want to hear from Maulanas Fazlur Rahman, Samiul Haq, Qazi Hussain Ahmad and JUP leaders about this neat division of Islam between modern, moderate and love-preaching one and a producer of hate and intolerance. The context looked uncommonly like his taking charge of them for changing Pakistan's image. He obviously hopes that this New Islam will pass muster for being under his leadership a la Kemalism.

Remember that Prime Minister and his Cabinet (excluding Shaikh Rashid Ahmad) were nowhere near a major political action. Gen. Musharraf, and he alone, was incharge of the Operation Restoration of Pakistan's image. His conduct to-date has shown that Mr. Jamali, the Cabinet and Parliament were an elaborate fib, necessary to display them when needed.

The most astonishing thing ­- was it the main message?­- was that Mr. Musharraf's repeated insistence on the (basic) Islamic injunction was 'obey those who have been placed above you' (the ruler). He also said God put him where he is. Are these the utterances of a democrat? Is he, by any chance, laying the groundwork for dumping an elaborate fib, called democratic government, and revamping his dictatorship by also wearing the superfine moderate and modern Islam's robes? This however is one's speculation, based on what he said and what his body language was telling. One will be happy to be contradicted.

No one has told this country's saviours that changing a country image is not like putting a fresh coat of paint on stationary things in an Army unit. There has to be a nexus with reality. Why forget or stall around the simple and devastating proposition that no civilised government anywhere will trust nuclear weapons in the strong hands of Pak Army.

What needs to be done for putting Pakistan outside harm's way is to stop running with the hare and hunting with the hound. No halfway houses can withstand the gale that might hit this country, as is widely feared. Pakistan is likely to be left with just one choice: either accept joint control of nukes with the US or sign the NPT as a soon-to-be denuclearised country. It is better to ring up Mr. Al Baradei of IAEA, call in his team of experts and get rid of all nuclear weapons and fissile materials. After all they were of no use when needed most. The IAEA controls, if called for by Islamabad, will be more honourable than to be saddled with something else.

Another urgent need of Pakistan is for Pakistan Army to show actual patriotism by willingly ceding the areas of decision-making that are the domain of democratic governments. Or else, wait for trouble from an angry populace at an unexpected time. Will the Army obey the government and the people? Ask Mr. Musharraf.

MB Naqvi is a leading columist in Pakistan.