Diverting country’s resources, international funding the Politicians, Army and Bureaucrats in Pakistan have made their fortune, while poor and youth are brainwashed for Jehad, Kashmir. In recent poverty has increased in many folds in Pakistan
Dr Gulshan Bassan
In one of the worst tragedies in the Mediterranean Sea over 500 hundred people died when a trawler sank into the deepest parts of the sea on 14th June. The trawler had Egyptians, Syrians and Pakistani refugees on board. According to the interior minister of Pakistan, out of 500 people died, 350 were from Pakistan. This number of Pakistani refugees raises serious questions as to why these refugees were desperate to leave their country. Many reports have stated that these refugees were escaping from the severe economic crisis, inflation, stagnant growth, poverty, political instability, persecution, war, militancy and inequality.
This current political and economic scenario in Pakistan is obvious because Pakistan has always been prioritizing the militancy in Kashmir and fueling the conflict for its petty politics. The funding to the militant groups by Pakistan is no more a secret. It promotes terrorist activities not only in India but also in Afghanistan. Various studies have shown that there are several militant groups operating in Pakistan which are sponsored by Pakistani government agencies. These militant groups includes Hizbu l Mujahideen (HM), Harkat-ul-Ansar, Tehrik-e-Jihad, Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen, Jamaat-ulMujahideen, Al Jihad, Al Umar Mujahideen, Jammu Kashmir Islamic Front, Muslim Janbaaz Force, Hizbullah, Al Fatah, Hizb-ul-Momineen, LeT, JeM and Al Badr Mujahideen. Pakistan also sponsors and shelters Harkat-ul-Mujahideen which has carried several attacks in Kashmir. It is primarily based in Muzaffarabad, Rawalpindi and Pakistan. It receives donations from local Pakistanis, wealthy patrons in the Gulf states. Other deadly militant organisations like Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP) also operate from Pakistan. These groups also receive support from official state machinery of Pakistan and are headquartered in Muzaffarabad, POK. Not only this, Pakistan’s Inter-Service-Intelligence (ISI) has also been involved in running a number of military intelligence programs in India. It is alleged that it has been involved in militant attacks in Mumbai, Pathankot and Uri.
Other than this, Pakistan since the beginning remained in perpetual crisis because of high levels of corruption and popular dissatisfaction with democracy. The country’s corruption has deep roots, which is confirmed by political instability. It has negatively impacted the country’s economic progress. The studies have shown that there is an abundance of natural resources in Pakistan but due to the mis-management and poor governance, these natural resources remain unextracted and thereby contribute more to the economic crisis in the country. All these factors have a negative impact on the economic growth of the country with rising debts, trade deficits, and current account deficits.
Along with that there is continuous persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslims which made them flee to non-Muslim and non-homeland countries for security, dignity and decent life for themselves and their coming generations. Persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslims has a long history starting in 1953. A detailed analysis of attacks on Ahmediyas shows that post-partition, the backlash against Ahmedis became violent in Pakistan. Riots broke out in Lahore after the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana Abul Ala Maududi, criticised the Ahmedi movement. As a result, an estimated 300 people died and a disputed number were injured, and martial law was imposed in Lahore for 70 days to stabilise civil unrest and the process continued. Successive Pakistani governments have failed to protect the human rights and security of the Ahmadiyya community. The penal code explicitly discriminates against religious minorities and targets Ahmadis by prohibiting them from “indirectly or directly posing as a Muslim.” Ahmadis are banned from declaring or propagating their faith publicly, building mosques, or making the Muslims call for prayers. The authorities arbitrarily arrest, detain, and charge Ahmadis for blasphemy and other offenses because of their religious beliefs. The police have often been complicit in harassment and bringing fabricated charges against Ahmadis or have not intervened to stop anti-Ahmadi violence. The government’s failure to address religious persecution of Ahmadis has facilitated violence against them in the name of religion. The Pakistani government also promotes discriminatory practices against Ahmadis. For example, all Pakistani Muslim citizens applying for passports are obliged to sign a statement explicitly stating that they consider the founder of the Ahmadi community an “imposter,” and consider Ahmadis to be non-Muslims.
Under these disturbed circumstances it is no wonder why people are escaping from this country. It is high time that Pakistan should introspect its approach towards its economy, governance and politics. It should try to maintain political stability, and treat all the peoples of Pakistan equally and must create a safe, secure and sustainable environment for them.
The author is doctorate in Public Policy and Public Administration
