Another Operation Against Terrorism

News:

Pakistan’s top leadership has approved the launch of a new military operation Called Azm-e-Istehkam. The new military plan is expected to focus on domestic security threats and armed fighters crossing over from Afghanistan, amid mounting tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban rulers in Kabul. Plans are to “intensify” efforts to curtail “terrorists” through regional cooperation with Pakistan’s neighbours. (aljazeera.com)

Comment:

Pakistan and the USA developed this twisted romantic liaison, which turned into an abusive relationship after 9/11, each having its own deep set interests separately. This resulted in Pakistan launching several military operations since 2000 including Operation Radul Fasad and Operation Zarb e Azb. Looking back in the early 1980s, we see that today’s ‘terrorist’ was portrayed as a Mujahid fighting a war, which was portrayed as Islam vs Communism and for this gaining support from the people of Pakistan was easy. As in their hearts Muslims have love for each other and they have been witnessing the abuse and humiliation Muslims around the world were going through since the abolition of the Khilafah. In this situation, the Pakistan Army's support for Afghan resistance gave them an honourable status in the eyes of people. People happily supported the role of Pakistan in this struggle. From training to physical help and weaponry, everything was provided by the Pakistan Army with full support of America as then the mission was to defeat the USSR. By 1988, we witnessed the Soviet troops begintheir withdrawal, marking the beginning of the end to a long, bloody, and fruitless Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. The USA’s desire to become an only superpower was no longer a dream and the traitors controlling the forces thought of becoming inevitable for the survival of the world’s only superpower. In this journey Pakistan and Afghanistan were ruled by the people who cared more about their personal interests and keeping America happy than caring for their own people who were a victim of deterioration in every walk of life. From 1989-2000, Afghanistan faced the power struggle where resistance groups were not ready to give in to puppet rulers. This was the time Mullah Omar appeared as a saviour for the conservative Islamic-minded people and a new struggle started and a new enemy announced and the USA formally entered Afghanistan after 9/11 and the leadership of Pakistan happily embraced playing the role of the footstool for the USA.

Since 2001, fifteen operations (reportedly) have been carried out in KPK targeting the ‘terrorists’. Most of these operations were planned, targeting an area that was considered to be troublesome. For instance, the Operation Rah-e-Rast and Rah-e-Haq were in the Swat region, Sherdil was in Bajaur and Rah-e-Nijaat was in South Waziristan agency. The two big operations on a much broader front were the Zarb-e-Azb, which started in North Waziristan and then was extended to other regions, followed by Radd-ul-Fassad which was more an intelligence based operation to strike at terrorist networks which had spread throughout Pakistan. With the announcement of this 16th operation, we need to have a look on what we have achieved in these 23 years of fighting the enemy within.

With the worsened geo-political situation, the Chinese element has also entered the equation and the government is now sailing in two boats and keeping both parties pleased at the same time is not possible. With the killing of five Chinese nationals in March 2024, Pakistan is facing this pressure from China to guard the Chinese workers, from such attacks, which according to the Pakistani military an Afghan national carried out and terrorists based in Afghanistan had planned it.

If we have a look at the history of battles in Islam, we will see how clear the purpose was, how calculated moves were taken and how transparent the outcome was. In the operations announced and carried out, we may have lost a lot but have gained nothing. It is hard to accept that an Army that stands among the top 10 most powerful forces in the world’s 145 is constantly at loss while fighting a poorly armed, self-trained part of its own population. The honour and prestige that the Pakistan army gained in response to helping Afghans in expelling the USSR and supporting the Kashmir Jihad against India got somewhere lost in between switching roles. The people with vision could see what will be the result of this war against their own people. People you share your faith with, people whom Allah Almighty has declared as your brothers and has forbidden their blood.

Currently, the huge crisis that is faced by the Muslims is the ongoing massacre of the people of Gaza. This should be the battlefield for any Muslim army. No other invisible crisis is more important than this and here our leaderships are busy performing on a script written and directed by the enemy. Narrated Anas: Allah's Messenger (saw) said,

«انْصُرْ أَخَاكَ ظَالِمًاأَوْ مَظْلُومًا»قَالُوا:يَارَسُولَ اللَّهِ، هَذَانَنْصُرُهُ مَظْلُومًا، فَكَيْفَ نَنْصُرُهُ ظَالِمًا؟قَالَ:«تَأْخُذُ فَوْقَ يَدَيْهِ»‏

“Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one.” People asked, "O Allah's Messenger (saw)! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet (saw) said, “By preventing him from oppressing others.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]

As aware Muslims, this is our responsibility to raise our voices and ask the soldiers in our armies to see who they pick their arms for, as this very action of fighting can build their path to Jannah or Jahannam. The people who belong to different factions of resistance groups are all Muslims. They have been harmed by their own people and they may have harmed their Muslim brothers in forces. We still have time to fight the actual war and raise the flag of Rasool Allah (saw). under this flag, we will have the true leadership that will protect the Muslims of this world and establish Khilafah (Caliphate) on the method of the Prophethood.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Ikhlaq Jehan