Reading ‘Intolerance running riot’ by Pervez Hoodbhoy (April 2009) was an exhilarating experience. The more I’ve read Professor Hoodbhoy, the more I’ve liked his writings. He has the unique knack of explaining his viewpoint very clearly. He also has a good command of the language and it is always a pleasure reading him. Considering that he is from the Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, he is also very candid about the developments in his country, or the lack of development in his country.
The article lays bare what is eating into the vitals of Pakistan. How a combination of religious fundamentalism, jihad mentality, politics and fanatical madrassas and educational curriculum are harming the country. While other countries of the world are on the move, this country is going backwards; how ‘a nation of 175 million is struggling for its very survival.’ While Taliban, both the Afghan and Pakistani variety, have taken over Malakand and Swat and are now digging deep into Peshawar, the ‘writ of the Pakistani state lies in tatters.’
Seeing the country in such a state one wonders what the Pakistanis are doing. Are they so helpless in the face of militant/fundamentalist onslaught? What about the educated elite, the judiciary, media, NGOs? When one reads about the barbaric punishment handed out to young girls and boys by Taliban and all in the name of religion, one wonders if there is no one in Pakistan who can stop this. Does a nation of 175 million have to stand by as a mute spectator and see the country go downhill like this?

Miriam Ross
Mumbai

Democracy and terrorism

I read with interest the write-up on the House of Lords debate on ‘Can democracy tackle terrorism’ by David Watts (April 2009). The sense I get is that it is less about whether democracies are capable of taking on terrorism and more about a country’s people putting up a united front in dealing with the menace, irrespective of the form of the government. On first glance it does seem that democracies are ill-equipped and too rule-based to effectively handle the challenge posed by abrupt acts of terrorism but as Dr. Ajai Sahni, Editor of South Asia Intelligence Review, pointed out in the debate, even ‘authoritarian governments have had no more success against terror.’

Tackling terrorism depends more on effective leadership, beefed-up counter-terrorism forces and support of the people at large. Where there is a will there is a way. Take the American example. There has not been a single act of terror on U.S. mainland since 9/11. True, the country has the advantage of being separated by an ocean but it takes more than an ocean to secure a country. It took a determined leadership, tough security measures and people’s willingness to put up with delays and inconveniences on account of tough measures to thwart any more attacks in the U.S.
On the other hand, take the example of Pakistan. There is a terror attack every other day and the government seems helpless in checking the senseless killings. This is so because every component in the country is divided, be it the government, security forces and the people. People are even divided when Pakistan’s security forces act against militants. Such a country has little hope.

Unless there is a zero-level tolerance for terrorism, the menace cannot be eradicated.

An interesting point noted in the write-up was: ‘The further from the current seat of world terrorism, in the subcontinent, the more benign were the views and the proposed remedies of the speakers.’ That’s well noted by the writer.
Sukbir Rana
London

Over to China

I’m a regular reader of Asian Affairs and over time it has turned me an expert of sorts on Pakistan. At times I feel it is small mercy that your magazine is a monthly. Had it been a fortnightly I’d have been an authority on the country by now. But now I’d like to be an expert on China. Please oblige.



Twinkle Kaur
Toronto

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