A fatal loss of men, capital and honour. Taliban militants assaulted the PNS Mehran base in Karachi, killing 10 people, injuring 15 others and blowing up at least two P-3C Orion, maritime patrol aircrafts. The attack reportedly started at 10:30 pm on 22^nd May 2011 and the siege continued for 16 hours. The independent sources said that more than 20 Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants stormed the said premises with guns and grenades but the government brief said they were six; four killed in encounter while two fled away. Next day, at about 2.30 PM the armed forces were able to regain control of that naval base back.

One of the worst assault on a military base and arsenal since GHQ Rawalpindi was besieged in October 2009 for two days, killing 22 people and raising serious questions over why it took the military so long to put down the assault. The present event of Karachi has piled further embarrassment for the armed forces just twenty days after Osama’s episode in Abbottabad. The militants used ladders to climb into the naval air base in dark setting off a series of explosions. Eleven Chinese and six American maintenance contractors were also there in that naval compound but were evacuated safely. The TTP activists sneaked into the base from the back wall adjacent to residential multi-storied buildings. The premises are being used as a transactional storage for NATO supplies bound for Afghanistan. “It is not just an attack on a navy establishment, it is an attack on Pakistan,” Interior Minister Rehman Malik said pointing fingers to those who have been offering Gaibana Namaz e Janaza and prayers for Osama in the recent past and demonstrating as source of strength for Taliban.

The official sources confirmed 10 (not 11 as per media news) security personnel were killed, including one navy officer, three navy firemen, three navy commandos, a sailor and two paramilitary soldiers, and 15 others wounded. In almost all the live TV shows, the government, including Mr Malik, are blowing trumpets high that ‘it was a successful operation.’

By what standards was it successful? The 20-22 years old six men held the whole garrison of “world’s no: 1 army” hostage for sixteen hours, killed their 10 men including one commissioned officer, made 15 soldiers to sustain injuries, put two out of four Orion aircrafts on fire and the most importantly made the Pakistan Armed forces a laughing stock for the whole world. The lapses in security issues have become talk of the town telling the whole world that our Navy is ‘perfectly trained’ to keep the multi-million dollars air-fighters in reckless open. So near to the 5 feet high outer boundary that even a child playing in the adjacent street could inflict damage with a brick. Interior Minister Rehman Malik refused to acknowledge any security lapse, saying the “rapid” response had prevented bigger losses. What a positive approach. A similar contention was heard on 27th December 2007 after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination from the same golden lips of her Chief Security Officer.

We have provided our enemies with an excuse that even Pakistan’s army bases are not secure from Taliban’s attacks and thus from terrorism. We have placed words in the enemy’s lips that Pakistan army is not able to secure their own garages and barracks how they would protect their nuclear arsenal for which the US and West are crying since a decade. A Navy spokesman Commander Salman Ali himself told the media that ‘the attack was also likely to raise further concerns about the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, which reportedly number more than 100.’

We have told the American Congress and Senate in open words that their billions of Dollars aid are not being spent under appropriate heads. 

Karachi is Pakistan’s largest city by population and financial hub and the assault was the fourth on the Navy in last one month. Three bombings on Navy buses in late April had killed nine people. To add fuel to the Pakistani nation’s fury, US President Obama, while on tour to UK,  yesterday told the BBC he is inclined to order a similar mission (like that of Abbottabad) if another high-value target was discovered in Pakistan, again without notice. The intelligentsia is invited to analyze this threat in the backdrop of unanimous resolution passed by Pakistan’s sovereign Parliament on 23^rd May 2011 and John Kerry’s joint statement during his visit to Pakistan last week saying that in future any attack would be launched jointly, if needed.

An important aspect of this Karachi’s attack is to be ascertained. Whenever there is a terrorist activity or suicidal attack reported the responsibility is immediately claimed and owned by the Taliban. Why so. Have any agency seriously looked into it that who were the actual culprits behind the curtain. Taliban, if they are there, should mostly be concerned with the loss and counts of lives and not with the strategic army gadgets. Suicidal attacks on shrines, public gatherings or in busy markets may be attributed to them but what about attack on GHQ, training camp of SSG in Dargai and on two Orion war-planes at Karachi. The latter types of attacks should be referred to the state enemies who have ‘armed skills or militarised minds’ on their back. Taliban, or a group of youngsters in the name of Taliban, are being used by a very skilful military mind of Pakistan’s enemy state. Why Pakistan feels shy in naming India through Afghanistan and for some peoples their so-called friend US too.

If the three states referred above are not taking care of Pakistani people’s lives & sentiments and openly blow their joint orchestral noise that Pakistan is a terrorist state then why the Pakistan government is hesitating to name them in open. Why being betrayed in the name of ‘intelligence sharing’ with the US. Why continuing talks with India on the pretexts of water issues and bilateral trade. Why we are bent upon reminding Afghanistan about ‘Muslim brotherhood’. Pakistan should come out of its sheepish skin otherwise these wolves are going to eat them now. Breakfast events are being seen around; lunch and dinners are on their way.

Another most important aspect. So many suicidal attacks and terrorist assaults. Someone should have taken account of ‘gun-powder’ (Barood) used in all of these events and sum up. How much of this powder is manufactured or imported in Pakistan and who are the traders. How much of the same is manufactured in Afghanistan, the ISI should have known it by now. From where the Taliban get the same and use so lavishly. The only left over option seems to be that either this killing substance is provided by India or America. In both cases it travels through Pakistan under the garb of NATO supplies or Afghanistan’s barter trade. Enough is enough. Now Pakistan should stand up that the supply contracts are finished. Afghanistan would raise cry in the name of humanity and eatables etc. No way. They should arrange the same by other routs. Pakistan’s Custom Ombudsman Dr Shoaib Suddle’s inquiry report is on record that during 2010 only, about 4000 containers were ‘lost’ on their way to Afghanistan. Pakistanis should know that what could be in those containers, most probably Barood.

Pakistan government is unconsciously playing a vital role for getting a title of ‘failed state’. They cannot take decisions in their own interest. Army is going weak also which has surrendered its sovereignty before the US for dollars aid. Imran Khan, an honest and nationalist leader in making, but lacks the sense of right direction. Knowingly that 84% of Pakistan’s populace hate America; he should have sit over the routs of NATO supply containers in Karachi instead of having photo sessions at a bridge. The Pakistani nation should have come out on roads with ‘demands of immediate decisions’ in the national interest. Parliament has been proved impotent and the leadership gone insane.

People should not forget the moments of 13th May’s Parliamentary meeting wherein the Pakistan’s Air Chief had openly and loudly pointed out towards the sitting PM Gilani that ‘if they tell us to check drone attacks there would be none; you decide and give us orders’. PM Gilani and whole of the cabinet had gone pale. No decision was conveyed. Result: since then five drone attacks and tens of killings, one occurred on the same evening.

Similarly, the government will not take decision for NATO supply blockade. The people have to take decision and should convey them through a unanimous walk as of 16th March 2009. The US would be angry but now it is the time to tell them that it is Pakistan’s interest. If the supply continued, the Taliban will keep on getting barood to kill you.

The speeches and sorrows and ‘muzammats’ are going to make you a ‘failed state’; be ready my fellow countrymen.

Comments

comments