During the 1980s, almost 3.5 million Afghan refugees fled to Pakistan. Today almost half a million people are reported to have been displaced from FATA. The endless CIA drone attacks are turning angry youth in FATA into terrorists and provoking them to take revenge from the US frontline ally Pakistan for their loss of property and loved ones.
This provides an opportunity to anti-Pakistan forces (like the TTP) to cash in on the worsening situation and preach hate against the US and Pakistan. The angry youth are the prime target of TTP's propaganda and, influenced by this misinformation, they agree to fight and lay down their lives against their own country. Since July 2007, more than 200 suicide bomb attacks have taken place in Pakistan, killing thousands of innocent people along with security personnel. All suicide bombings after the Lal Masjid operation were directly influenced by the sentiment of revenge against the US and Pakistan.
Many of these people believe that the War on Terror is a US war and is being waged against Islam. By taking the side of the US, Pakistan has also become a part of this war against Islam. This division is breaking the social fabric of Pakistani society which once proud of its tolerance, hospitality and fairness.
Recent incidents in Balochistan have revealed another level of foreign penetration into local sub-nationalist elements.
Unrest in Karachi and gang wars between different ethnic groups in the financial and industrial hub of the country is extremely alarming as sophisticated weapons are being used in these bloody exchanges and people are being brutally killed.
Pakistan is also paying a heavy political price in the shape of a weakened federation as a result of prolonged militancy and terrorism and non-availability of basic needs in FATA. After 9/11, Pakistan was forced to own this war. Now a strong bond between the nation and the security establishment is crucial for success in wars against such enemies like Israel and India.
The Pakistan army has traditionally enjoyed very warm relations with the masses not only in Pakistan but also in countries where it has served very diligently under UNO command. The War on Terror has, however, shaken the faith of Pakistani masses in their forces as the Army is under close focus by people at both extremes.
According to the pro-Taliban section of people, the Pakistan army is fighting a war for the US while according to the pro-US segment, the Army is the biggest hurdle in the way of eliminating terrorism and supporting militants in Afghanistan. The Pakistan government is unable to focus on other issues like social upliftment of people in FATA and the rest of the country.
With its limited resources, Pakistan cannot handle these issues proactively as the leadership is busy in clearing doubts that Islamabad is falling to the Taliban and assuring everyone about the fool-proof safety of its nuclear weapons.
The worsening situation at the social and political level due to the War on Terror is paving the way for a civil war as the country is facing a severe media campaign against its own strategy of dealing with the menace of militancy and terrorism.
Rise in militancy as a result of the War on Terror has provided an opportunity to the US, India and other western states to declare Pakistan a militant state. Pakistan has been declared as a militant society and the government as a backer of militants by the west and their hawkish media.
By declaring Pakistan a militant state, the US will be able to twist Pakistan's arm more strongly and finally build a case in the UNO against its ability to protect its nuclear weapons from militants hence seeking approval from the world to take control of Pakistan's strategic nuclear installations and research facilities.
The biggest geo-political punch in this the War on Terror hit Pakistan when it was forced to change its principled stance on the Kashmir dispute to which India is the main party. Kashmir is extremely important for Pakistan from the geo-political aspect. India has been able to build leverage by building dams in Occupied Kashmir, depriving Pakistan of its waters and pushing it towards the prospect of becoming a barren land. Pakistan is also being forced to withdraw troops from its eastern border and deploy them on western border to supplement its forces involved in the War on Terror.
Pakistan's relations with China have been negatively affected due to the overwhelming presence of US operatives in Pakistan. China has been more than willing to help Pakistan through its investment due to commonality of interests of both nations. Gwadar port was built to bolster economic ties between China and Pakistan but the war has changed the outlook of Pakistan's international relations. Islamabad is pursuing Washington's agenda and ignoring the fact that our all-time trusted ally China should be our premium priority.
The recent release of BLA terrorists, who had kidnapped and killed Chinese nationals working in Pakistan, has affected relations between the two countries.
The TTP - Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan - is another terrorist group that was formed after Pakistan joined the War on Terror. This is the group involved in attacks against Chinese engineers and technicians working in Pakistan. Gwadar Port is not only an economic opportunity for Pakistan but also has far-reaching strategic implications from the military point of view.
Again, for the first time in the history of this region, India has an upper hand in Afghanistan over Pakistan and all because we are embroiled in this war on terror. The US is using India to carry out its agenda in the region at the cost of Pakistan. India's overt and covert activities in fomenting unrest in Pakistan have been ignored by the US under whose nose Indian consulates in Afghanistan are imparting training to terrorists and then sending them into Pakistan to create havoc.
Afghanistan is also actively hosting and protecting terrorists who wage war against the Pakistani state though its foreign minister has made noises that the situation is to the contrary. Afghanistan territory is also being used as training ground for BLA terrorists and anarchists to carry out their evil agenda against Pakistan.
We have lost our assets and strategic presence in Afghanistan and today stand isolated in this geo-political game whereas every anti-Pakistan intelligence agency is present in Afghanistan and is working to destabilize Pakistan. This is certainly a very alarming situation for Pakistan's integrity and we are stuck on the horns of a gigantic dilemma. Therefore, it is time that Pakistan should develop a clear strategic as well as tactical policy with reference to the War on Terror, Kashmir, its relations with India including the blatant theft of its waters, its relations with Afghanistan and China and US presence in the region.
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