The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. M. S. Haq

It now appears from a BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) report, the ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan - who was reportedly abducted by Taliban militants, a few months ago - has been released recently by his captors. It should be a piece of good news for family and friends of the envoy plus government of Pakistan, per se.

But the drama (I would like to call it in that way) unfolded so far in connection with, and ancillary to, above matters has given rise to inter alia several initial questions. For example:

Whether or not it was a case of abduction? 2. Was it an outcome of planned engineering and execution of certain events in a certain manner or otherwise? 3. What was the motive behind for example, abduction and release of the envoy? 4. Who were and are involved in the process? 5. What was the role of media (print, electronic) in the process? 6. What are or will be (or both) gains or losses (or both) - for whom and when? 7. Do there exist any link between the on-going war on terror and efforts of Pakistani government plus others (as applicable) when it comes to re-applying political solutions to problems concerning terrorism in Pakistan and adding an additional dimension to anti-terror initiatives, as well as to activities therein? 8. How and to what extent, the information, the experience and the lesson derived or to be derived (or both) from events associated with say, abduction and release of the envoy could be beneficial or not beneficial or a mixture of both to the government, abductors and others against the backdrop of present day anti-terror efforts by Pakistan, Pakistanis and others? 9. How would the resultant benefits and losses contribute to escalation of the war or de-escalation of the war or otherwise? 10. What are the hidden terms and conditions of 'negotiation' that led to the release of envoy by captors? 11. What will be cost-wise implications for those terms and conditions and who will bear the cost? 12. What are the real identities of abductors - what are their present denominations? 13. Where are they located at present and what are their average areas for say, operation related manoeuvrings? 14. If the drama is a product of planned events - how could then the resultant outcome affect and shape the future of US-lead war on terror through the immediate future?

Two of the reasons for presenting the questions now to readers and others are: to create an additional space for them to re-explore and re-examine the drama in a more objective and investigative manner; and to assist world people and countries in the efforts towards - - how best and quickest they could get rid of terrorism and its ramifications at local, national, global and other levels?

One of the underlying assumptions here is - abandoning the existing mode of anti-terror war in favour of a 100 percent political mode of anti-terror war or the application of an unrealizable, as well as unproductive mixture of both the modes could do more harm than good to all concerned under certain situations and circumstances. In that respect, it may be mentioned here: evolving challenges that are associated with food, natural disasters and energy at local, global and other levels and the continuation of those challenges without any significant remedy through the foreseeable future could lead to inter alia a natural death of terrorism or a further escalation of terrorist activities or a maintenance of status quo in areas of terrorism.

It is expected challenges mentioned and not mentioned above will not divert the present day attention and effort (although not very pluralistic in an average sense at this point in time) of world countries from the war on terror because that could, in effect, make the fight against above challenges more time consuming, tougher, costlier, and more sustainable.

The last word: The present day challenges have, in a sense, provided world people and countries additional rationale for fighting the war on terror in a more united, result-oriented and satisfactory fashion at local, regional, global and other levels. World people and countries must not and should not miss the opportunities created by challenges indicated above. Let us work more collectively and with strong commitment towards harnessing those opportunities in a best possible manner one could muster.