Kashmiris and Pashtoons – Reply to a commentator

Nasir Khan, September 4, 2016


In response to my today's post "Indian forces' atrocities and murders in Kashmir continue" in a Facebook group ("Daring Facts") one Mr Jaffar Safi wrote a comment. I am producing his comment, which was not directly related to my post but I replied to him where I tried to clarify some questions he had raised that may be of general interest to my readers and FB friends:

Jaffar Safi: But Nasir Khan you must know the fact...within 40 years at least 70 thousands kishmiris martaryed by the indian forces and the whole world is crying in general and pakistani people in particular...but within 7 years only in Pashtoon belt round about 80 thousands plus innocent people were killed within the jurisdiction of pakistan ...but we did not see even a single protest in azad kashmir and even in the rest of provices of pakistan ...even you did not write a word of condolence....NASIR KHAN is it parity or disparity equality or inequility or justice or injustice with our people?
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Nasir Khan: Jaffar Safi - What happens in Pakistan or has happened in Pakistan is not the theme of my brief piece on the ongoing killings of the people of Kashmir. That's the first thing to keep in mind. However, the killing of Pashtoon that you refer to is part of the political power struggles within Pakistan.

Pakistani rulers have used Islam for their political ends and exploited this religion to the full in every conceivable way. They used the same Pashtoon fighters to wreak havoc in Afghanistan in the 1980s and were instrumental in the holy war as paid- and misguided mercenaries of USA, Saudi Arabia and other reactionary powers that were involved in destabilising Afghanistan to destroy the Afghan Revolution.

After destroying the Socialist rule and killing the Afghan President Najibullah the same Pashtoon fighters became the soldiers of Allah under the name of the 'Taliban' and started killing innocent Pakistanis, targeting schools and religious and ethnic minorities. It was at that juncture that the Pakistani army took major military offensive against the militants and their hideouts. Of course, many innocent people also died as a result of military operations and millions fled from their homes and sought refuge in other places. This I don't deny or condone. The so-called Taliban and their Islamist backers are still a festering sore in the body-politic of Pakistan.

Secondly, you mention only the plight of the Pashtoons under the military operations. But you don't say what the same army has been doing and is still doing in Baluchistan. How have thousands of people been killed or "disappeared" there? A precarious situation in Sindh prevails where the suppression of the national demands of the Sindhis have been the part of the oppressive policies of the Pakistani rulers. All provinces of Pakistan have grievances, not only the Pashtoons of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

You raise a direct question about me in this. For me that was quite strange to read. As an ordinary political activist I have opposed and written against the policies followed by Pakistani rulers and their mercenary army for decades. Since the internet became available for general use, I have used different websites to expose the policies and violations of human rights of people in Pakistan and other places around the world. By the way, I have not lived in Pakistan for more than half a century. All I know about Pakistan is from some general news in English media in the West. However, I appreciate that Pakistanis who live in Pakistan and know the daily events and the role of the army against the Pakistani people write and publicise as much as they can. It is their responsibility to do their work.

At the same time, I have seen very little support amongst my Pakistani Facebook friends or those who are members of Facebook groups for the Kashmiris who are under Indian military occupation. That shows clearly the level of political consciousness such Pakistanis are able to display. This is my first and last response to you. My best wishes to you if you do any constructive work.