DAVOS: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday urged the international community to address the root causes of terrorism and extremism through joint efforts and cooperation for a more effective fight against this menace.I think that's a great idea. We really should start hunting down and killing a certain class of holy men.
Addressing the plenary session on “The Comprehensive Response to Terrorism” at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum here, the prime minister said Pakistan has been taking a number of steps to fight terrorism and is extending full cooperation to the world community in this regard.
Yasss... We've often been impressed on these pages by Pak's enthusiasm for slaughtering terrs... WARNING: The following paragraph significantly exceeds the recommended maximum daily allowance of bullshit!
He said the world has to understand the real issue behind terrorism. “It is not related to any religion, culture or areas. It is related to poverty, suffering, removing sense of deprivation and injustice in the world.”
Economic disadvantage and even injustice can give rise to sullenness and a tendency toward aggression. Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica, for instance, have been traditionally impoverished. It has at times been dangerous to visit each of them, for fear of being kidnapped for ransom or, much less often, murdered for one's possessions. Banditry was common, yet they never turned to Catholic terrorism. Following the Second World War, much of Europe was devastated, especially Germany. Aside from a few werewolves, there was no German terrorism. There is no Lao terrorism, despite the fact that Laos is one of the world's poorest countries. Today's Islamic terrorism isn't rooted in poverty - otherwise we'd be looking at an African, not a Muslim, phenomenon. Only in the Muslim world are there weekly exhortations to the faithful to send their children on jihad, to kill the infidel, to despoil him of his goods, to enslave his women.
The prime minister said the fight against terrorism requires strong coordination between local and international law-enforcement agencies and intelligence networks, besides improving the economic conditions of the people.
The people's economic conditions would improve were they not required to finance an army of jihadi drones, the swarms of holy men behind them, and the mosques and madrassahs to house them all. Think of all the resources that would be freed up. And if women were permitted to indulge their talents on the same basis as men, society would be twice as productive. And two-income families would be twice as prosperous.
He said terrorism should not be linked to Islam as due to deprivation and lack of basic facilities there could be reaction among people anywhere in the world.
Why, just look at the levels of terrorism in Guatamala and Malawi and Mongolia.
Terrorism is not the solution to any dispute, he said and emphasised that there was a need to find solutions to the root causes of terrorism on a “fast track.”
Hunter-killer teams, targeting holy men? I like it.
He said Pakistan has tackled terrorism very effectively and continues to take many steps to ensure peace in the region and is extending cooperation to the world in this regard. Referring to Afghan situation, the prime minister said there is over 1,700 miles of porous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said the solution to the problem in Afghanistan lies inside that country and there should be improvement of the economic conditions there. Referring to a nexus between narcotics production and terrorism, the prime minister said it is very dangerous and should be tackled by the world community with joint efforts.
"Not our problem. And do go crossing our 1700 mile border to kill the people who cross it going the other direction."
The prime minister, while replying to a question about the whereabouts of al-Qaeda leaders, said nobody knows where they are. “The government of Pakistan cannot respond and act on general statements, (without) tangible evidence. Our position is that none of these people are in Pakistan, Mullah Omar and bin Laden etc,” he said. “If there is tangible evidence then that should be shared.”
"Until we get it, we're not lifting a finger. See? I'm sitting on my hands, here!"
He said Pakistan has been taking steps to arrest such elements whenever they are found anywhere on its soil.
"Just the cannon fodder, though. That way we look like we're doing something, but we're not interrupting any projects of our retired generals."
He said Pakistan wants a vibrant, prosperous, stable and safe Afghanistan.
"But not secular. We couldn't stand for that. And Pashtuns have to be in charge."
Pakistan is fully determined to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, he added. Referring to introduction of modern technology to stop illegal movement of people across the border, the prime minister said Pakistan has introduced the bio metric system to check the movement of the people across the frontier.