Internal borders under threat By Senator A. Rehman Malik

We as nation are passing through the most crucial phase of the history where we are facing both internal and external aggression giving rise to number of challenges.

The recent development in the political landscape of the country is witnessing the changing attitude of the masses where recent unfortunate tendency of targeting judiciary and defence forces of the country, although these are the main pillars of our strength.

Unfortunately, very foundations of these institutions are being attacked with specific agenda by some unwise people failing to understand the anti-Pakistan strong Lobby. Some anti Pak movements are being funded by enemies of Pakistan duly supported by greedy elements in the country.

The importance of the judiciary in a civilised world was appropriately described by the then Prime Minister Winston Churchill during World War II during a briefing on the casualties and economic collapse. He asked, “Are the courts functioning?” When told that the judges were dispensing justice as normal, Churchill replied, “Thank God. If the courts are working, nothing can go wrong.” It is, therefore, important to understand that in order to keep order in the society, the judiciary should be at the top of the priorities.

Similarly, the geographical existence of a country lies in the professionally robust defence forces. Armed forces of any country exhibit their strength with the help and support of the people of the country. It is well-known old and universally accepted phrases that if you want to destroy a country then discredit its Army. The Army is symbol of stability hence the enemy gets attack through its paid stooges and there are many in our country working as agent under different names and covers and hiding their anti-Pakistani faces.

It is continuity of large plan against Pak which I predicted nearly one year back wherein I had exposed the contents of such movements in advance quoting the conversation of senior USA journalist with an interview with a Russian TV anchor. Thank God our agencies detected in time and this foreign media component was kicked out of Pakistan.

Unfortunately, the post-Panama case judgment events have taken an ugly turn where the independence and the boundaries of judiciary are under attack and despite the vilification campaign launched against it, the judiciary has been acting cool and maintaining restraint.

If we fail to protect the boundaries of these internal institutions then our internal defence will go weaker day by day. When I say boundaries of institutions then I mean protection of their constitutional firewalls required to be protected as laid down in the constitution of Pakistan. In other words, if we cannot protect our internal boarders then we would keep getting weaker as a Nation. We are already suffering from the virus of Terrorism/ economic disorder/ political polarisation / non-serious role of Parliament and non-ending blames games on each other.

The Mafias have grown too bigger and it is perhaps now more powerful than Sicilian Mafia, which was limited in action but the present Mafias in Pakistan are controlling whatever they want to control ranging from politics to judiciary, bureaucracy and economy.

Mafias have their control on running government where opposition is also a partner in crimes and the Parliament seems to be crippled and made impotent enough to check their crimes. The accountability laws in the past were tailored for political victimisation and it is high time that there is a need to revisit these laws as per the changing requirements enabling the accountability institutions to take fast action without any discrimination.

There should be no compromise on national and internal security/foreign policy. We need to discipline our system to protect our internal borders. If we are internally strong then we should not worry about our external boards as our internal defence mechanism would be strong a guarantee for our external borders.

We need to curb mushroom growth of Jehadis and other terrorist organisations, which are posing serious internal threat and nation has recently witnessed its muscles and power of Jehadi Organisation where a single head of the Organisation crippled Islamabad with additional bonus of bundle abuses invented by leader supposedly preaching Islamic values Islamabad remained closed where as they jammed and paralysed the normal function of the Government and the lives of the people were made miserable by preventing them from their daily activities.

We need to draw a realistic list of our objectives and purse them at national level on priority. The concept of defending and building of inductions have fast eroding and there is more depletion in civilian public institutions because of continued ignoring of the merit and non-transparency in contracts awarding. The fear of accountability is not there and institutions follow the individuals and wish of politicians rather than the book of law. Pakistan is a country where has become rare commodity.

We stand today under an external debt of $200 billion just because we did not observe the economic discipline and not protect the slide of Pak currency. FBR has not been able to enhance the tax base so for, which means that the Government has failed to energise FBR to have muscles to deal with the powerful mafia of the country.

I had predicted that rupee will steep fall and will be Rs. 125 to dollar where as it has already reached to Rs. 120 to a dollar which means those who are handling hit are most like sleeping are following the pigeon-eye.

China as per our claim is all-weather friend, gained its independence after the creation of Pakistan. UBS has recently published a paper depicting some facts about the economic growth of China. According to its study, “since 1970s, the economy has grown at a rate of up to 10% a year; in the first half of last year, GDP was 6.9% higher than the previous year; the economy is bigger than that of both Germany and Japan and it could soon overtake the USA; it produces five time more STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) graduates than the USA; and, its predicted spending on R&D (research and development) will surpass the USA’s this year”.

Let us understand that we need to build our internal systems stronger to make the country stronger enabling it to face any untoward aggression on the country. The strong economy is a guarantee to a strong defence of the sovereignty of our country. We, as a nation and country, would find difficult to sustain ourselves under heavy external debts and we have to address this issue with nationalistic approach. We need to defend and energise our economic boarders by strengthen our economy on priority basis.

I would finish with this quote “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work”

God has given us opportunity to become a great nation and let us not miss it.If we as present generation do not miss these opportunities then coming generations will always remember us in a good way with respect as Nation builders.

Let us march to protect national internal boarders in every sphere of life to give new life to our beloved Pakistan. Pakistan is calling for-this protection from every single Pakistani.

In the end I advise that all internal institution must play balance .There should be no Overstepping of constitutional limit in the greater national interest.

The Article was published by “The Nation” on April 28^th, 2018 and the link to the article is Internal borders under threat by Senator A. Rehman Malik

The writer is a PPP Senator, former Interior Minister of Pakistan, and Chairman of think tank “Global Eye” and Senate Body on Interior. He can be reached at rmalik1212@gmail.com @senrehmanmalik