Pakistan in Turmoil

from the November 06, 2007 eNews issue

The problem of Pakistan has no doubt been the cause of many sleepless nights in Washington. In recent months political unrest in the Islamic nation seems to have spiraled out of control. Newsweek Magazine recently described the nation of Pakistan as "the most dangerous country on earth." Indeed, the strategic importance of Pakistan cannot be exaggerated. The problem of Pakistan goes well beyond political instability - the outcome of Pakistan's internal conflict could have global repercussions.

Siege at the Red Mosque

The violence in Pakistan began to escalate in July, when government troops stormed a mosque in the capital city of Islamabad known as the Red Mosque - it was a safe haven for Islamic radicals and a breeding ground for terrorists. The bloody siege lasted almost ten days and resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people - including the Red Mosque's radical cleric leader. The incident at the Red Mosque triggered a new wave of violence - the fragile 10-month-old peace agreement between the government and extremists was shattered. Since the siege, at least 700 people have been killed, more than half of which were the victims of suicide attacks and other bombings.

There have, in fact, been at least 16 homicide bombings in Pakistan since the siege on the Red Mosque. On July 19, three suicide attacks took place on the same day - resulting in the deaths of 52 people. On October 19 at least 123 people killed by a homicide bomber at a parade to welcome home Benazir Bhutto - Pakistan's former Prime Minister who has spent the past 8 years in exile. The October 19 bombing was one of the deadliest in Pakistan's history.

Last week, on Tuesday, a homicide bomber killed seven people at a military checkpoint less than mile away from President Musharraf's army headquarters where Musharraf was holding a meeting with top government officials. Two days later, on Thursday, a homicide bomber riding a motorcycle slammed into a Pakistan Air Force bus killing at least 8 people. Also on Thursday, Pakistan's security forces killed more than 70 militant fighters in clashes in the volatile northwestern region of the country.

Reports indicate that Muslim extremists are expanding their control of Northern Pakistan - particularly along the Afghanistan border. Much like Iraq, Pakistan is a divided nation. There are many opposing sects and ethnic identities that constantly threaten to pull the country apart. Less than 10 percent of its 160 million people are native speakers of the national language.

Musharraf Declares Martial Law

The current President of Pakistan is General Pervez Musharraf. He seized control of the country in a military coup in 1999 and has held on to power ever since. However Musharraf's authority is now in jeopardy. Experts say Musharraf is under enormous strain: America is demanding that he crack down on Islamist militants; Pakistan's religious extremists are furious at him for abandoning Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and for changing his stance on Kashmir; and Pakistan's moderate political parties are shunning him because of his resistance to democratic reforms. Musharraf is also embroiled in a heated battle with Pakistan's Supreme Court over the constitutionality of his presidency. Exactly one month ago, on October 6th, Musharraf was re-elected as Pakistan's President. However General Musharraf's eligibility to run for president has been challenged because of his dual role as head of the army.

On Saturday, November 3rd, Pakistan was plunged into turmoil when Musharraf declared a state of emergency rule. He suspended the constitution, imposed martial law, and dismissed the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The ousted judge has called for a revolt against Musharraf's government, meanwhile authorities have detained thousands of opposition leaders and their supporters. The future of Musharraf's rule is uncertain, and the collapse of his government could propel Pakistan into a state of chaos.

Why is Pakistan so Important?

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the sixth most populous nation in the world and the second largest Muslim nation. It is sandwiched between the Middle East and Asia, and bordered by Iran, Afghanistan, China, and India. It is also the only Islamic nation with a declared nuclear weapons program.

Pakistan's nuclear program was spurred on to fruition by its bitter rivalry with India. India detonated its first nuclear device, code-named "Smiling Budda," in 1974. For the next two decades it claimed that its nuclear program was only meant for peaceful research purposes. Then, in 1998, India all but declared itself a nuclear power with a series of nuclear tests. It was a move that angered the West and prompted Pakistan to follow suit. Pakistan began its secret nuclear weapons program in 1972, and now has between 65 and 90 nukes - roughly on par with the suspected size of India's arsenal.

After India's independence from Great Britain in 1947 the British Empire in India was divided, and the modern nations of India and Pakistan were born. The two nations have been at odds ever since. Today the conflict between the two nuclear powers centers on the disputed province of Kashmir.

Conscripted into Battle

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, Musharraf sided with the United States against the Taliban government in Afghanistan. However prior to the 9/11 attacks Pakistan was a close ally of the Taliban. It was only under tremendous pressure from the United States and the international community that Pakistan agreed to join the war on terror.

During a September 24, 2006 interview with CBS News's 60 Minutes, Musharraf described how then-US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage had called Musharraf's intelligence director shortly following the September 11 attacks. He allegedly threatened military action if Pakistan did not support the US-led War on Terror. According to Musharraf, Armitage warned: "Be prepared to be bombed. Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age." Furthermore, during an interview with Jon Stewart of The Daily Show on September 26, 2006, Musharraf stated that then-Secretary of State Colin Powell also contacted him with a similar ultimatum: "You are with us or against us." Musharraf had little choice but to comply. If Pakistan had refused to reverse its stance and support the US, the United States would most likely have deemed Pakistan a "terrorist state" and part of the "axis of evil."

Pakistan is considered to be a "frontline ally" in the war against terrorism. In fact, since the September 11 attacks, the US has give Pakistan over 10 billion dollars in aid. Yet despite the government's official cooperation with the United States, the anti-American sentiment in Pakistan runs deep. Pakistan is home to many Islamist extremists, some with links to al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Many Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters fleeing from Afghanistan have taken refuge throughout Pakistan - particularly in lawless tribal regions on the Afghan border which are sympathetic to the fundamentalist cause.