Lessons need to be learnt and causes rectified, which lead to our embarrassment and isolation to awaken us from deep slumber and consequences that would follow by repetitive placing of our country on Grey Watch List by FATF. It would be better for elected executive and powers that be to listen to criticism of loyal patriotic citizens,who are driven by concerns for national security rather than face international isolation and embarrassment.

Relations between countries are based on mutual interests and not on geographical proximity, nor faith or ethnicity. Even China, our staunchest supporter at international forums seems to have doubts about veracity of our claims to have taken action against groups listed by UN as terrorists.

COAS Bajwa while speaking at Security conference in Munich stated that “Frankenstein was actually created by the liberal free world, with willing, but myopic cooperation from our side after Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979” and “we all are responsible for making the world population in general and Muslim population in particular hostage to this extremist ideology”. Times have changed and we have to cleanse mess we allowed ourselves to be engulfed in, by greed of few like Zia and his junta. The billions of dollars paid for proxy wars seem to have vanished in thin air. No effort was made by Zia junta to exploit opportunity offered by engaging in proxy war by acquiring transfer of technology to manufacture modern tools of warfare such as F-16 etc within Pakistan.

It is ironic to see men with split loyalties, who having benefitted most from Pakistan, then chose to swear oath of allegiance for another country, question loyalty and patriotism of citizens for whom this country is motherland, where they will live and die.

MALIK TARIQ,

Lahore, February 25.