Thursday, February 25, 2016

ISLAMIC MILITARY ALLIANCE



The news of Saudi- lead ‘Islamic military alliance’ of thirty four countries  including Pakistan with a mission to fight terrorism and foreign office’s initial reaction of expressing ignorance and owning it a day later without having any details about it reminded me of  Sir Winston Churchill’s famous quote about the then Soviet Union.  He said: “Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”.
What we know about this alliance, the role and responsibilities of its members including Pakistan, how, when and where suddenly it came in to being and why we owned it without knowing its details and our own role in it. Some sources have revealed that Pakistan had agreed to it in secrecy sometimes back without taking foreign office on board and this report has not been officially denied.  If this is correct, then is this the democracy our politicians cry day and night to safeguard?
The government owes an explanation to the people and the parliament the responsibility to take up the matter and pressurize the government to come clean and disclose everything relating to the alliance.