Why Dubai's security chief considers Pakistan a 'dangerous threat to gulf countries'
Pakistan is still to recover from the embarrassment following the sensational claim of Dubai head of general security, Lt Gen Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, who said that Pakistanis pose a "dangerous threat to Gulf societies". His acerbic remarks came in the wake of the arrest of three Pakistanis on charges of drug smuggling. The security chief even recommended denial of any employment to Pakistan nationals in gulf countries.
While the statement has rattled Pakistan for being singled out among all Muslim countries whose residents live in gulf nations, it has come as a relief for countries that have long wanted that Islamabad be exposed because its citizens are not only involved in drug trade, but also in smuggling of arms.
Khalfan's statement, however, is on expected lines because Pakistanis alone have a bad reputation for being involved in illegal activities among the large number of south Asians living in Dubai and neighbouring countries.
Close on the heels of Khalfan's disclosure came another embarrassment for Pakistan. As many as 139 of Pakistan's nationals and outfits found a mention in the United Nations updated list of global terrorists and global terror entities. Notable among the 139 names are Dawood Ibrahim, Hafiz Saeed and Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Apart from these names, the list contains the names and details of several activists of the Pakistan-based and Pakistan supported terrorist outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and others.
Interestingly, the list also reinforces that Dawood Ibrahim is in Pakistan and mentions Noorabad in Karachi as his hideout. It says Al Zawahiri has taken refuge somewhere along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The development is being seen by the security analysts as a huge embarrassment for the Pakistani polity because despite repeated denials of his presence, Osama bin Laden was located and neutralised on Pakistani soil in Abbottabad in 2011.
The UN-prepared terror list also discloses Dawood's unholy nexus with Mexican drug syndicates and existing mafia groups involved in arms trafficking, money laundering and other illegal activities including funding of terror activities.
The list released by the UN gives out the names of lieutenants of Hafiz Saeed's media team - Haji Mohammad, Yahya Mujahid, Abdul Salaam and Zafar Iqbal. The disclosures have left Pakistani intelligence and security agencies red-faced.
Meanwhile on April 5, the Lahore High Court directed the government authorities not to harass or intimidate Jamaat-ud Dawa ( JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed till April 23, which is the next date of hearing. The court has ruled that Saeed should be allowed to continue his "social welfare activities".
The order has surely emboldened Saeed, who had petitioned the court alleging that the Pakistan government was interfering in JuD's welfare projects caving in to the pressures from India and the US.
It may be recalled that on January 1, the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan had forbidden JuD from collecting donations.
The move was, however, a farce and aimed at hoodwinking the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which was to meet around that time and Islamabad feared being put on the watch list. Nevertheless, Pakistan was put on the list.
Under the given circumstances, April 23 remains crucial to determine the fate of Saeed, whose terror activities carried out in the garb of "welfare" activities stand exposed.
In an unrelated development, Pakistan foreign minister, Khawaja Asif, has stirred an unnecessary controversy by charging against India for handing out a harsh punishment to actor Salman Khan in the blackbuck case just because he was a Muslim.
The irresponsible and immature minister also alleged that Christians and other minorities in India are discriminated against. The minister has conveniently forgotten that Hindus and Christians in Pakistan, and also Ahmedias and Shias, are systematically targeted on flimsy charges of blasphemy, and many are exterminated in excesses perpetrated by the majority community.
It was most unbecoming of the foreign minister to make such uncharitable and uncalled for remarks at a time India is trying to end the ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries.
Apart from this, two cricketers - Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi - recently came down heavily on the Indian security forces for their alleged atrocities in Kashmir. The latest to join the chorus was Shoaib Akhtar. Pakistani cricketers must know that their own backyard needs to be cleaned before pointing fingers towards India. And this, unlike cricket, is not a gentleman's game.
Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self determination & independence. Wonder where is the @UN & other int bodies & why aren't they making efforts to stop this bloodshed?
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) April 3, 2018
Dubai security chief Tamim and the comprehensive UN prepared terror list must serve as a wake-up call for Pakistan.
Signs are ominous for Islamabad as the international community too is coming down heavily on it for harbouring terror and illegal activities such as drug trafficking. The country, analysts say, is fragile and threatened with disintegration. It's only a question of time. The only thing more problematic than this is that there is no sign of introspection and course correction.