By Pooja Solanki:
While the whole world celebrated Labour Day on May 1, the Al-Qaeda members mourned the death of its founder and prominent leader, Osama bin Laden. It was earlier prospected that demise of Osama would end terrorism to some extent. But if the recent reports are anything to go by, the world has become more dreaded place to live in.
Born in the arms of Afghanistan-Pakistan region, Al-Qaeda, today, is a diffused and multi-hub organization. It has able to acquire support in Africa and West Asia, having its branches in Europe and penetrating the Muslim community in US. But still choose to remain embedded in Af-Pak region. Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf claimed Osama to be dead in 2005 and said that Pakistan had shattered Al-Qaeda’s core. But all the insistences of Musharraf turned out to be false after a report came that Osama’s home is being renovated in Abbottabad, a cantonment for the serving and retired Pakistan military personnel. Pakistan feared their sovereignty by US, ignoring the fact that Osama was responsible for such a breach by living in and functioning from Pakistan.
Recently, Hafiz Saeed, the founder of another terrorist group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), made a public appearance by attending a press conference in Pakistan, which happens to be his homeland. He openly challenged the US government to grab him if they can. This shows that Pakistan is providing a room for these horrifying men, as seen earlier in the case of Osama.
Al-Qaeda is constantly confronting the challenge of Arab Spring across the Islamic world. It has been successfully demonstrated in places like Egypt and Tunisia, authoritarian regimes to be more flourishing than peaceful means. Whereas Libya on the other hand, insists that mindless arming of a regime’s opponents, however despicable its nature, only leads to fragmentation of authority. Syria, Bahrain and Yemen are unlikely related, arriving on the conclusion that no one solution fits all. But Al-Qaeda doesn’t lag behind in entering its nose in everyone’s business.
Hilary Clinton’s visit to India is an assurance to secure bilateral ties between India and US. She comes clear on terrorism and is keen on arresting Saeed. She also hopes Pakistan help them in their goals and create peace and safety between the three nations. Also, she promises to ward off the NATO groups in Afghanistan.
Well, end of a significant cog in the wheel doesn’t guarantee diminishing of terrorism and bringing in peace, it all depends on how nations of the world perceive it. A super power like US, who has once faced the wrath of it, plays a decisive role in bringing about world peace, provided that it doesn’t ruin their cynical motives! India, being an abode to Muslim community, has to face many challenges and relations with Muslim nations matter the most. Pakistan, instead of providing shed to these terrorists and terrorist organizations, should come forward in safe-guarding the world’s right to ‘Live and let Live’.