Amjad Malik writes in response to Seymour Hersh’s ‘defending the arsenal in the New Yorker

I am minded not to dwell on people’s writings and discourage reactive outbursts but Seymour Hersh in his latest piece in the New Yorker titling, ‘defending the arsenal’ in November 09 issue has incited me to comment. In this piece he has portrayed as if Pakistani nuclear facility is a ‘snuff box’ of a Pathan and can easily be captured, snatched, or stolen if not be a Talib, then through an inside job. I am sure this is but a series of criticism over the Pak deterrent which is causing an eyesore to many since its announcement and successful testing in 1998. It is also a furtherance of the Kerry Lugar Bill styled charge sheet whereby one paints a bleak picture of its security and than ask for it to be deposited in international safe box and light heartedly declare the armed forces ‘ pro militant’ and shady. The reality is quite to the opposite, Pak army ranking one of the most brilliant in the region though has a room for improvement and latest weaponry can increase its effectiveness, but never the less, its sting may be felt through latest operation in Swat and North Waziristan and its series of successes.

I am sure the command and control system of the arsenal is one of the best if not ‘the best’ and people who are guarding it knows their job. Pakistan is not running on USA assurances, the country has seen its role in 1971 war and following on. Since there is great emphasis on India Pak dialogue and cohabitation without resolving Kashmir, and one sided civil nuclear agreement between US and India there cannot be any guarantee that information acquired from Pakistan during such dialogue will not be shared with its arch rival India. Sharing information of such nature will be a cause of increasing a direct threat to the national security of Pakistan therefore such sharing with a singular country is out of question, and has not taken place and will not be in future. Pakistan has rightly assisted with IAEA which is the international regulatory body and unless his rival signs NPT and resolve Kashmir, there could be no progress on this issue, at best USA interference and unauthorised spying will further jeopardise its interest and security.

Hersh has spoken to many but all the past figures are no more relevant. Its control is in new hands proves that no one knows the actual position. Taliban could never have a hand on this arsenal, and as all know its true, the only remaining issue could be a questionable inside job. This is to raise questions on the feasibility and the structure of the armed forces, which to me is a beggars belief as no one shares their mechanism at that length with a third state. Secondly, that is in effect taking place in USA in the case of Major Niddal who last week opened fire in an army facility. Question may arise why he was in army or was in possession of ammunition, why he failed all his assessors designated to filter him psychologically as he was about to go to Iraq. Similarly individual incident(s) do not represent the majority and they do take place but does not represent the overall morale of the army, and I confess USA armed forces are armed with high tech weaponry and skills and a single incident does not move their ratings. Its the system which must be stronger to root out such incident(s). To me, Pakistan has the reliable system. These stories just make a case to underpin Pakistan and its army on few issues. These papers are not without the support of American policy makers who will not let any chance to go by without alarming Pakistan in exchange of a suitable barter. They desperately need Pakistan but will portray as if Pakistan needs them, which is the core of the trust deficit in this tri lateral war of Afghanistan. USA army personnel think that with the high tech body armour, designer wear glasses and boots, with full air support, they are much more effective and lethal as opposed to local army personnel, but mind you those locals have greater insight of the area and geographical advantage. That’s what is lacking in this war, foreigners are fighting the local without full aid of the local experts as they are not willing to accept their superiority on the subject and take pride of their weapons. Weapons are only useful if the staff who is operating them are effective in using them and know where to use. In this case I am afraid its a psychological low point.

I do not wish to comment what the retired General Musharraf says, as he is irrelevant in this who game plan. His remarks about the security of the Pak arsenal are out of date and his remarks about the president are an expression of his misery and acceptance of the mess he left his country in. Finally, on a political angle, this article is inviting a criticism as to what civil govt was openly discussing through Kerry Lugar, was in fact under negotiation secretly through Pentagon and GHQ, is a diversion and not at all plausible. Time is up to vacate ‘sihala’ at once as Pakistan no longer needs American security for its citizens, Minister(s) or for its armament via backwater or DynCorp. USA must move out of Pakistan quicker and Afghanistan sooner and must take their pimps with them too, as situation is getting out of control as well as the temper of the people across the channels due to body bags coming to towns almost every day in Pakistan, Britain and United States.

Amjad Malik, is a Solicitor-Advocate Supreme Court of England
10 November 2009

See the link:
Seymour Hersh’s ‘defending the arsenal’ in the New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/11/16/091116fa_fact_hersh?currentPage=all