Your Excellency

Distinguished Participants

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

It is a matter of great pleasure and personal satisfaction for me to address Oxford Students Union.

Interacting with you evokes nostalgia.

I have strong association with the Union.

It is Unions such as yours that nurture and incubate future leadership.

Thesis and anti-thesis, the march of ideas, the evolution of thought

You represent the intellect of today. That will give shape to tomorrows and the days after. For you, as students and future leaders, it is imperative to look beneath the surface, read between the lines and put things in their correct perspective.

You must form the right notions. Notions that are the result of objective and comprehensive research. Unfortunately, in today’s world of media and mass communication, images and imageries feed into these notions. And produce half baked perceptions that are neither objective nor emperical. Unfortunately, in today’s world, these perceptions shape our reality.

I see another disconnect that pervades the entire world of policy planning, but particularly the west. This disconnect is more fundamental. At its root is the question of how we see ourselves and our relationship with the rest of the world. The world that is increasingly multi-ethnic, mutli-polar and multi-layered, driven by multiple interests and ideas; No longer really the domain of independent States acting in conflict or concert. But much more complicated. This complicated picture produces disconnect between what we practice and what we preach.

Is democracy really good or bad? But what if other nations, carrying an entirely different set of ethos and mores, do not subscribe fully to ours? Are all men equal, or will certain nations carry certain burdens? Do we or do we not respect sovereignty of nations? Do we or do we not represent a community of interest? How does history march and how humans progress? And how do we, you and I, adjust to this march of history? As students, if nothing else, your duty must be to the truth. To reality as it exists not as it is popularly perceived.

Dear Students, What is Pakistan’s reality? I know you have certain notions. A country perhaps on the brink of implosion. Terrorism, extremism, suicide attacks and bombings. Perhaps a failing State. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Let images not blind your perceptions. Pakistan today is neither failed nor failing State. The Pakistan of today vindicates the strength of democracy. And its ability to bring out the best of a people in the face of adversity. You see the resilience of a nation; Its determination to chart its own destiny. True a handful of terrorists have challenged the State of Pakistan. And sought to impose upon it, their nefarious agenda. The democratic Pakistan has risen to the challenge.

Pakistan’s democratic transition has been of fundamental significance to the country, the region and the world. The elections of 18 February 2008 were nothing short of an electoral revolution. That returned to our people their voice, and to their dreams a future. With the induction of a democratic government, and the election of a civilian Head of State, a fundamental transformation is underway. This transition is informed by a cardinal principle that the Government of the Pakistan People’s Party has been pursuing. That principle is the gift of our great leader, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. The principle of reconciliation, of deference to differences, of consensus building, of transparent decision making and of rule of law. While this transition is a work in progress, we have achieved measurable benchmarks. Allow me to place before you, ten important benchmarks:

Dear Students,

To understand Pakistan’s role in the war on terror, you must first ask yourself, what this war is about? What is the genesis of terrorism in our times? What drives an individual to such acts of desperation? And what are the externalities of this struggle? Popular notions would paint this conflict in black and white. The reality is a shade of grey.

Terrorism in our region has roots in Afghanistan’s tragic history of the past three decades. When one Superpower broke a century old consensus to respect the country’s historic neutrality. The march of the Red Army into Afghanistan changed the course of history. There was massive displacement of populations, the displacement that has not been reversed to this day and age. Millions of Afghans fled their homes into Pakistan and other neighbouring countires. And Pakistan’s own independence and security came under threat. Afghans took up arms to liberate their homeland. In an effort to defeat the Soviet Union, the free world embarked upon a deliberate strategy to empower and equip the most extreme elements.

The Afghan Jehad was a success. Where the world erred was to abandon Afghanistan and with it Pakistan, when the Soviets withdrew. Afghanistan was cast into the dustbin of history as the last vestige of a forgotten war. Pakistan became the most sanctioned ally. With the defeat of communism, history seemed to have ended. Well, it didn’t. Taliban are the product of that era of gross and criminal neglect. When Afghanistan lacked governance. They are a product of parched Earth, of desperation born out of grinding poverty. The Taliban were easily hijacked by Al Qaeda. In a socioeconomic environment that was ripe for extremism and extremist ideologies.

9/11 was a wake up call. The world did wake up. And for a while it seemed that extremism and terrorism would be vanquished. Tragically, errors were commited post 9/11. The Iraq war took away precious resources and attention. There was an inordinate emphasis on a military approach. And not nearly enough focus on reconciliation, dialogue and development. We have all made mistakes, we have all erred in the past. A course correction has been underway under President Obama. And the London Conference appears to have put its weight behind reconciliation. These are steps in the right direction.

Pakistan has been, and will remain a willing and able partner in promoting regional stability. We have suffered great casualities and are doing more than our share in dousing the fires of terrorism and extremism. To put out these fires, hearts and minds will have to be won. And development and social welfare given the priority that these merit. While Pakistan will continue to play its due and constructive role, the international community must acknowledge our sacrifices and appreciate that this is Pakistan’s own war, which can only be fought on terms and conditions, acceptable to Pakistan and its people.

Pakistan will need to be helped. In word and in deed, our resource constraints bridged, and our capability to deal with the menace enhanced. But most of all, our agenda for trade and development, supported. We have sought enhanced market access. Greater trade, we strongly believe, will have a transformational impact on our society. And enable us to effectively deal with extremism. Regional cooperation will also need to be enhanced. Everyone must stop playing Games, great or small in Afghanistan. Everyone must do a better job at arresting trans-regional flows of weapons and narcotics trafficking.

I want you to carry back a message of hope. Pakistan, the region and the world are faced with a challenging situation. But Pakistan has the wherewithal and the will to overcome them. Its vibrant civil society, its State structures, and democratic institutions will never allow national agenda to be hijacked by terrorists and extremists.

If the international community does not fail us, we will never fail you.

Thank You