Power corrupts individuals and President Musharraf is a living example of this maxim. His personal agenda has certainly taken precedence over the wishes of millions of people of Pakistan and various democratic nations whose security is threatened by blood thirsty Terrorists. It is patent that Musharraf regime blatantly sent soldiers equipped with rifles from antiquity to battle with the Talibaan armoured with AK-47 and machine guns in the rugged and jagged mountainous caverns of the tribal regions, only to aggravate the situation to an extent, which would supply him with a precarious excuse to implement a state of Emergency on the country. The implicitly surreptitious motive behind this "second coup-over-coup" was to oust the formidable Chief Justice of Supreme Court Iftikhar Chaudhary, who was turning out to be a grave threat for his military uniform. It is notable that Musharraf elicits his potency from his Army uniform, and without it, he stands nowhere. So unconstitutionally sacking the Chief Justice was a far better option than to let him sack his Uniform. Putting thousands of innocent lives at stake in Swat, Peshawar and other parts of northern Pakistan, President Musharraf sanctioned the Terrorists to carry out their terror activities by putting forward as minimum military resistance as feasible. Gruesomely shameful surrenders that were made by security forces in the Swat valley have been depicted over the television screens via the transmission of private channels, which have now been banned in the country. The Talibaan exuded their superiority by handing over Rs. 500 to the released soldiers of Pakistan Army who were returned to the military officials at the price of liberation of the detained and convicted militants who had been successfully captured by the Army before.

The "Matta Police Station" in Swat valley now hails the flag of Talibaan over its roof after its occupants surrendered before the militants. Manslaughter is not a novelty anymore in the Swat Valley, thanks to the leniency of the Musharraf regime. Unfortunately, USA could only find a ray of light in the corrupt politician Benazir Bhutto, who has set all her political agendas aside in a hope of a power-sharing settlement. She doesn't even bother about the deplorable condition of her party member Aitezaz Ahsan, a lawyer who had won the case for Chief Justice of Pakistan, and had placed him back on his constitutional seat, prior to the imposition of emergency in the country. He is presently rotting behind bars, being given the penalty of fighting for the liberation of judiciary by the Musharraf regime. Why Benazir Bhutto is not moving her lips in protest is evident in the fact that a free judiciary will cripple the deal that has been struck between her and the military dictator, brokerage by the US.

Emergency in Pakistan has not only broken the legs of judiciary, constitution and democracy, but has also mocked the professors of a free media. Billions of US Dollars are being shifted to Pakistan but Osama has still not been captured, the Al-Qaeeda is still threatening the democratic nations of the world and Talibaan are thrusting ahead with full vigour in the northern and tribal parts of Pakistan. The question arises that if US funds Pakistan to counter terrorism, then who funds the Talibaan whose members are recruited from the innumerous Madrasah's/religious schools in Pakistan where subjective and misinterpreted teachings of the Quran are hammered down the vulnerable minds of children. Also that there are millions of Muslims in this world, but they are not all terrorists, then how can all terrorists be Muslims? Perhaps it would be sensible to say that terrorists can manipulate the teachings of a religion, but they have no religion of their own.

I shall not blame the embittered brothers from Baluchistan for maligning their own state as they have been maliciously deprived of their fundamental rights and have been shoved under the ground by the ruthless administrators of the country. All victims do abhor their tormentors' dear readers. But presently the issue at hand is not Baluchistan; it is the plausibility of the proclamation made by the creditable magazine.

What makes Pakistan so unsafe for the world according to Newsweek?

• Al Qaeda
• Taliban
• Borders with Afghanistan
• The tribal regions of the state
• The sporadic bomb blasts
• The encroachment of Taliban in North-West- Frontier Province
• A fear that internal discord shall destabilize the Musharraf regime and nuclear warheads shall fall into the hands of Taliban/ Al Qaeda.
• A report by Ron Moreau and Michael Hirsh that Taliban have rushed down from the mountains of Afghanistan and tribal regions and have entered the main cities.
• Pakistan is host to Jihadists who have access to airlines.

Well dear readers, what I really couldn't fathom is what exactly Newsweek is calling unsafe: The Pakistani state or Pakistani nation? Jon Meacham, in Newsweek's Editor's Desk(29th October,2007) clearly points at a dangerous nation, and if that is what they call unsafe, then I shall not hesitate to pronounce this either imbecile, or grave lack of knowledge. But if Newsweek is alluding to the state, then yes, they have all the right in the world to be apprehensive.

The Al Qaeda/Taliban are as big a threat to Pakistan as they are to Americans or all those who have stood up against them in the “War Against Terror”. I do not deny their existence in the tribal regions and their advancement in the Northern parts of the country. These terrorist have made it a point to carnage as many innocent civilians as possible. They tie bombs to their bodies and blow up places and people into fragments. These terrorists hate not just the people of Pakistan but all those who refuse to bow before their inhuman and illogical ideologies. Only this morning I read reports about the assaults made by Taliban on girls schools in "Swat", a city in the northern part of Pakistan.

It is true that "Pakistan army" has been harboring militants in their tribal regions in the past (before 9-11), but now the snakes whom the Army Generals had been feeding, have sprung out of their mountainous caverns and are stinging their own fosterers. But note down dear reader that, the nation/people of Pakistan had nothing to do with it. Dictators never have the support of the masses and hence they do not deserve to be pelted with pebbles of scorn and contempt.

The nation of Pakistan has been struggling against all odds and keeping their heads high during times of calamity. They are moderate people, both in beliefs and practices. It would be unjust and irrational to give precedence to the extremists over swarms of moderate folks.

The westerns want to obliterate the terrorists; they are fighting for a cause, which is commendable. But! My dear reader, the nation of Pakistan is endeavoring to get rid of both terrorism and dictatorship. And for this very reason, they do not deserve a disparaging demeanor from our global allies and other nations of the world.

Now one justification given by the creditable Newsweek pronouncing Pakistan as the most unsafe nation of the world is a fear that internal discord shall destabilize the Musharraf regime and nuclear warheads shall fall into the hands of Taliban/ AL Qaeda. My dear readers open your minds; this is a fear, not a fact. Musharraf is the most potent ruler of the country and lets not forget that he is an Army General. Unfortunately or fortunately, dictators have always been inexorable in the state of Pakistan. Pakistan is US ally in “war against terror”.

The nation and state are against terrorists, not with them for crying out loud!

But how can we humans evade our apprehensions and fears? These characteristics come so naturally to us. The same “Generals” who once fed the snakes are now obliged to dissipate them and if they can do one thing, they are mighty capable of doing the opposite as well. Pakistan Army, though dishearteningly, is fighting a battle against terrorists within the boundaries of their own tribal region. The people of Pakistan are even willing to hoist a corrupt politician like Benazir Bhutto to the highest administrative seat of the country, in a hope that she is capable of assuaging the western fears. Applaud for this nation who is so inclined and devoted towards a cause. Applaud for USA who chose Madam Bhutto as its tranquillizer.

"If hopes are dupes, fears can be liars." Arthur Hugh Clough

Let me also bring up the issue of Jihadists. My dear readers, using a term such as “Jihadists” reflects fatal lack of knowledge yet again. “Jihadists” is a derivation of an Islamic terminology “Jihad” and lets not forget that Terrorists have no religion. A terrorist can either be a terrorist or a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist or Hindu etc.

The meaning of Jihad in Islam is 180 degree opposite of what the terrorists are Proclaiming. We require a thorough study of factual data before issuing terminologies to individual actions. I shall never call a murderer a “Christian, Jew or Muslim”; I shall plainly call him a “Murderer”. Besides these Taliban are suicide bombers and suicide is strictly forbidden in Islam. So we must, I shall emphasize on the word must, dredge up authentic data before buying any sort of claptrap that is sold to us.

Albeit, Pakistan is going through a critical time in history, its people are maintaining a normal life pattern. But tell me dear readers; has Newsweek endeavored to insinuate that if one is ever placed in a situation where he has to choose between Iraq and Pakistan, he should choose Iraq? Goodness Gracious Lord! Where has their humanity gone?

Newsweek also reported:

“Pakistan is like your shoulder that supports your RPG," Taliban commander Mullah Momin Ahmed told Newsweek, barely a month before a U.S. air strike killed him last September in Afghanistan's eastern Ghazni province. "Without it you couldn't fight. Thank God Pakistan is not against us." His prayer should give the rest of us pause.”

Pakistan Is Not Against Us!

Why are the Taliban killing the Pakistani people through suicide bombs if Pakistan is not against them? why have they tried to murder general Musharraf thrice if Pakistan is not against them? why are they fighting the Pakistan army in the tribal regions if Pakistan is not against them?

Wake up call! It is truly up to us to decide whether we have more faith in Mullah Momin or Pakistan who is a U.S. ally.