Militarization: Haunting Present and Future

I still remember the first pair of boots I got was plastic made. During childhood back in my village, these shoes were not less than a blessing. I almost showed to everyone how beautiful my shoes are. This society was very near to the State of Nature where everyone was equal but everyone was not at war with everyone. Every social activity i.e. birth and death, marriage, toiling, and farming were communal activities. Where different clans were headed by different chiefs the societal affairs were overseared by the council of elders (Jirga). It seemed to be heaven on the Earth because peace and harmony were its features. However, we were sitting on the cag of powder for being the epicenter of future domestic, regional and international conflict. I am talking of no other place but Waziristan, erstwhile FATA, now district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Back in 2000, where the world hegemons were preparing for new world order at the same time the South Asian region was clearing the dust of the Cold War from its face. New planning of prosperity and development were at hands. People in the peripheries of those countries who were directly involved in the cold war took sigh of relief that peace will prevail now. However, at the very moments, 9/11 happened and bells of havoc and destruction started ranging.

The New World Order was introduced in the name of democracy. But this new order was of militarization loaded with B-52 fighters, drones, NATO forces, suicide bombers, sectarianism, racism, and ultra-nationalism. This militarization both physically and spiritually not only contained to third world countries but extended towards the capitals of developed countries. This happened in the shape of lone-wolf attacks, slogans of white supremacy, banning of people from Muslim countries, making of walls, and last but not least large number of an exodus. This all happened and still in process on the name of development but the only destruction is the result.

This militarization has not only radicalized individuals but States too. I line with the environment of hate, developing countries like Pakistan, India, and Iran started arm race. The main concern of this race is nuclear technology. But other than this, these countries along with many other South Asian countries face different severe crisis and one is terrorism. Their main concern should have cooperation to eradicate this menace but according to different facts and figures, they used terrorism as a tool of sabotage against one another. Commenting on missile race between India and Pakistan, once I comment that, “a time will that people of India and Pakistan will have nothing to eat but uranium.”

Being citizens of the World, we share happy and sad moments with all human beings. Today, when I look back to my childhood days, those moments look vague and unclear to me where dust and smell of gun powder are prevalent. I try to remind some moments because we have learned from our elders that memories are needed to live with and educate your upcoming generation through it. However, being a child of militarized environment like many others in this region I try to avoid remembering the past. Although, it still haunts my present and most probably will shadow my future.

Sajid Khan is a WPS2 participant from Pakistan.