So PTI & PML want to negotiate with the Taliban. I hope they have gamed several scenarios. Are the politicos doing their preparations using simulations to see how well or poorly these talks can go? How are they estimating and incorporating rationality which underpins any negotiations? I am curious to find out how they will prepare for something like this. Although we always simulate important negotiations when helping clients land the big one, but we assume that people negotiate by uncovering common interests during discussions. Let’s fast forward to the first round of talks. How will the parties make their opening statements? What are the common interests of both parties to form a basis for talks? Will the talks be about philosophical issues, political issues, commercial issues, constitutional issues or will they resemble hostage negotiations? How much wriggle room is there? I mean, will the Taliban accept the constitution of Pakistan? Will they accept that non-Muslims are not wajibul qatl if they don’t submit or pay a Jizya? Will they climb down from their dream of an Islamic Emirate whose code of conduct is so strict that in comparison Saudi Arabia resembles a sodomic Las Vegas? Will they give up their stated vision of converting everyone to their version of Islam and spreading a global Shariah? And what about the other side? What concessions will PTI or PML make? Will they agree to close down women’s schools or even curtail them? Will they walk away from the country’s debt trap saying it’s unbecoming for Muslims to engage in Riba? Will they curtail the provisions of democracy and human rights enshrined in the constitution? Will they declare everyone a non-Muslim who is not Wahabi Sunni? Will they expel all ambassadors from countries that have strong ties to Israel or even promote human rights? To which demand will these guys show some flexibility? I think we need to know these answers. We deserve to know. Pakistanis voted for democracy so elected officials could manage affairs of the state. Pakistanis did not vote to give PML - PTI permission to take a nation and the world into the stone ages. Or did they? So far only Mr. Kiyani has made any sense when he gave his Independence Day speech and said Pakistan needs a single voice on the Taliban issue. Well, he just heard one single voice -- mine. What about yours?
Posted on: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 14:10:45 +0000
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