Legitimacy of Wikileaks

By

Dr. Raja Muhammad Khan

Since a lot has been written about the overwhelming number of documents leaked through the Wikileaks, therefore, it is imperative to know about the reality and genuineness of the organization itself. Launched in 2006, the Wikileaks is a Sweden based international organization without any officially notified headquarters. While maintaining the confidentiality of the source, the organization publishes anonymous reports through its website run by ‘The Sunshine Press’. Mr. Julian Assange, an Australian journalist and internet activists is the director and editor in chief of the Wikileaks, however, it is founded by a mix of journalists, mathematicians and technologists from all over the globe. It is funded through the media organizations and world major news papers like; the Los Angeles Times, the National Newspaper Publishers Association and a number of other western media channels.

The life history of the Mr. Assange, the editor in Chief of the Wikileaks is full of controversy. Before the current assignment in the wikileaks, he has been a hacker and a computer programmer. According to the investigation of ‘the New Yorker,’ Assange had a suspicious life. He has been enrolled in six universities and thirty-seven schools in Australia. He illegitimately married to his girlfriend at the age of 18 in an unofficial ceremony and had a son. Later on, the girl left him while he was being investigated by the Australian Federal Police, on the charges of hacking, and took away their son.

The primary aim for its establishment as apparently stated was to; expose the oppressive regimes in Asia and Africa including the former Soviet bloc. It got so much popular that within a year of its launch, it received the database of 1.2 million documents, and by June 2009, it had 1200 registered volunteers. It was rated as the number one website in May 2010, which could, “totally change the news". The site is globally recognized and has even won the international media awards at least twice. Ever since the establishment of the website, it has progressed in the leaps and bounds. Indeed, its control is with the powerful global media managers; therefore, it is acting as the opinion maker for the world. The intellectuals and academia alike trust the articles of this website.

In the same context once the website leaked around 91000 classified military documents about the war in Afghanistan and the role of Pakistan, it surprises everyone in Pakistan to find that how much chauvinism US still has about Pakistan. Although the leaks were primarily published in a US and two other European papers (The New York Times, Guardian, and Der Spiegel), but US Government did not own it. However, unofficially, there have been many comments and critical remarks of the US scholars and intelligentsia about Pakistan after the leaks. Pakistan though was targeted very less in these leaks (less than 0.2 percent), but blown up more by the global media. Pakistan feels that its innumerable sacrifices during the so-called global war on terror and in the past too, should have been taken into account by the compilers of the reports, if not the leakers.

The crux of the Wikileaks is that, Pakistan Army and its intelligence agency; ISI maintains a liaison with the Taliban in Afghanistan, and therefore play a double game. So much so that linkages of some of the former ISI officials like General (retired) Hamid Gul, are also being related to the ISI and Pakistani establishment. Attacks on the US and NATO aircrafts and logistic conveys are also being attributed to Pakistan and ISI. The compilers and the writers even forgotten that Pakistani security forces and police is providing the security to all the logistics conveys of the NATO and US from Karachi to the Afghan border. Around 180 documents pertain to this alleged relationship without substantial evidences. Impartial media and analysts believe that bulk of the material is either based on sheer misperceptions or else compiled by sources of RAW, Mossad and even CIA accompanying the Afghan intelligence setup.  Paid informers for RAW and CIA have played significant role in the formulation of the opinions in these reports.

The clumsy reports of the Wikileaks reveal that Osma Bin Laden remained in Quetta after the US invasion in Afghanistan following the incident of 9/11. It also reveals that Bin Laden used to hold regular meeting of the Al-Qeada network in Quetta as late as 2006. If U.S authorities were so sure about the Bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan, why did they fail to share that information with Pakistani authorities? If Pakistan can arrest and handover over 600 terrorists and people like Khalid Sheikh Muhammad to US, Bin Laden or other workers of this nefarious network established by CIA and Mossad should have been no exception. Al-Qaeda network has indeed brought devastation in Pakistan in the form of spreading the extremism and terrorism. How could Pakistan or its institutions and organizations like Army and ISI back such enemies of the state? Compilers of the report should have been sensible enough while taking into account these poorly framed arguments.

Ever since the US invasion in Afghanistan and Pakistani support to international community in the so-called global war on terror, the Al-Qaeda and its supporter so-called religious organizations like Taliban have been involved in a number of high profile suicide attacks, bombing and other terrorist acts in Pakistan. These terrorist organizations are still doing the same, how could Pakistani intelligence agencies and its Army support them or give them a refuge. Indeed U.S and international community could have seen the ground realities that Pakistani security forces are in a state of war with Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Over 50% strength of Pakistan Army and 100% paramilitary forces (Frontier Corps) are busy in combating the Taliban and other networks. In fact, the linkage which the reports leaked through Wikileaks is trying to establish between Pakistani intelligence setup and Taliban or Bin Laden indeed is malicious and uncalled for.  The main aim of this propaganda campaign is to defame these well-organized national institutes, both domestically as well as internationally.   These forces desire that ISI and Pak Army should only serve their purpose and act as per their desires. Anything in the national interest of Pakistan, really annoy these anti-Pakistan forces.

A review of the past few months’ development would reveal that Pakistan was contributing hectically towards Afghan reconciliation and reintegration among its various groups for bringing stability and peace in that war torn country. United States indeed needed such a rescue for its subsequent pullout, as a face saving measure. This act of good will perhaps is unacceptable to the forces, all set for the future colonization of Afghanistan, a country of the brave men, whose inhabitants are now sick of the foreign occupations, infightings and conspiracies against their country.

Reports leaked through Wikileaks is indeed an effort to nullify or divert the Pakistan’s efforts for the Afghan reconciliation and reintegration. Although the Obama Administration desires to pullout its forces, but the Israeli and Indian lobby is all bent to keep occupying the Afghan soil. If US led occupation forces and India has the desire to stay in the region for a longer duration to implement their broader agendas, should the elected Afghan Government, allow them to do so. The brave sons of the Afghan soil have always revolted against the foreign occupation and would not like to continue with the status quo.

Therefore, it is about time that, instead of a blame game, all stake holders should be fair with the Afghan people and support the reconciliation of all groups in that country. Let Afghan people to decide their fate as per their desires. If any regional or global power is interested to keep the country in a state if instability, it would be against the wishes of Afghan people.  Pakistan should be not be terrorised and criticized through the illegitimate reports like Wikileaks. It has lot of sacrifices for the common good of the region as well as the globe. By all means, its contributions should be recognised and respected at all costs.

The writer is an analyst if international relations. Email; drmk_edu@yahoomail.com