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KARACHI: Delegates attending the World Social Forum (WSF) in
Karachi yesterday accused the US of creating Osama bin Laden and his
terror icon Al Qaeda. At a WSF workshop on ‘bin Laden constructing new
politics of terror,’ speakers described the Saudi-born terrorist as “a
symbol of evil in the world politics”.
“Al Qaeda and Osama are the creation of the US and its Central
Investigation Agency (CIA)” to suit their hegemonic designs, Sehba
Khattak, a leading Pakistani human rights activist from North-West
Frontier Province (NWFP) said.
She alleged that Osama was created as part of a US global policy to have
“elements of instability on the world map” that could allow US
involvement in regional affairs.
Khattak also traced influence of Al Qaeda ideology on parts of Pakistani
society while referring to violence during protest rallies against
publication of alleged blasphemous images of the Prophet Muhammad.
At least five people were killed last month during the anti- cartoon
protests in eastern Lahore city and Peshawar in NWFP with losses to
property running in millions of dollars.
“Whatever destruction of public and private property we witnessed in the
anti-cartoons protests basically represented extremist ideology of Al
Qaeda and their Taliban supporters,” she added.
A H Nayyar, another human rights activist, feared that any US attack on
neighbouring Iran over its controversial nuclear programme would have
serious consequences for the entire region.
“It may be a precision attack, but it will have severe repercussions for
the entire region including Pakistan which is at the centre of anti-terror
efforts,” he added.
Delegates from around 58 countries across South East Asia, China, Europe
and the Americas are attending the six-day Forum (WSF) event in Karachi,
considered a “danger zone” for frequent incidents of violence and
terror attacks in the past.
The WSF was founded in 2001 by community organisers, trade unionists,
young people and academics. It has convened every year at Porto Alegre,
Brazil except in 2004, when the forum was held in the Indian port city of
Mumbai.
WSF's agenda will focus mainly on problems facing the South Asian region
especially peace initiatives between Pakistan and India, Palestine and
Israel, the situation in Iraq, and the ongoing dispute over Iran's nuclear
programme. – DPA |
