Ehsan's 'escape'

The issue of former Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP's) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan's 'escape' from the custody of the security agencies resonated in both houses of parliament on February 10, 2020. In the National Assembly (NA), the issue was first raised by MNA Mohsin Dawar of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) and then taken up by the Pakistan People's Party's (PPP's) Naveed Qamar. Mohsin Dawar sought an explanation from the government over the mysterious alleged escape of Ehsanullah Ehsan from the country. He said such a big blunder could not be called incompetence and pointed out that no one was listening to PTM's warnings about the regrouping of the Taliban. The issue came to light recently through a social media video in which Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed he was in Turkey with his family. The government and the security authorities have so far maintained a resounding silence on the issue, except for an 'acknowledgement' by a 'senior security official' the other day that Ehsan had indeed escaped from custody. Naveed Qamar too demanded to know if Ehsanullah Ehsan had indeed escaped or been the beneficiary of some 'deal', which should be explicated even if such 'deal' was with the US. Both MNAs demanded an investigation of the matter by a parliamentary committee. Two Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) ministers were present in the house but maintained a studied (but meaningful) silence. MNA Imran Khattak who was presiding over the session in the absence of both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker fobbed off the demand for a parliamentary committee by saying he would only take a decision on the matter after receiving a response from the government. Given the latter's deafening silence thus far; that may prove a long wait. In the Senate too, the Standing Committee on Interior sought a detailed report on the 'escape' within three days from the Ministry of Interior. Senator Javed Abbasi did fine to raise the issue but then spoilt his contribution by suggesting that if Ehsanullah Ehsan ended up in enemy hands that would be bad for our security but if he was on a 'mission', they would not take up the matter! The honourable Senator should reflect on the implications of his suggestion. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari too weighed into the controversy by citing Ehsanullah Ehsan's 'escape' as proof of the government's incompetence and failure. How, he asked, could a person charged with the attacks on the Army Public School (APS) Peshawar and Malala Yousafzai flee the country? Was the government complicit in the matter or incompetent? The consequences of either would be grave, he went on. Such a huge failure of the state would leave no room to face the victims of terrorism. He pointed out that no Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had been set up for the APS tragedy, whose affectees were still demanding a judicial commission on the massacre. Bilawal echoed Naveed Qamar's words about how this debacle would go down with the FATF by asking how can we tell the international community we are combating terrorism when the biggest terrorist has 'fled' the country from our custody?

Put on the mat in this matter, it is difficult not to feel some sympathy for the PTI government that is now called upon to answer for the failings of 'others'. But those are the wages of the devil's bargain whereby the PTI came to power in 2018. Ehsanullah Ehsan surrendered to the security authorities in 2017 and has been credited with providing much useful information that helped the struggle against the TTP. The problem is that the embarrassed and helpless silence of the government and it seems the deliberate silence of the security establishment is bringing rich grist to the rumour mills. Not only, as Naveed Qamar said in the NA, does parliament have a right to be informed on the issue, so does the public. Incompetence, laxity, or something more sinister, whatever the truth, it cannot just be wished away or brushed under the carpet.