The Jaded Pakistan By Dr. Khawaja Ashraf
Late Habib Jalib wrote a short couplet about East Pakistan.
Muhabbat Goleon Say Bo Rahay Ho,Watan,
Ka Chihra Khoon Say Dho Rahay Ho,
Gumaan Tum Ko Keh Rasta Kut Rahay Hay,
Yaqeen Muj Ko Keh Manzal Kho Rahay Ho.
Today Pakistan’s body and soul is pierced with myriad wounds but none of usis willing to see. Our generals adamantly want to continue the same olddeleterious political games they played before 1971. Our politicians areacting in the same irresponsible manner like they acted before 1971. Ourpeople are similarly withdrawn and jaded the way they were before 1971.
Is there someone in this world who will teach us to see the writing on thewall? Probably not. General Musharraf thinks he is all wisdom. Whatever hedoes serves the national interest of Pakistan. Corps commanders are fullysupporting his myopic actions without taking into consideration any proposalfrom any politician, intellectual, journalist or any thinking soul fromsublunary world.
Why as a nation we never think why we are where we are? Not even a tragedylike 1971 can make us think? Perhaps not. Because, right after losing EastPakistan, first we started a devastating anti-Qadiani movement in 1974 andthen, our avaricious generals imposed martial law in 1977. The time weshould have spent on healing the national wounds we spent it on inflictingnew wounds.
Not only that, the purblind general pushed Pakistan into an internationalconflict in Afghanistan. Afghanistan conflict left so many scars on our bodyand soul that it may take centuries to heal them. If it were another nation,like the Japanese or the Chinese, they would have overcome such scars within fewyears, but with us it is a different story. We do not believe in healing, welike to inflict new wounds every minute.
Zakham Kay Bharnay Talak Nakhun Naan Barr Aian Gay Kayya?
And the irony of the situation is that we are blaming one another. The generals blameThe politicians. The politicians blame the generals. No one is willing to move forwardand take the blame. No one wants to say, ‘Hey guys, we take theresponsibility for this mess and we promise we will clean it.’ Generals areangels simply unable to commit any sin. As for the politicians, some are wandering in thewilderness of exile and the others are trying to destabilize the country in thehope to scavenge a part of the wounded prey.
They all have panacea for all the ills of the country. Generals think they have an impromptu devolution plan that will turn Pakistan in a model democracy.Qazi Hussain Ahmad says, ‘Generals have failed. They are a security risk.They can sell Pakistan any time.’ Muslim League and PPP do not even careabout changing the wine or the bottle. They want the nation to drink the sameold wine from the same old bottles.
The people of Pakistan as helpless as ever are agonizingly watching thesehovering scavengers and they can do nothing. Their country is bleeding butthey have no option, no hope, and no say.
It is not that these charlatans of jaded Pakistan do not know how they canfix these problems. They know it real well but they do not want to stop thebleeding. They know that if this country stops bleeding where they will go?
Generals know it is not their job to run the country. They want to run itany way. The clergy knows it is not supposed to confuse religion with politics butit does it any way. Politicians also understand that they have to allow thedemocratic process within their parties but they do not do it anyway. Theyalso know they are not supposed to be lifelong leaders of their parties butthey maintain their hold on party leaderships anyway.
How long will we continue to trudge this messy course and suffer?