'Col ki Biwi' - Part One

Firstly, Eid Mubarak. May Allah accept your siam, sadaqat, salah, Quranic reading & listening and all your good deeds of this Ramadan. Ameen

Wanted to write about 'Col ki Biwi' from the day of incident yet refrained from giving early conclusions because social media was flooded with differing opinions on the topic. Social media is like unbridled German Autobahn, no real limits. And that is the basis of most social media related problems including this issue at hand. It is not important anymore that opinion should be correctly caliberated, well weighed and responsibly articulated. Hence, everyone is jumping the gun in judgement and trigger happy in shooting the opponents down. Yes, in short, we have gone cukoo in manners, cocky in demeanor, irrational in argumentation and opinionated bigots in stances. Result is ultimate confusion. Just like our religious divisions, societal stratum, financial disparity and social injustices, we are becoming specimen mob of  divided unity and chaotic harmony. The opinion on the matter shall be free of 'narratives' on 'external' forces, internal 'discord' and 'hegemonic' designs of institutions and anti-institution forces. Analysis should be pro-Pakistan and realistic with unambiguous clarity for future course of action. For once and for all, not our political biases nor our 'long and short term interests determine our approach rather Pakistan's well being. A unique country whose basis is' there is no god but Allah'.

We live in times of fitn. Where if needed black turns white and vice versa. If we could avert this methodic onslaught of confusion, we may succeed. And 'Col ki Biwi' gave me a lot of food for thought.

It turns out that problem is psychological more than any other associated issues. Army lovers, army haters, army silent supporters are all fixated in their opinions. What else could you expect from a nation deeply mired in fifty shades of extremism: worst are religious and liberal extremes. There seems to be long list of contributory factors to this chaotic situation including our history, social milieu, military life, wrongs of military culture, external and internal narratives. Apparently, a medium book size stuff but will try to condense it. And if one person is able to benefit (de-confuse particularly new generation who have life ahead of them) from this, it would serve the purpose of my years of freelance writing dedicated to well being of my people. Disagreeing is everyone's right, yet 'manner maketh the man'. 

I wanted to start from the military but chronologically our history comes first. We were betrayed internally, weakened externally, marginalised & eventually enslaved for a century. British snobbish sahab was the iconic figure. Influential and affluent category idealized Gora Sahab and acted like centrifugal force. While clergy was like centripetal force. Two minorities eventually formed into two extremes religious and liberal. Majority kept silent. Remained observant and at times tilted to one side or the other on issue to issue basis. 

Nontheless, slavery left deep psychological scars. Transitory 50s saw conspiracies in power corridors which opened the way for military rule. Military organized on Brritish lines had the same haughtiness of gora sahab. For their education, exposure and self proclaimed value system, military of 60s remained firm on its patriotic claims and ruled over the country for no real justification. A crop of opportunist politicians was also being nurtured by illegitimate military rule. Early, 70s saw dismemberment of the country owing to civil-military mismanagement. Politicians who earn living by word play found a great excuse in blaming military for their failings and inability to deliver. Judiciary also stepped in and made a 'name' for itself. Military, instead of distancing from politics, kept coming back in power for its same old 'lame excuse' of patriotism and 80s remained the darkest. Clergy suddenly felt relevant and was used to the best of its effect i.e. opinion making among vacillating masses. Out of no where 'modernity' of past was replaced by 'ortho-modernity' of Zia era which ended with more confusion. 

Along came 90s with another set of politicians. Army bossy, unnecessarily meddling, unduly political and nonsensical at times. It provided incompetent and corrupt politicians catch words like 'establishment' to sell their merchandise. Because delivering was difficult and blaming was easy. Nonetheless, Army was to be blamed for not watching its limits but would it accept it? Its not part of military trainig regime to be apologetic. Rather, go on counter offensive, counter narrative, counter everything. Its a psychological problem not an issue of intent. 

90s will continue followed by two decades of new millennial and then other factors for bringing forth the reasons for behavior of 'Col ki Biwi'... 

Only Allah knows the whole Truth.