If you feel you are free, good for you. Only fools celebrate slavery.
Today marks the creation of Pakistan’s concept of independence from the subjugation of colonial rule, from the threat of Hindu domination, and the vision of a great state whose sovereignty and integrity would be protected by blood in the same vein as those that had sacrificed for its creation. This was the vision of Pakistan, the land of the pure, of honour and dignity, that the Almighty had bestowed upon the nation. At that particular time, we had a leader in Jinnah with incorruptible integrity.
Yet, in 2023, it is a land which has no parallel with that vision. It is a land which remains enslaved to colonial rule, to the emerging threat of Hindu domination, and whose sovereignty has been ransomed and with it its dignity, honour and power. This is the meaning of dependence in every shape and form. Now we have leaders with compromised integrity.
Last year 2022, on the night of 13/14 August, just before midnight, we found our spot near Giga Mall, DHA 2 and enjoyed the fireworks. Last night, same event was planned but neither myself nor my kids had any desire to attend the celebrations. The reason of motivation last year despite regime change operation, was that there was hope because people had spoken and they were not ready to succumb. But they did give in because of powerful forces. For the first time in my living memory, on birthday of Pakistan, I have feelings of melancholy and sadness.
I have been on the road since early morning today and barely saw Pakistan flag or heard that annoying vuvuzela sound. Institutions struggling to hold Independence Day Celebrations because of uninterested employees and seasonal hawkers whining over record low sales of national flags. Apparently, only beneficiaries (leeches) of current system of governance are having a happy hour. Rest of the nation is either unhappy or very angry.
Installation of Caretaker PM is another sign of things to come. BAP is political courtesan of establishment. No political strings attached. Kakar, the PM despite being a political figure is not even answerable to the people of his constituency. Because if he has to win elections again, he will win as long as he is not out of favour of establishment. Though he is liked by everyone specially by those who matter yet expect nothing good from him except sober political front face of undeclared dictatorship. Like every other opportunist Pakistani, he built an image all these years to reach this office of PM. He has already overachieved. To add to his achievements, he has to do three things. One: Convince himself that he is PM. Two: Bring economy out of tatters. Three: Hold elections on time (overachievement indicator). But like every other person who could raise his head or voice, they either have their filthy videos/ voice messages or some kind of corruption allegation. Likewise, they had filed NAB case against PM Kakar for better arm twisting as and when required. So he is not only a tamed puppy but completely compromised as well. There was one politician whom they couldn’t fix on corruption charges, so they tried to pacify him with threats of his past (mis)adventures as playboy but he didn’t budge and told them every saint had a past and he was not the same person anymore. However, price of this comment is Attock Jail. Part of the reason is also that he was able to break the code of deception. He simply opened the door of Hamam (حمام) where the entire system was standing stark naked.
Politicians, judiciary, executive, nothing else matters in this country except a man with Malacca Cane. Really feel sorry for hating politicians so bad. They can be forgiven. They spend so much money and lick so many boots before assuming high offices that it comes natural to them hurriedly fill their coffers in given window of opportunity. They know that all powerful corporate company is also occupied with money matters, so why should they not make hay while the sun shines briefly over them. If they sincerely want their favourite slogan of ‘civil supremacy’ be realised, they need to stop hating and fighting each other. But they can’t help it because for them to get back in power they need to sit in establishment’s lap and rip apart their out of favour political opponent.
Today marks the creation of Pakistan’s concept of independence from the subjugation of colonial rule, from the threat of Hindu domination, and the vision of a great state whose sovereignty and integrity would be protected by blood in the same vein as those that had sacrificed for its creation. This was the vision of Pakistan, the land of the pure, of honour and dignity, that the Almighty had bestowed upon the nation. At that particular time, we had a leader in Jinnah with incorruptible integrity.
Yet, in 2023, it is a land which has no parallel with that vision. It is a land which remains enslaved to colonial rule, to the emerging threat of Hindu domination, and whose sovereignty has been ransomed and with it its dignity, honour and power. This is the meaning of dependence in every shape and form. Now we have leaders with compromised integrity.
Last year 2022, on the night of 13/14 August, just before midnight, we found our spot near Giga Mall, DHA 2 and enjoyed the fireworks. Last night, same event was planned but neither myself nor my kids had any desire to attend the celebrations. The reason of motivation last year despite regime change operation, was that there was hope because people had spoken and they were not ready to succumb. But they did give in because of powerful forces. For the first time in my living memory, on birthday of Pakistan, I have feelings of melancholy and sadness.
I have been on the road since early morning today and barely saw Pakistan flag or heard that annoying vuvuzela sound. Institutions struggling to hold Independence Day Celebrations because of uninterested employees and seasonal hawkers whining over record low sales of national flags. Apparently, only beneficiaries (leeches) of current system of governance are having a happy hour. Rest of the nation is either unhappy or very angry.
Installation of Caretaker PM is another sign of things to come. BAP is political courtesan of establishment. No political strings attached. Kakar, the PM despite being a political figure is not even answerable to the people of his constituency. Because if he has to win elections again, he will win as long as he is not out of favour of establishment. Though he is liked by everyone specially by those who matter yet expect nothing good from him except sober political front face of undeclared dictatorship. Like every other opportunist Pakistani, he built an image all these years to reach this office of PM. He has already overachieved. To add to his achievements, he has to do three things. One: Convince himself that he is PM. Two: Bring economy out of tatters. Three: Hold elections on time (overachievement indicator). But like every other person who could raise his head or voice, they either have their filthy videos/ voice messages or some kind of corruption allegation. Likewise, they had filed NAB case against PM Kakar for better arm twisting as and when required. So he is not only a tamed puppy but completely compromised as well. There was one politician whom they couldn’t fix on corruption charges, so they tried to pacify him with threats of his past (mis)adventures as playboy but he didn’t budge and told them every saint had a past and he was not the same person anymore. However, price of this comment is Attock Jail. Part of the reason is also that he was able to break the code of deception. He simply opened the door of Hamam (حمام) where the entire system was standing stark naked.
Politicians, judiciary, executive, nothing else matters in this country except a man with Malacca Cane. Really feel sorry for hating politicians so bad. They can be forgiven. They spend so much money and lick so many boots before assuming high offices that it comes natural to them hurriedly fill their coffers in given window of opportunity. They know that all powerful corporate company is also occupied with money matters, so why should they not make hay while the sun shines briefly over them. If they sincerely want their favourite slogan of ‘civil supremacy’ be realised, they need to stop hating and fighting each other. But they can’t help it because for them to get back in power they need to sit in establishment’s lap and rip apart their out of favour political opponent.
Since it doesn’t have the feel of a usual Independence Day, we will not revisit our limited achievements of 76 years like World Cup Cricket and Hockey wins, Nuclear Tests etc. Nothing much to show far. We were fed wrongly. We have to go back to our sincerity of intent. Not only back then and even now. However, in the process, we were unkind to people like Asma Jehangir and Ayesha Siddiqua. Asma was like soothsayer and Aysha Siddiqua was very rational in her argumentation. If the company wanted to protect its large corporate interest, it should detach all its businesses from the rest of the country. Let people run Pakistan and you may continue to run your business empire like a state within state. People are not buying your 5/9 as 9/11. On the eve of Independence Day, thousands of people have been arrested and Section 144 implemented which used to be standard PTV headline about Indian Independence Day on 15 August every year. What a pity?
I talked to a flying horse of the ruling institution and told him that perception was not good. He said things are so compartmentalised that we didn’t know who was doing what. Basically, he wasn’t ready to talk about it. These people have become two digits and two decimals of Efficiency Index like 85.76 or 78.55. These figures don’t reflect any morality. Death of morality is in fact acting as catalyst of catastrophe; let’s hope this time instead of Pakistan, the strongest is cut to size.
Even if the regime change operation didn’t leave people unemployed or didn’t take food away from their tables, the level of resentment might have been much lower than what we see now. Who will invest in Pakistan from outside when we ruined the confidence of own people. Though, I believe real estate is not the only sector but at that time only this sector was flourishing. Two years back, an expat invested 100,000 USD (Rs 17,000,000) in a property in Bharia Town. With 30% depreciation, its value is around Rs 12,000,000. Now divide this with current dollar price of 290, out of 1 lac USD, he is left with 41,380 USD after two years of investment. Now only an insane person will put his money in Pakistan. As far as expats are concerned, they have been duped many times. It’s time they also learn and stop being facilitators of establishment and politicians by introducing them to lawmakers in respective countries, lobbying for them or moving them around. Be Pakistan’s voice in real sense of the word. This hybrid system of governance could have worked if establishment and politicians continued to deceive people as they successfully did for past many decades.
Interesting to recall how denial of reality cost us in the past. Between 1969-1971, every 14 August, people in West Pak were made to believe via state propaganda instruments (radio & PTV) that people in East Pak were also celebrating Independence Day with the same fervour. Whereas, East Pakistan had stopped celebrating 14 August, because they thought despite independence they were poverty stricken and did not have political freedom. The person whom they wanted to see as PM had been arrested on conspiracy case. Party workers were either being abducted or went missing. When East Pak got independent, majority in West Pak were awestruck because they were made to believe that "sab acha hay" (all is fine). They claimed that few radicals/ traitors started independence movement which was an illusion created by perception management. Lesson learnt from history is, "Perception management efforts which are completely divorced off ground realities might create just illusions and the moment this bubble bursts, the price is way too heavy to pay”. But perception management party girds up its loins to deal with new challenges as fresh crop of staffers with simmering ambitions to add new feathers in their CVs, come up with new ‘intelligent’ ideas to manage the perception. It seems that we are caught in a loop.
Unless, something extraordinary happens (which we pray it should), for next five years, status quo seems to be the only way forward. Meaning thereby, minimum next five 14 August shall remain as gloomy as the one we saw today.
May Allah have mercy on the people of this land and allow us freedom. Ameen
I talked to a flying horse of the ruling institution and told him that perception was not good. He said things are so compartmentalised that we didn’t know who was doing what. Basically, he wasn’t ready to talk about it. These people have become two digits and two decimals of Efficiency Index like 85.76 or 78.55. These figures don’t reflect any morality. Death of morality is in fact acting as catalyst of catastrophe; let’s hope this time instead of Pakistan, the strongest is cut to size.
Even if the regime change operation didn’t leave people unemployed or didn’t take food away from their tables, the level of resentment might have been much lower than what we see now. Who will invest in Pakistan from outside when we ruined the confidence of own people. Though, I believe real estate is not the only sector but at that time only this sector was flourishing. Two years back, an expat invested 100,000 USD (Rs 17,000,000) in a property in Bharia Town. With 30% depreciation, its value is around Rs 12,000,000. Now divide this with current dollar price of 290, out of 1 lac USD, he is left with 41,380 USD after two years of investment. Now only an insane person will put his money in Pakistan. As far as expats are concerned, they have been duped many times. It’s time they also learn and stop being facilitators of establishment and politicians by introducing them to lawmakers in respective countries, lobbying for them or moving them around. Be Pakistan’s voice in real sense of the word. This hybrid system of governance could have worked if establishment and politicians continued to deceive people as they successfully did for past many decades.
Interesting to recall how denial of reality cost us in the past. Between 1969-1971, every 14 August, people in West Pak were made to believe via state propaganda instruments (radio & PTV) that people in East Pak were also celebrating Independence Day with the same fervour. Whereas, East Pakistan had stopped celebrating 14 August, because they thought despite independence they were poverty stricken and did not have political freedom. The person whom they wanted to see as PM had been arrested on conspiracy case. Party workers were either being abducted or went missing. When East Pak got independent, majority in West Pak were awestruck because they were made to believe that "sab acha hay" (all is fine). They claimed that few radicals/ traitors started independence movement which was an illusion created by perception management. Lesson learnt from history is, "Perception management efforts which are completely divorced off ground realities might create just illusions and the moment this bubble bursts, the price is way too heavy to pay”. But perception management party girds up its loins to deal with new challenges as fresh crop of staffers with simmering ambitions to add new feathers in their CVs, come up with new ‘intelligent’ ideas to manage the perception. It seems that we are caught in a loop.
Unless, something extraordinary happens (which we pray it should), for next five years, status quo seems to be the only way forward. Meaning thereby, minimum next five 14 August shall remain as gloomy as the one we saw today.
May Allah have mercy on the people of this land and allow us freedom. Ameen
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