Do You Have a Substitute?

Its cold in New York and students dressed up celebrating the post Halloween party. I sit in my cozy room browsing over the web looking for what’s happening in Pakistan. I hear voices from different directions, “we have moved away from the path of democracy”, “General Pervez Musharraf needs to step down from his chief of army staff position”, “he is a supreme dictator”, “crises situation for the first time in sixty years”, and “it’s a dark chapter in the history of Pakistan”. But our neighbor, Indian Foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said "We regret the difficult times that Pakistan is passing through.” We trust that conditions of normalcy will soon return, permitting Pakistan's transition to stability and democracy to continue." At least some one is optimistic and has hope things would get better.

Year 2007 is like an action movie; every day brings a new twist and turn. There is suspense, thriller and blood shed but not a single scene of love and laughter. Quaid-e- Azam never thought Pakistan would be in such a bad shape where the key institutions will be at war. We will kill our own brothers and then blame the foreign elements. Do you feel safe as you move on the streets of Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi, major cities? Terrorist attacks have become a part of our life. Newspapers seem so empty without the news of suicide bombing. We have become so callous and stone heart.

Who are YOU to say what is right and wrong. Have you done all right things? I recall John 8:3-9 in the New Testament. It is the story of the prostitute and the angry mob wanting to stone her in the name of Moses. Jesus tells them that the one without sin may cast the first stone, and since nobody throws a stone, Jesus does not judge her either at this time, but tells her to leave her life of sin. Shame is not what Gen. Musharraf did but what we are doing to worsen the situation.

The media channels only project the negative aspects without looking the other side of the spectra. They have misused their freedom by exaggerating and focusing only one point of view. When Pakistan is in the time of crises then you will find Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto calling the press conferences and condemning the situation. Have they ever recalled their glorious past? They also played a vital role in hurting Pakistan.

Right now we are facing rapid deterioration in the security situation. What kind of home it is where family members are not safe from each other. People are slaughtered like animals. The soldiers at the borders are our sons and brothers. Do you ever care about them? Have you seen their faces when captured by Talibans. Please think for a moment that army whose job is to defend us from foreign attack now becoming victims of internal factors. Family members who went to welcome Benazir Bhutto, raising slogans never knew it was their last day of life. Former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry after his successful rallies was successful in getting back his office but who had to pay the price. It was the public especially lawyers who became the victim. I lost my brother in Karachi firing but it’s me who grieves not the justice.

Imran Khan our cricket hero but not a politician is talking to CNN and BBC telling proudly that he has been house arrest without any documents. He seems happy because he is getting international media attention.

I call Pakistanis as Silly Sheep who have no clue where they want to go and what they want. They simply follow the sheep dogs being their GPS. No faith is left shepherd and try to follow every sheep dog. But wolves are only interested in sheep not the dogs and in the end you will be the prey.

The point is that wake up and realize the crises. Why we forget our history and again believe the false promises of our politicians. We talk about restoration of democracy but there are some pre requisites of democracy. Ever since the creation of Pakistan, politicians fought against military dictators for the restoration of democracy. But they weren’t different as they capitalize on the weakness of institutions, running roughshod on judiciary and the rule of law and harassing journalists. When Benazir Bhutto was in office (1993-1996) she appointed cronies to judicial posts and transferred judges at will. In February 1997 national elections that brought Nawaz Sharif in power only 35 percent of the electorate bothered to vote. Literally politics in Pakistan is a blood sport. Successive governments incapacitate their opponents through arbitrary arrests, torture and other harassments. Same thing is happening now and we call it undemocratic because it’s being done by Gen. Musharraf.

Benazir Bhutto knew what’s cooking in Pakistan politics and to protect herself she went on the personal visit. Is there an instance when you got justice from our courts without using fast money ‘rishwat’. Do you think the way judicial system was working under the leadership of former chief justice it would have restored democracy. If not, it would have settled the scores with Gen. Musharraf. Where is democracy when tribal war lords and religious fanatics kill hundreds of innocents in cold blood?

The prime responsibility of government is to have order in the country and then comes the law. Democratically elected government as usual will try to accommodate the murderers and their fellows in the religious parties. History shows the proof when Benazir Bhutto rubber stamped the support of the Taliban in the 90s. Nawaz Sharif planned to have himself declared Ameer-ul-Momineen. The title was held by Hazrat Abu Bakar, Hazrat Umer, Hazart Usman and Hazrat Ali and then it would have been by Nawaz Sharif. Wow Are we a nation or a crowd?

Emergency in Pakistan was the need of time as we had no other options. Do we have any other substitute for Gen. Musharraf. Is there any other person who can run the country? If Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were able then they would have completed their terms. Economic and political indicators (case for minorities) are in a better and stable shape as compared to previous regimes. In terms of democratic character we still stand as we were in 1947. We lost our twin brother Bangladesh for power. Haven’t 60 years taught us any lesson that we need another Afghanistan in Pakistan.

The following lines were said by Rev. Martin Niemoller in 1945, but see how much they are true even in 2007:
“First they came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me.”

Can anyone tell me what are we fighting for? With whom we are fighting? I look at the tears falling, empty stomachs, unemployed youth, fear, brain drain and internal terrorism.