23rd march a reflection

My childhood memories of 23rd march were of a festival like event weeks before the actual day our group of school pals shows signs of great excitement as each of us were the candidate for the “membership” of that “elite” group which was to be present at the parade ground to watch the jawans and tanks rolling on the roads. Much time has passed since then almost all of us wonder why there use to be the show of military strength on the day which is suppose to be the in memory of that historic meeting which perpetuated the creation of a separate homeland . The entire movement was led by political leaders through the political workers with out fighting any “war of liberation”. But this confusion of mine has now finally been settled on 23rd March 2006.

There was a similar meeting on the same place by the (almost) same party albeit new generation of leaders . the occasion was also important that it was to mark the 100th anniversary of the party but what a difference was there this time around, there were no national item on plate; just a personal agenda of one mighty “man in khaki” and many small agendas of scores of pygmies who organized that mela. Issue was simple all those who were there want to have the same president to be there for the next term in the same uniform.

My problem regarding the rolling of tanks on every 23rd March since mid 60’s has now been resolved now it is official no matter what any body says we are a nation ruled and driven by the one point manifesto of “power flows from the barrel of the gun” who ever has the gun will dictate what sort of system we will have right from the political to sewerage system.

The gathering at the historic park on 23rd march 2006 was to me just a convention of spine less mortals who were there to boost there chances of progress at the expense of our nation with the help of Government servant who has out stayed his term.

To me the most trouble some part in this whole arrangement is the attitude shown by some members of the intelligentsia who just six yrs ago were “integral” part of the previous government but after spending some time in the confinement have bartered there “ideology” with the seat in the govt.

The only chance of us living like other civilized nations lies in the single minded determination to say “NO” to any move by any of the government servant to usurp power that belongs to the people of Pakistan .