The Dark Tower

In direct contradiction to the literacy rate of this our beloved and glorious nation, various army and police officials have been professing ignorance of the fact that Najam Sethi was even arrested. These people should be arrested immediately because the vacuum where their current affairs censors should be is a poor reflection upon our nation. Do they not read newspapers? Off with their heads. They're giving the impression that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, and our cohesiveness as a nation is already the stuff of myths and legends.

In direct contradiction to the accepted opinion of what democracy is, i.e. inclusive of free speech thought action within the limits of decent behavior the Pakistani high commissioner in New Delhi wrote "Sethi was not just criticizing the government (which would have been his democratic right but not in India anyway)". Ashraf Jehangir Kazis logic is fuzzy to say the least. Are democratic rights on the ECL list? Isn't he tainting the perfect vision of a progressive Pakistan held by the rest of the world? Off with his head.
Further, he also writes, "Even Gujral was greatly embarrassed by the disgusting 'mea culpa' of Najam Sethi". Isn't Inder Kumar Gujral one of gasp them? How can he hold an INDIAN as a measure of our sanity? Off with his other head. Oh dear, that's probably going to be really painful but I'm sure we can find volunteers amongst the rank and file of the fiercely patriotic intelligence agencies.

Let us look at the situation with a cool head (those of us who can afford to anyway). The editor of Pakistani most outspoken English weekly was arrested in a most undemocratic manner for going abroad and saying what we all say in our living rooms, on the phone and to each other at work. (There are those who say he was arrested for aiding a BBC probe into the PM's corruption, but of course that's just rumour).Some even sing it in the shower, or recite it as a litany as they start to sling the rope over the ceiling fan. This does not just affect Najam Sethi, his family, or his paper. It affects us all. Today it's him; tomorrow it might be one of you. Worst case scenario, the environment of Nazi Germany where children used to tell on their parents if they did not follow the prescribed tenets to the letter. The modern Gestapo. You might think it's far fetched but in a nation where the brother of the PM was gunned down and his killers not arrested, where girls are abducted from 'safe' houses by polices mobiles, where journalists cars are burnt for speaking the truth, anything is possible.

Let us look at the arrogance and total disregard for the law with which the arrest was made. Force was used, there was no arrest warrant, there were 25 cars outside, and he has yet to be produced in a court. Whose sanction did these 'officers' have that they acted with such impunity? Did somebody say 'dictatorship'? Off with his head.

Now that they heads are rolling, and they have been rolling with frightening regularity recently, the most relevant issue is one that Najam Sethi raised in his speech. We are a 'confused state' because we scream democracy and act fascist. We preach tolerance and breed sectarianism. We claim pride in ourselves but by and large sit by and watch while political vultures built dark towers and demolish the little we have to be proud of (I mentioned in an earlier article what that was..Reema).

The Dawn this morning carried no follow up on the Sethi story on its front page though this is definitely an issue of national importance, far more important than Benazirs latest tirade. Will the press too be divided on this? Will they have the strength to resist the boulders of intimidation being hurled their way? Why is it that as time goes by and the writing on the wall gets larger and redder, we grow increasingly myopic? Is it that survival instinct again? Ever wondered exactly what we're surviving for?

All these question, if enough voices scream them, perhaps they will be heard.

Aine (teacher) says, "Why are the Sharrifs upset about Sethi voicing what the whole nation feels?"

Lubna (journalist) "The crime is not as violent as the procedure of punishment meted out to Najam Sethi".

Sayeda "This just shows how weak our democracy is and how we have a long way to go."

Gervase " He is a true patriot. When the military establishment feels threatened you can expect anything. There are laws when arresting someone. They must be respected. This treatment is typical of the goondaism prevalent amongst the ranks of our corrupt leaders"
Mrs. Khalid (islamiat teacher) " Honesty is not the best policy in this so called ISLAMIC STATE! Shame!"

Mrs. Ahmed "Unfortunately it is no secret that our nation and its leaders are corrupt-this action reinforces what we already know. Najam Sethi did NOTHING ILLEGAL in his voicing his opinion however the government action is criminal.
Victor "We call ourselves a democratic state. Well this clearly shows we're liars."

James " Our nations motto is 'do as I tell you, don't do as I do'. Anyone going against it lands up in jail just like Najam Sethi."

Khatija "Democracy abused!"

Since the written word grows increasingly unsafe, this story will survive in the annals of the oral tradition and be heard with wide-eyed wonder generations down the line. The economic crisis precipitated by political bungling will take us back to the days where men will be huntergatherers (with a bit of wool on the side) and the women foragers and child bearers. Imagine, then, a tight knit nomadic community gathered around a communal campfire in the ruins of what was once Pakistan sharing the myths of ages past. The story will go something like this ...

"Long ago and far beyond the veils of human comprehension there was a city here, where we sit. This city was bustling and busy and on a good night could be heard all the way across the Arabian sea, even over the shrieks of the ghastly dreaded super mutated prawns (relics of the spew of the now silent factories). The ruler ignored the travails of his people, preferring instead the sweet nothings of his immediate entourage. One day he decided to go outside and hear what the people had to say. He disguised himself as a policeman but had to return to the safe walls of his castle immediately because the moment the people saw him they attacked him. He then disguised himself as a judge but had to run back to safety as they hurled brickbats the moment he appeared. Next he tried the costume of a telephone linesman but no one believed him or recognized him (having never seen one, only read that they existed). He tried being a doctor but had to retreat from a desperate mob of people wanting to him to come home with them and examine their sick and starving families. As a last resort he borrowed a 'press' badge and went outside but was immediately arrested by his own people and whisked of to jail despite his protestations of identity. There he spent the rest of his days, crying piteously that he spoke the truth. 'Sure you do' said his jailer, 'why else do you think you're in here?'