Is democracy no longer the best revenge?
German for overview, because that is where I am right now. The past week has been hectic to say the least. The horrific Boston saga, the mortifying earthquake, the tragic bombing in Peshawar, and of course, for people here, the unthinkable apprehending of the ‘president’. There are times I wish I could be dispassionate in discussing events that are close to heart and just discuss them as they are, but unfortunately my origins take over.
The moment I landed, the last so many hours spent on a plane, I was informed that “your president” has been arrested. I mumbled, “He isn’t president” but needed to get connected to know what exactly had transpired. When I boarded the plane at Karachi breaking news was that Musharraf’s bail had been cancelled and orders to arrest had been issued. That to avoid being arrested, his handlers had rushed him out of court and to his farm house in Islamabad. The events immediately after were for me a blank.
So I was a little surprised that it wasn’t commiseration for the earthquake or the incident in Boston that my hosts addressed but Musharraf’s “arrest”. For one, I spent some time in the car explaining that he was no longer president, and hadn’t been for X number of years. People in rational countries do not believe leaders can be involved in multiple ‘crimes’ but I sense that is changing quickly.. Accusations confronting leaders these days encompass unbelievable alleged facts. There is plenty that doesn’t make sense on the Musharraf subject.
First and foremost is the fact that we had learned in the past five years that “democracy was the best revenge”. The arrests and harassment of political leadership was a thing of the past that had been shelved once and for all. President Zardari deserves full credit for this. It is a huge happening on the Pakistan scene. It seems that we are now being coerced to review this. Yes, not just Musharraf alone did unconstitutional things. All and sundry condoned, validated, sponsored and accepted all of what happened. The people distributed sweets. So whom are we going to take to task or trial and are we going to spend the next decade unraveling the past while conveniently forgetting we have to address the compelling needs of a nation of 180 million people.
This is what incompetent governments do in order to divert attention. It is unfortunate that despite not involving itself in the revenge scenario the last government was engulfed in events that I believe strongly did not allow it to function. When the constitutional head of government is destabilized and forced to spend a majority of his time in defense of the constitutional head of the State governance is halted. So, as incompetent as the last government may have been, its job was not made easier by events. The actions subverting it were prejudiced by pride regrettably. And I believe the same is happening now; again at the behest of the very same actors.
The prime question asked is, why did Musharraf return? Absurdly people here believe, as I am told he does, that he stands a chance to regain power. That is certainly not the case, for sure. Leaders are deluded especially after almost a decade of unchallenged power as in this case. The retinue enforces this delusion for personal benefits. Those close enough to convey reality are rebuffed. Let’s just sum it up quickly and leave it at that. The ‘commando’, as per training, or brainwashing if you prefer, returned to complete ‘Mission Impossible’. Let us pray that he remains unscathed.
When Boston hit breaking news, I was sitting with a Bostonian in Islamabad. I winced, especially when a few hours later it was stated that “a dark skinned” person was believed to be involved. Of course, as anyone of us, I dreaded what could have followed. Good fortune prevailed and ‘we’ were not involved. Whatever, it was grotesque. I am unable, at my age, to comprehend this lust for blood, this desire to maim and kill; this savagery that has overtaken the world. I can only assume that the unfortunate vastly outnumber the fortunate driving this incomprehensible rage.
The efficiency with which agencies have been able to identify and capture the culprits must be commended. It is this response that can deter horrendous events and provide the sense of security desperately needed the world over. You can’t blame agencies for being paranoid. It has become a way of life.
At home, having lost one important family member, the Bilour family was mercilessly targeted last week again. Multiple deaths of the innocent ensued. Fortunately the main target survived to continue his avowed battle against terror. The question, yet again, arises as to the ability of the terrorists to plan and execute repeatedly without detection and marks the inefficiency of our security apparatus.
Terrorism is senseless. Those perpetrating it are wile human beings. Each occurrence is deadlier and the machination of evil conjures weapons that defy normal minds. That these people co-exist in society and walk the streets with normal folk is evidence of how lethal they are and our vulnerability. While the world is unable to adequately protect itself, terrorists hide behind laws, constitutional rights and are given full protection by the very same. They even protest action. This is so ironical.
The line has to be drawn somewhere. Justice must be done and it has failed to respond in the required vein. Lip service will not do. When a murderer still lives years after committing the crime in broad daylight there has to be something wrong. When terrorists are not mercilessly quashed and operate with abandon. I believe it’s time for navel-gazing. This questionable high moral ground when everything stinks needs to be remedied.
As a people we have been desensitized. Death and mayhem have quickly assumed the proportions of a daily occurrence. People die and the media hollers. Within hours its passé and we ignore it. If it’s close to where we live, we make the duty call to verify that all are safe. Earthquakes, floods, bombings come and go – as distant as you can imagine. That is tragic.
There was so much fervor and energy in the response to the earthquake up north a few years ago. I was there on a short visit and so proud of those who had set up camps. People from all over the country, I met some who had probably never been north. It was hair-raising to hear the story from the lips of survivors; their gratitude for the rescuers. Soon it all died down. Moneys released for survivors never reached them, redeveloping the area has been abandoned and the sufferers continue suffering. Three years later flood victims in Sindh are still displaced. The media has abandoned them; they don’t make ‘breaking news’ any longer. Tragically, this is what will happen in the latest quake.
Statistics quoted in a recent article reveal the state of mind of those who stand to inherit and reap what we are sowing. It is a thorough condemnation of our failure. We need to hang our heads in shame rather than tout democracy or achievements when 32 per cent of the youth consider military rule a viable future and regrettably 38 per cent are even willing to consider Shari’a rule a possibility. The one positive: 61 per cent we are told are willing to vote next month. Let us pray that they vote with their conscience and defy political feudalism. That may eventually prove to be the possible answer in the process of revitalizing and restructuring Pakistan.
The writer can be contacted at: [email protected]
