Ours is a history rife with emancipators saving us before enslaving us
For those who haven’t read Samuel Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’, let me summarize the play as best as I could. The play is a tale of boredom incarnate Vladimir and Estragon who wait for an entity named Godot. Master Godot, however, has other plans and is not zealous enough to grace the duo with a visit. Godot, who never shows up perpetuate hope in futility-filled, dull lives of Vladimir and Estragon and they keep on living and longing for someone who’ll save them and offer them something that’ll end the circle they are condemned to. They both believe that Godot will sort their existences out, not in bits and pieces, but in entirety. In a nutshell, Vladimir and Estragon thought that Godot-The Wise will unknot all that is twisted and tangled.
Now, we are a nation of Vladimirs and Estragons. And we all await our favourite Godots. Need I remind you that we have a very long and varied history with them? We braved many ‘bloody’ civilian Godots and we were fortunate to be ruled by ‘brave’ khaki Godots intermittently. The civvies were a corrupt, idiotic bunch that plundered our lot and proved to be zilch but ‘false’ Godots who delivered nothing.
That leaves us with the khaki Godots, ahh, what divine gems. They delivered what they promised and also threw in what they didn’t. During their sway the economy boomed (Google it if in doubt) and the corruption was banished from all walks of life (no need to Google this, take my word for it). Most importantly, they rid us of extra fat i.e. Bengalis who were crippling our kingdom and recently took up the sport of hanging good, honest, upright and God fearing preachers of peace.
The Godot Ayub was tall, dark and handsome enough that even JFK envied him who realized in time that friends should better not be masters or vice versa. Godot Yahya, well, it isn’t fair and judicious to be critical of so short a reign. Godot Zia, there you have it, lad. The Third Godot brought down the empire of Communism with all its vodka and ‘warm water’ designs. He crippled the commies before being ‘whooshed’ in mid-air by everybody-knows-who.
We, the gallant people of Pakistan, yearn for Godots like a smoker craves for a second cigarette even before finishing the first one. Resultantly, when we get our desired Godot and since familiarity breeds contempt, we finish him and start hankering after another.
Now, we are a nation of Vladimirs and Estragons. And we all await our favourite Godots. Need I remind you that we have a very long and varied history with them? We braved many ‘bloody’ civilian Godots and we were fortunate to be ruled by ‘brave’ khaki Godots intermittently. The civvies were a corrupt, idiotic bunch that plundered our lot and proved to be zilch but ‘false’ Godots who delivered nothing.
Enough playful banter, dearest sirs and ma’ams. Before embarking on the journey of improving all that ails our society, it is about time that we admit one thing about ourselves.
We are eternally-bored folks. Our never-ending boredom calls for continuous spectacle be made of our Godots, sooner rather than later. We like them, be them chosen or those who came without asking first, to be humiliated, hanged, executed or assassinated.
Our ennui-dictated attitude with the one in power is ravenous and unforgivable bas we want to build Rome, Lahore, Kot Addu, Mianwali, Sukkur, Nowshera, Kala Bagh Damn, universities in every tehsil, hospitals in every village and English medium schools for every fifty households in a single day.
Many among us English speaking folks consider majority of populace as ‘jahil ganwaar loog’ (illiterate, ignorant masses). The question we better ask ourselves is, ‘Who are we fooling?’
Democracy, let us never forget, is a system of government that promises a scheme that relies on perpetuity of policies rather than ample charisma of personalities. No matter how mighty the leader, the democracy is more colossal, more enduring than him. Churchill died, Lincoln got assassinated, and JFK was shot in the head. Their respective nations mourned their beloved leaders and moved forward with lesser mortals as their replacement.
Many among us English speaking folks consider majority of populace as ‘jahil ganwaar loog’ (illiterate, ignorant masses). The question we better ask ourselves is, ‘Who are we fooling?’ These folks vote not because they have no conscience, they vote because they’ve sold their conscience. They sell their vote to get a petty job for a relative, they sell it for patronage, and they sell it to make sure that when they’ll get caught they’ll be set free by their representative.
Make no mistake; Pakistanis are a politically conscious lot. They may be divided along many ethnic, linguistic or geographic lines. But they know who they are electing and why they are electing him. They are neither oblivious of who they vote for nor hoodwinked into voting the sterile politico to corridors of power.
So, what next for Vladimir? Maybe he’ll win the bet from Estragon when Maryam Appi becomes next PM. While our Estragon knows for a fact that Khan -the Corruption Exterminator – is our next premier that’ll take the world by tsuna
So, dare I ask you: Which Godot are you rooting for this time round?
