- And how to survive the subtle, false and treacherous times ahead
Who’ll be the next King, dear reader, is a matter of consequence. Who’ll fall from grace is a matter of consequence. Who’ll make sure that king remains king is a matter of consequence. Who’ll plot, ensure and execute the fall, as and when necessary, is a matter of consequence. Who’ll reign and who’ll lick dust is a matter of consequence.
How the script will play itself out is a matter of consequence. Who’ll play what role and for how long is a matter of consequence. Whether skeletons interred deep will come back to life or left unperturbed is a matter of consequence. What will become of former King, his Beloved Princess and loyal acolytes too is a matter of consequence. How long the King-in-waiting survive before it is about time to cut him to size and look for his replacement is, as we all know, a matter of consequence.
The list containing matters of consequence, dear reader, is one long, endless, unwritten one agreed upon by those who are the movers and shakers of the order of the day. These makers and destroyers of things and persons, however, are oblivious off all that goes around outside their ‘area of intense interest’.
In middle of so many grave, solemn matters of utmost consequences there are beings, things and creatures of no consequence. No medal or accolades for guessing that the people (read things, creatures, beings) that are of no consequence are us; millions and millions and millions of us.
The Pashtuns and Hazaras know that life is a strange struggle. They know that monsters of yesteryears are victims of today. They are aware that the successors of oppressed nobodies become the mouthpieces of liberty and deliverance
We, the people of no consequence are flooded across the length and breadth of beloved Fatherland. We, the people of no consequence have been busy trying to lick clean our wounds with parched tongues since time began. Some among us even perish because few Celsius go up, others feel lucky that they didn’t fall in the cursed category. Most parrot what telly tells them as they watch their favorite ‘rebel-revolutionary’ ramble with singular attention, naming and shaming the culprits at top of his voice. Many
Thousands of missing persons are of no consequence, at least to those who made them missing and to those they don’t belong to. Mass murderers being paraded, revered, adored, hailed as heroes have further relegated their victims and their heirs to a stature that neither has consequence nor tears. Members of religious minorities, sorry for stating the obvious, being shot in broad daylight-Nada, Zilch, Cipher (read no consequence). A brave, brutal, ‘upright’ media that is on reality at beck and call of shadowy masters who gag it as and when required is another behemoth that is actually of no consequence.
In my previous columns I’ve shed light on the phenomena of movements among different strata of society who were previously of no consequence. Slowly and steadily, they are turning into Leviathan. They are growing full size and, in the eye of powers that be, attained monstrous proportions. The once fringe PTM has gone mainstream. The lone Manzoor Pashteen now has a pack of reliable lieutenants at his beck and call. Pashteen is heard, understood, followed by many as he has become a symbol of struggle against tyranny and blind rule of the mightiest of the land.
However, there is a catch. They are a group of idealists running wildly to all corners of a stadium with no clear cut, agreed upon goal. Now they have demands, they protest, they gather crowds, they have attention of the people. But everyone is in the dark when the question of end game pops up.
The Pashtuns and Hazaras know that life is a strange struggle. They know that monsters of yesteryears are victims of today. They are aware that the successors of oppressed nobodies become the mouthpieces of liberty and deliverance. They’ve seen the meek and humble, once empowered, turn into brutal taskmasters. War, famine, want, and poverty brings the best and the worst of qualities in us mortals. Both can be found in Pashtuns and Hazaras and others who have had the similar experiences.
One can only hope, even pray, that ultimately the PTM and Hazaras won’t meet the fate of dismal failure. May there young and energetic leaders don’t end up like the typical politicians who someone aptly described as ‘vacuous creatures being moved around like lifeless chess pieces by the invisible players at their sweet will’. Thus, dear reader, politicos too are of no consequence in the larger scheme of things.
In the meanwhile, let us revel in everything newsworthy, everything gory and depraved, everything that startle one’s attention and has become a matter of consequence. From whether elections will be conducted on time to who’ll make it to the caretaker setup, from NAB Court hearings reaching conclusion in capital of erstwhile premier and prospective PM to Khawaja Asif’s surprise breather from Big Marble Palace, the faithful have their fingers crossed as they patiently keep their fasts in sweltering heat with mercury exacting revenge of sins past.