For now, let us not go there. Imran Khan is celebrating. He’ll probably get married soon. Seeds of change he has sown today will bear ugly painful thorns soon. Painful for him, mind you, not just us. But where does he go from here? A return to the good profitable cricket commentating days? But what of his politics? And that in essence is the question.
We have seen some unsavoury scenes. A parliamentarian threatening to storm parliament. A man considered a national hero not just by cricket lovers but patriots, asking us to stop paying taxes, boycott the state-owned banks. A self-proclaimed prime ministerial candidate threatening to attack and take over the prime ministerial mansion. Will you vote for this man? Don’t answer just now. Give it a few months. Then we’ll see.
Messrs Khan and Qadri together have brought a deadly disease to this town. Or perhaps, it was always there and they just compounded the impact. The disease named incurable doubt. They sit on their high pulpits and accuse just anyone of a crime. No evidence needed. And their gullible followers just lap it up. They say Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim is physically unfit and everyone starts parroting it. They say election commission is corrupt. And believers shun all suspicion. They say Iftikhar Chaudhry is great. We all say he is. They say now he is evil and we all shout, ‘blood, blood!’
The first casualty in all this is reason. Try reasoning with this lot. In a second you are dubbed a lifafa journalist. That you have braved self-imposed poverty your entire life to avoid any corruption doesn’t matter. That you have remained almost an untouchable all your life in a system that has actually made them will not matter. Your entire life’s struggle down the drain. They have a licence to do every ghastly thing known to man. They can tell you to rot in hell and you know someone will take you there soon.
And that’s not it. Trust me I have no interest in my vote being stolen by a rich and powerful family. Nor do I want to be killed like the victims of the Model Town massacre. That is why I have kept my eyes, ears and mind open for any serious evidence substantiating their broader claims. I have seen many issues but not any smoking gun that connects all the dots they are so eager to connect to sell their story. There is a difference between a conspiracy and an accident, reckless mismanagement and premeditated crime. Mismanagement I have seen. Conspiracy I haven’t.
But since their word is now law they don’t need to prove anything. They have shifted the burden of proof to the accused. Guilty until proven innocent. This state of affairs is not acceptable to me as a citizen dear readers. I had seen great dreams for this nation and my children. I have stopped seeing them now.
Perhaps, the biggest casualty in this entire sordid saga for me is my faith in this nation. No matter what happens it will be a breeding ground for new monsters. As if we have not seen enough. So Mr Khan is most welcome to live in the new Pakistan he has built. It has no place for the insane like me. I am leaving this country in spirit today, my body will follow whenever the next chance arises. I swear I will never look back. May you have fun with your latest inventions.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (41)
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Read the article and the readers' comments. Your point stands proven dear Pitafi. But no remorse, eh?! As a journalist and a student of politics, I am sure you saw the trolls coming. After the events of the last few weeks, as a concerned father, I wish my family had dual nationality like Qadri. Best of luck with your future endevours and may no harm come upon you and your family.
At least together, they're poking the N league along with the whole political machinery in the ribs. Asking them about accountability. Standing up against status quo. Have you ever stood up for anything in your life?
@Burjor Rustomji: Hindu vs Muslim is not the right comparison, it should be Muslims vs rest. The issue is not of religion strictly but mindset. An open mind will study, analyze, evaluate, plan and execute in a seamless manner. Another issue is one of adaptation in a world seeing rapid technological change, the tools needed for success in every century were very different and impediments many. In todays world we cannot afford to carry the excess baggage of dogma, ritual and fake beliefs of superiority of any gender, race, color, caste or religion. We have hardly been able to tap 10% of the capacity of the human mind, to harness its full power we need to free it of emotion, prejudice and bias. A relentless spirit for rational inquiry has to be cultivated else we will be left far behind and unable to enjoy the fruits of progress and development.
The reasons for this circus goes back 200 years. During the 200yrs the British were in the Subcontinent the Hindus, took up to learning, education, knowledge based pursuit. The Hindus learnt English, and the meaning of secular governance. The Muslims did not. They were left behind. After independence India made it policy to make things in India, they made education high priority, they asked England, France, U.S. Germany, Japan, to help India start the Indian Institute of Technologies. Soon there was transfer of technology and bright and minds from the west to India. Pakistan again did not, Pakistan's focus was on Kashmir and therefore how to get it under any circumstance. Military might was more important to decision makers. Again we lost out. Down the line India has a vast pool of highly educated people, a vast pool of knowledge, a vast pool of skilled people who can compete world wide, Pakistan simply does not. Pakistan faces brain drain of massive proportions. The circus that is happening in Pakistan can never ever happen in India. They are far too knowledgeable, their nature is all too different, they are a patient people, more than us Pakistani's, they have lived under the Moguls and different rulers of different faiths, they have history behind them.We Pakistani's do not even wish to teach our children our real history, we are so ashamed of our own history. Dawn and Herald magazine asked historians of repute to write the most blantant lies in our history books and what these historians had to say is worth reading. So this my dear friends are the reasons behind this circus.
Comments are depressing to read, to put very mildly.
C'mon, is this the kind of narrative that is dominant in today's Pakistan? Sad indeed !
Regards,
Commiserating Indian
Don't bother moving to any civilized country my friend
You have no idea what happens there
Prime ministers submit their resignation on FAR smaller issues.
Salam
A very good read. This article will not get on well with the so called PTI trolls. IK has turned his supporters into monsters who deem it their right to abuse anyone. As the author said we would be better off if this insane cricketer turned playboy turned politician turned turnip goes back to cricket commenting. He is unfit for politics.
From the times of Pharoah till today, most of the Opinion Makers rather, Spin masters have sided with Status Quo so one should be amazed to see these tilts...
You can't blame some Pakistanis for hoping..how many years of corrupt politicians and dictators looting us in the name of governance are we supposed to take before rebelling? How many more years of the ' right way' before we see any movement in the right direction. Like it or not these are the views of the people of Pakistan. Leaving for more 'civilized' countries is advised for realists like yourself. Good luck with adjusting to their ideals.
Imran Khan and Qadri are puppets of the army Establishment. They are working extra hard to make the ongoing army coup look like a democratic change.
Good luck! Very wise decision. Most of us cant do that cos of stuff holding us back. No one would want to live in fear here... To let your children out of the house not knowing if theyl be back in one piece! I dont know why people think that just because we are born in pakistan,moving out is a crime. People have every right to hate it or the circumstances here, does not make us any less muslim. We were not born here by choice. All of us who haverelatives abroad must know that atleast they have mental peace in their lives. We constantly have to live in fear of losing our loved ones. Who would want to live like that. My patriotism died the day i was mature enough to understand that people here lie, cheat, bribe & like its something normal. Pakistan is just a country, not your life! So yeah go live it! Very wise thing to do.
Actually corruption has seen a decrease in KPK, in the last two months the Anti- Corruption establishment of KPK has recovered over rs. 300 million. Change comes slowly but not as slowly as NS wants.
Did you just call blatant murder of 14 people at the hands of state-thugs an 'accident'? Mssrs Gullu Butt and Co, sent there to create havoc was an accident? thug sanaulla being the law minister was an accident? known terrorist chosen as the new law minister is an accident? The refusal to file an FIR is an 'accident'?
I hope all people like you leave my beloved country, so people like me can return and build the Pakistan that was supposed to be. Please leave and take as many pigeons with you as you can.
What you wrote makes sense. Those who haven't understood, will come to understand it in due time. I am heart broken to see my country going down the drain. No hope in future also.
Dear Farrukh, I agree completely and I can assure you this could easily be the viewpoint of most literate Pakistanis. IK and TUQ are accusing without evidence. Both are puppets manipulated by the same puppet masters. Both are completely irrelevant in current scenario. If there is another military coup, soft or hard, Pakistan is doomed. If the govt cedes to military's demand of giving them control over foreign policy, Pakistan is doomed. Unfortunately our generals are bent on destroying Pakistan. Hence you've made the right decision. Best wishes.
I appreciate your effort for unveiling the so called Naya Pakistan. Now a days journalists are too biased and scared from unknown forces. They are not criticising the TTP approach being followed by IK and TUQ. They are just acting on a script and destabilizing Pakistan.
Illegitimi non carborundum
I will leave a note with a polite observation and point for all to ponder. One cannot and should not dub a person a lifafa or a bag or a shopper for that matter. It is true the self proclaimed custodians of naya pakistan have a strikingly low tolerance of any voice that opposes them in the slightest magnitude, one is forced to wonder if this is because of an underlying guilt or is this based on a taught intolerance that dictates nothing against the rhetoric is true. Be that as it may, fortunately our friends in "parliament" are no less at making fools of themselves either. Still one begs to question, in a state where opinion is lambasted with criticism and doubt of fraud, will this naya Pakistan be a better one, or will it trample on the few good things that remain of the old one. Food for thought, word from the horse's mouth suggest the latter is more likely!
Good luck man go and good riddance
I could not pick what he mean except that like PMLN and status quo mafia, he hates Imran. It is regrettable to see these pseudo intellectuals misguiding the entire nation
Now this is the breed Imran Khan has nurtured to create naya pakistan. They abuse and accuse anyone of anything who says a word against Pti/IK. They are ready to defend even taliban if their leaders says so. And the writer is right in saying this situation is hopeless. IK & TUQ dont have to be right, they have devout followers who will do anything their 'leaders' say.
@Sharjeel: You can't bring change through gunda-gardi. Pakistan already has the sapling of democracy. Revolution does not happen in democracies. It happens in totalitarian and dictatorial rule. Where was Imran Khan and Qadri when dictators were ruling Pakistan? This is all about their egos. Imran Khan's ambition is to become the PM. He even addressed himself as the "PM" before his jiyalas.
Self style intellect and so-called journalist............... This man sound completely confused, I simply fail to understand his petty mind philosophy and untimely wobbling.
The Naya Pakistan IK is talking about can only give the world jitters, not that Purana Pakistan had anyone jumping with joy. He has simply failed to address even a single issue of what plagues the country and threatens its existence, limiting himself to personal attacks on all and sundry. Where is the alternative ? What are his views on Military intervention in matters non military ? If terrorists are brothers and disillusioned youth, why has he not walked across to FATA and had a chat with them, convincing them to give up arms. If US is enemy should Pakistan continue to receive the Aid provided ? Instead of providing good governance to the people of KP who elected his party, should he be disrupting everyday life in areas where he does not have a mandate ?
I have always seen PTI supporters arguing that voters are illiterate. If they are rather than taking shortcut to power you should educate them first.
Farukh, Pakistani Media is the main reason that characters like this crude cricketer have been able to brainwash the naive youth/elderly pakistanis, now you journalists have to reap the rewards of what you created. Anyone who has provided free air time to him in exclusive interviews with him is responsible for the maula jutt attitude of this narcissist.
@ZEE: Anyone who questions the illegal actions of PTI or PAT is immediately called a PML N troll. This is the mind set of those who think they have a monopoly on who should run Pakistan. They don't believe in the rule of law but rather mob rule. The overwhelming majority voted for Nawaz Sharif but these people are all dubbed illiterates and their votes don't matter. It seems that for them, the several thousand protesters they have are enough to force whatever change they want.Like you, I have never been so disappointed that mob rule has taken root in Pakistan when things finally looked to be improving after the first peaceful democratic transition of power. History will never forgive Imran Khan's hubris and immaturity. Tahirul Qadri can be dismissed as a simple opportunist who doesn't know any better but I expected better from Imran Khan.
Excellent work. This time shall pass. Il failed many and his lunacy is exposed.
Adios Amigo..
It was a good read. Emotional. But by looking at the comments you can easily tell that now readers (not most but quite a few) want to be the judge. They want you to write how they feel and not how you feel. Perhaps its time that a reader comes to know what journalism is. Sorry that you feel this way. And just to let you know, I am a PTI supporter as well, but I assure you I will try my best to make it the Pakistan that we all dream of; even if it means standing up to party's leadership. Success or failure is in Allah's hands.
Ramblings of a disheartened journalist? Wish you the best of luck wherever you go.
P.S. 'Mismanagement' that leads to murder of innocent people does not make it less forgivable. Accountability is still warranted. I disagree with TUQ's style of politics but I do agree that human blood should have a higher price than few shallow admissions of guilt in this country
This manic depressive author is definitely looking for a lifaffa!
Is this even an article? Can I write one here just reversing every thing the author has said and ultimately conclude I have a 'hope'?
Demands by PTI and TuQ are fair and must be paid all the heed in the nation. IK or TuQ haven't started any trend of hurling baseless accusations against their opponents. Maybe we should look at our media houses who at times have deliberately allowed physical fights, not to forget the ad hominem comments against their political opponents ad nauseam, live over the TV, just to conduct some better 'business' and keep both the entertainment and money go high for people and media house respectively. But since the author belongs to one of the media houses in Pakistan, he seems to have conveniently forgotten it.
Again, PTI and TuQ might have done some bad things since 14th August. But desperate times require desperate measures. You -- the author -- and I have a privilege of using tools like internet, while millions in Pakistan are worried about how to earn their tomorrow's bread. Nawaz and Bhutto families can't offer them what they want. If history is something to learn from, they never have, they never will. That's all because we need reforms on all levels.
The rational approach is changing the system while living in the system. If you let IK and Qadri impose their demands in this way.. you definitely will be setting a wrong precedent, a group of 20-30k people will come and sit in the red zone and the Government will be forced to pave the way. If talk about evidence; did IK ever presented any evidence for any accusation? so much talk about 35 puncture, but did he ever mind going to Court with those evidences. And a recent accusation of distributing some 250 corers among the journalists.. where is the evidence? As far as PAT is concerned their demands are justified in Model Town FIR and CM resignation. However, for other reforms they need to look into the mechanics, Dharna's unfortunately is not the way any reforms that needs to be brought have to be through Parliament.
PS: I am no Noon league Supporter, and I want them out of the government more than PTI but their exit has to be come in a parliamentary way
The first article on ET on this sordid saga that I sympathize with.
@author: "empty vessels make noise" same can be said for these fasadis. You can't argue on logic with these folks, and you shouldn't be worried about them either. That's because they are an evolutionary dead end on the tree of democratic life in PK, still living in the Jurassic era of our political history.
The entire article shows the authors, venomous hatred for those who intend to salvage Pakistan, from the corrupt thieves, and looters, who have plundered the country, almost into oblivion. If only people like this author, and the secular, liberal brigades, once and for all leave Pakistan, never to return, many of the issues will soon start getting resolved.
cool. now that you are leaving. ..will you stop whinging as well?
good luck in your new life. but nothing about PM lying in parliament? :)
Wondering how much you gained monetarily from the Sharif clan for this biased rant against Imran Khan.
This article just passed over my head! We & you (journalists) too, keep talking about change in system (not talking about good or bad) but when someone tries you ridicule him. That too without any claims! What is the purpose of such articles that do not prrovide any evidence and just criticize?