Elite attitudes, common reactions

Are we, who pontificate liberation, really connected to those for whom we advocate this liberty?

This is a good paper. With its short and focused columns, it affords just enough space for every writer to flag what to them appears compulsive. It avoids intricate policy issues and enables a platform to what is sensitive and imminent. Societal issues which form the essence of nationhood take precedence; this, though, seems to be dominated by liberalists with an odd sprinkling of some military types, this writer included. The difficulty is how the mainstream media, especially the electronic media wizards, and the popular perception refer to this new emerging conglomerate of liberal and military fascists.

How liberal are those who contribute here? Clearly an anti-right disposition is liberal enough. But get back to the mother of all liberal movements, the one that generated a broad sense of libertarianism and emancipated people from the fascist hold of the religious-papal right, the French Revolution — with its affiliated movements of ‘Renaissance’ and ‘Enlightenment’ — and the core groundswell for ‘liberty’, ‘fraternity’ and ‘equality’. To what level we measure up to each of these needs to be seen, before we can, with any assurance, claim a movement for liberalism in Pakistan.

Fast-forward to a daily routine of travelling the Pakistani roads and what becomes apparent is a divide that makes it impossible to root a liberal mindset as a popular sentiment. It must begin with what you drive when moving on these roads. The median Pakistani standard is a Corolla, by some significant exaggeration. But, if you happen to be driving anything beyond a 1300 CC compatible, you are in for some major disillusionment to your liberalist drive. For those who travel in the dreaded Land Cruisers or similar SUVs, and those who are privileged to own the fancy sedans, try asking the Suzukis, dominating the fast lane on a perpetual basis, to yield. Not that anyone yields in this country, but they say when you wish to read a nation, read it on its roads. The Suzuki guys see the SUVs tailing them, with their lights flashing, seeking to push them off the fast lane. That is the elite persuasion, in turn generating a reaction by the Suzukis to hold onto their pole position, oblivious to the pedigree that is wishing it away. The SUV elite will have to make his way around and defer to the accompanying others. God forbid if a Suzuki was to ever seek a similar right of way in an inverse arrangement. This remains the SUV-sedan and the Suzuki divide, which riles this nation into its various fissures.

To gain liberty, we will need to bring in equality, which should generate fraternity and, hence, greater acceptance of each other. One sign of such acceptance is yielding to the other. I know how the West achieved it — through inclusiveness, equal opportunity and shared stakes. Any society that remains devoid of such sensitivity will remain heading into various directions, none yielding to the other.

I was an F-16 driver in my air force days. It was, and still is, the most modern fighter in its class at the cutting edge of technology. Those maintaining it were ordinary village folk who would cycle to their place of duty and spawn generations in that short ride. From working the cattle, tending fodder and attending to the fields, they would transform into English-reading, manuals-guided, technology-suave individuals, comparable to any Ohio or Texan kid and with as much efficiency. Without them, the F-16s would not fly; period. One needs to have roots at the base-line, lest the upper crust is seen to have little or no connection to the grassroots. I have often wondered if we, who pontificate liberation on these pages, are really connected to those for whom we advocate this liberty. Going by the SUV standards, we remain far removed. Next time when you begin to punch keys for liberty, remember that there are two other essentials, ‘equality’ and ‘fraternity’, that sadly remain unattended.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2011.