One nation under fraud

Worst aspect of this move is that it changes topic from the corruption of the traditional to what the new man has done

The no-confidence drama is on. The noise of it must not cloud our judgment and our ability to decipher fact from fiction. The worst aspect of this move is that it changes the topic from the corruption of the traditional and historical thieves and plunderers of Pakistan to what the new man promising change has done so far. The masses are already asking what the outcome would be. And that right there is the victory of the opposition because the topic has already been changed. Lo and behold, there are some in the society that are stubborn enough, including yours truly, who would only ask the most important question: why should being the children of the most famous thieves in the entire South Asian region entitle them to be considered for the highest office in the country?

I know from watching true crime shows that serial killers love to return to the site where they committed the murder just to relive the moment. Turns out, serial thieves are no different. After doing the unthinkable such as turning supermodels into money launderers and falooda vendors into billionaires, the viciously creative thieves are trying to return to the office of their mega crime just only to do it all over again.

Both the children do not lay claim to the corruption of their respective parents but they don’t mind claiming the fame and power that come with it, not to mention the luxurious lifestyle that was paid for with that stolen wealth. Usually unlawfully obtained evidence cannot be used in a court of law even if it proves the guilt. Why should unlawfully obtained fame and privilege entitle anyone to become political leaders of the very people whose wealth they looted? But we live in such a phase of human evolution where minds are losing the ability to ask elementary and organic questions.

Some days ago, the Parliament Lodges in Islamabad were attacked and its sanctity violated. You could be forgiven if you thought I was talking about the police personnel that entered the Parliament Lodges forcefully. The police were doing their job. I am actually talking about the members of the Ansar-ul-Islam militia who violated the sanctity of the space. This runs deeper than we realise and the journalism in Pakistan very reflexively put their spin on it.

The armed members of the militia entered the government building upon hearing the siren calls of the man they called their true leader. Again, you could be forgiven if you thought the above was about the Parliament Lodges. It is rather about the mob that entered the United States Congress on January 6, 2021 after President Trump called them to protest the election result. Journalism in Pakistan never fails to cite the example of the West in reminding the government about non-interference in journalistic exercise.

Perhaps it would serve them to remind themselves that the same West, the US to be precise, executed a manhunt followed by a prosecution and then a punishment for those who were involved in violating the sacred space of the government building just because they did not agree with certain political decisions and actions. They also thought they were protecting their democracy and their country. They just were not uniformed and included women too. Speaking of which, how come no question was raised about the militia being male dominated?

Somehow there are allowed angers inside the minds of many leading journalists in Pakistan. That would explain why they have different standards for similar actions. In plain language, it is called hypocrisy but with the evolutionary process mentioned above, we have lost the ability to call a spade a spade. If, however, the Pakistani mainstream journalism were to do what they always cry out loud about — i.e. free press — then they’d be freely pressing for the prosecution of the Maulana for inciting violence and calling armed private citizens to invade the government buildings. Anything shy of that is Unfree Journalism.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2022.

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