Certifiably sick

The government and armed forces have failed miserably in eliminating extremism and non-tolerant behaviour.

Picture this: A stereotypical Talib of the illiterate kind, perched on a rocky border outcrop, rocket launcher aimed in the direction of an approaching drone, while a suave, suited, clipboard and pen wielding apparition of ‘modern’ man standing at a wary distance, methodically works through a list of specially-prepared questions aimed at ascertaining whether or not the Talib is suffering from a treatable mental illness or whether he is irredeemably insane.

The scenario, at least, in the mind of Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek, is not as farfetched as it sounds. While addressing the inaugural ceremony of the second day of the ‘13th National Psychology Conference’ at the International Islamic University in Islamabad some days ago, the honourable gentleman said: “Psychologists should strive to eliminate extremism and non-tolerant behaviour from society” which, in some circles, at least, is tantamount to publicly and finally admitting something that everyone knows — that the government and armed forces have failed miserably in this respect.

Mr Naek stuck his neck out even further in explaining, quite seriously, that the manifold reasons lurking behind increasing levels of psychosocial stress include violation of human rights, in addition to social, political and economic injustices. Let’s face it, as Senate Chairman he, for one, is certainly in a position to know the relevant symptoms of government induced-illnesses which — or so he claims — are to blame for increased incidents of aggressive behaviour, suicide, terrorism and global frustration and putting it bluntly, he is damn well right!

The types of psychosocial stress Mr Naek highlighted are not, however, liable to mysteriously ‘disappear’ in the manner that far too many outspoken nationalists have done over recent years. Nor will it blow away — like journalists exposing truths that the government and agencies prefer to keep well and truly hidden, beneath the filth encrusted carpet of power — simply by dispensing cocktails of ‘happy pills’ to those perceived as proven or potential offenders. The causative issues underlying psychosocial stress will not evaporate if, and when, ‘offenders’ are relegated to a precariously hazy survival in a drug-induced fairy land, over which an evil dwarf presides.

Raising the study of psychology and making it a “compulsory subject” in certain institutions, as was also suggested by Mr Naek, with the future intention of being able to release battalions of corrective psychologists on the nation, is no way to control government-created problems either. Unless, of course — and it is always possible — the construction of Soviet-era style Gulags is to follow, so that anyone brave or audacious enough to stand up and speak out can be summarily certified as an insanely dangerous menace to a ‘safe’ society and thus, be ‘legally’ removed for the foreseeable future.

Come, come Mr Naek; the nation is far from being as sick as the government would have everyone, including the global population, believe — the situation, to any person lucky enough to retain an ounce of common sense and be unafraid to use it, is, quite obviously, the other way around!

Published in The Express Tribune, February 29^th, 2012.