Kaaf League and Kafka

Pakistan is repulsed by politics, filled with loathing when we look at it, but desperate to help at the same time.

Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, written way back in 1915, is an utterly brilliant piece of writing. Its central character, Gregor Samsa, turns into vermin in the very first sentence.

Kafka takes us on a roller coaster emotional and philosophical ride as he describes the family’s initial horror at discovering that its main bread winner has turned into such a repulsive creature, their eventual acceptance of the revolting reality, their unstated drift away from the creature that was once their beloved Gregor Samsa and finally, their relief at the creature’s death and their admiration for his sister who bears most of the emotional brunt through this period.

Let us switch from Kafka’s vermin to Pakistani politics. Although the name Muslim League predates Pakistan, current generations are unlikely to remember anything earlier than the last two of its many incarnations. The first, which we now know as PML-N, was born from the womb of General Ziaul Haq’s evil military regime and the second, PML-Q, from the equally fetid sanctum of General Pervez Musharraf’s personal ambition.

So despised were these leagues that it took many millions of dollars and countless intrigues to bring them to the forefront of the country’s politics. The story of these intrigues and the millions spent on them can be found in substantial detail in dossiers often referred to as Operation Midnight Jackal.

What is not documented, though, is the Pakistani nation’s love for politics, for democracy, that was perhaps as deeply responsible for lending these vile crowds the political eminence that they command today as any amount of skulduggery by the military leadership of the time. In voting these parties into power, Pakistanis repeatedly made the statement that given a choice, they would rather try a democracy than a dictatorship.

In many ways, the Pakistani nation’s love for politics is not dissimilar to young Grete’s love for her brother Gregor in Kafka’s Metamorphosis. She is repulsed by the creature he has become but is desperate to help. She is filled with loathing when she looks at him but cannot forget what a loving and admirable figure he was before the fateful night of his metamorphosis.

Does this not compare with the latest political shenanigans reported last week? Both the PPP and the PML-N are talking to the PML-Q, we hear. Till a few weeks ago, the PML-Q was qatil (murderer) league for the PPP and a vehicle for dictatorship for the PML-N. What has changed all of a sudden? What has driven two of the country’s largest and genuinely popular political parties to open negotiations with an entity that was brought into the world for the sole purpose of shoring up a reckless dictatorship? Did anyone in their leadership ever think what effect it would have on the people who so resoundingly voted against the PML-Q only two years ago, to put an end to the country’s third longest dictatorship?

Kafka’s vermin dies a painful death, injured by his own father and finally ignored by his loving sister. His death is not mourned but celebrated by his family who can now hope to get on with what’s left of their life. Can we honestly tell ourselves that the emotional drift that made Gregor’s death an eagerly awaited event is any different from the one happening between the Pakistani nation and its political representatives?

Is it, then, only a matter of time before the sheer repulsiveness of what masquerades as politics in Pakistan these days drives all affectionate thoughts from people’s hearts and makes them yearn for a life beyond politics?

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2010.