A freedom of hope and pain

Sixty two years of suffering compounded by dismemberment and defeat, plagued by debilitating extremism and war speak for the courage of Pakistanis who still strive for peace and prosperity with hope and vigor. Despite bomb blasts, murders, disappearance of loved ones, cruelty of rulers, poverty and hunger, Pakistanis cherish freedom and dream of a better future.

With division of India to include a separate homeland for muslims, a million people lost their lives and a conflict between two communities became a war between two countries. Until now, this conflict has consumed the two states to the point that poverty and illiteracy is rampant in both countries while Europe and USA, the actors of the two world wars seem to have turned that bloody page of history into peaceful progress and prosperity.

Sir Cyril Radcliffe, who had never been to India before, presided over dividing of borders of a country few times larger than Britain and hastily, within two weeks, the boundaries of Pakistan was carved out with West and East wings of the new country separated by a thousand miles. With a British General as the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan army, war between Pakistan and India started to take shape in Kashmir within a few weeks after independence.

Second world war saw the decline of the British empire and the rise of USA marked a new conflict, the Cold war. Americans took over the mantle from the British and Pakistan became a US ally. USA invested in building Pakistan army and the army took over the country in 1958. Democracy in Pakistan has been an elusive dream since, as the country turned into a war front against India and Russia.

After a bloody break-up of East Pakistan in 1971 Pakistanis started afresh with a new constitution but the army deposed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1977 and got him executed with the help of a judiciary. In 1979 Americans started a war against Soviet Union in Afghanistan and Pakistan became the fountain of Jihadist ideology and organization.

Military rulers used the country to build a business- empire of their own that produces missiles to corn flakes and owns the best urban and rural real estate. Feudal and elite politicians squandered country’s wealth in building their own private paradise.

US war in Afghanistan opened a divide between Pakistan army and US. General Musharraf had to exit Islamabad. Democracy, weak but growing has many problems to tackle and the response of politicians appear removed from the gravity and urgency of the situation.

Pakistanis face rolling black-out for extended periods. Baluchistan demands autonomy and rights over its resources. War in NWFP continues. Stumped by the fear of bankruptcy and disintegration of the country, some Pakistanis advance revolution as the only way to cure all ills. Inept political leadership, US role in the region, abolition of feudalism and eradicating religious extremism are cited as some reasons for a revolt.

How do they intend to carry out a revolution is not discussed, though eagerness to dismantle the democratic set-up and replace it with honest, patriotic, people loving, god-abiding leaders, is expressed in public conversations.

These concerned Pakistanis believe that democracy and elections would keep churning out the same corrupt politicians. Democracy empowers people, they concede, but people need jobs, food, electricity and health-care, they argue. They would not mind curbing democracy and freedom of expression to provide for immediate relief, they say.

A revolution without a revolutionary party could only mean a military take over. General Ayub Khan referred to his military coup as revolution. In his book ‘Friends not masters’ he wrote, “…revolutions take long and painstaking preparation, detailed planning, clandestine meetings, and country-wide movement of troops. In our case there was little preparation. It was handled as a military operation”

After living in a turmoil for 62 years, Pakistanis understand that democracy and freedom of expression are valuable qualities that make their lives worth hoping for a better future. General Zia once said, “The Maulvi has got stuck on the T.V. screen; and let me tell you he will remain stuck there.”

On this anniversary of Pakistan let us hope that democracy stays in Pakistan and grows stronger to establish a rule of law that delivers against all those who think of themselves beyond law. Let us support the judiciary to become stronger and capable of dealing with the rich, the mighty, the feudal lords, military and ISI under the constitution of Pakistan. Let us get the maulvi un-stuck from the TV screen.