WHERE IS PAKISTAN GOING TO?

Where is Pakistan leading to?

Revolution or Anarchy?

Prof. (Dr.) Khurshid Alam…khushidalam44@hotmail.com

After the events in Tunis and Egypt the electronic and printing media of Pakistan is beating the revolutionary drum joined by some political parties without realizing the repercussions in a multinational state that is deeply divided politically, economically, culturally with deep rooted mistrust in each other.

All the ground factors are ripe for a drastic change in the system like a totally failed government corrupt with no direction, drowning economy, lawlessness, soaring prices and absence of basic amenities like gas, electricity and food stuff of daily consumption. Children are sold, parents are killed, suicides are surging up and people are abducted for ransom. No one is safe either at home or in the streets. The country is in a grip of uncertainty and has lost international credibility. Even the loans are offered on very stringent preconditions.

Added to this compound condition there is no credible and trust worthy opposition. Criticism is in abundance but alternatives are none but beating of the revolutionary is going on.

No doubt that the ground realities are ripe for a change but is the revolution only answers in present conditions?

National uprising can be either spontaneous or the result of a well thought strategy of an organization headed by responsible and trust worthy people, having a well educated cadre. If the uprising is spontaneous still it needs a disciplined party with the solution of the problems of the common man. In the absence of it there is every chance that the national uprising may take the course of anarchy. To be more clear revolution is a controlled uprising for the change of system while anarchy is an uncontrolled uprising having the possibility of unthinkable collateral damage in human lives and economy. In the process of anarchy the integrity of the country is also at stake particularly in a multinational state like Pakistan. USSR disintegration is the most recent example.

Anarchy is an uncontrolled uprising and can go any way in the absence of a well organized party. In the case of Pakistan with inherited intrinsic weaknesses any violent change can be a precursor to the sad demise of the state.

Do we have one? The answer is no.

On the other hand there are other ground conditions to be taken in to account before we think of revolution.

1) Pakistan is a multinational state having deep rooted mistrust in each other.

2) The army is busy in flushing out their self imported terrorist in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and there is insurgency in Baluchistan.

3) Punjab and Sind are in siege of political, ethnic and sectarian violence. Crimes control also need military help.

4) Karachi and Hyderabad is a mini state within the state run by a Mafia.

In this state of affair will it be advisable to call on public to come out on streets and change the system. Revolution is totally masses uprising and having no role of the army. MQM the champion of middle and lower middle class is asking the HONEST GENERALS to help them in hanging their adversaries to the electric poles and trees. It will be totally a mafia style revolution unheard in history. East Pakistan has not

been forgotten by the masses. That was military cum mafia operation that led to a disaster and international humiliation.

In last few uprising the exploited nations have been used as gun powder and at the end they have been totally ignored politically and economically. I doubt there is shred of trust left intact to convince the deprived nations to participate in another country wide uprising?

The common man sufferings are comparatively much less in Egypt and Tunisia. It was the result of decays long suffocation and denial of speech and assembly that led to the present state. Even now there is a vacuum of alternate leadership. Anyhow it is a positive step indeed but not a revolution. In my honest opinion it is a first step in that direction to get the freedom of speech and right to multi party system.

I was told by an Egyptian doctor that an Egyptian went to polls to tick mark “NO”. He told it to his wife. She became panicky and advised her husband to go immediately and rectify his mistake. The poor soul went to the presiding officer that he has mistakenly tick marked NO and he wants to rectify his mistake. The presiding officer consoled him not to worry they have already rectified his mistake and advised him not to repeat it in future.

Those who have been in Middle East will bail me out that it is the true reflection of Arab states or for that matter of all Muslim states.

No doubt that hunger is the first and foremost human instinct, needs satisfaction but freedom of speech and assembly should not be forgotten or taken for granted.

I agree with Dr.Masood that it will be equal to rewriting the history to include Jamal Nassir in the same bracket.

He was a legend who gave identity to Arab world. His popularity in masses was unimaginable. He was attacked several time by CIA either to kill him or to disfigure him but failed. To counter him King Faisal was propped up.

He might have committed many mistakes but legend is usually not a good politician like General De Gaul.

Let us be honest have we got a leadership with revolutionary capability and program and ready to stand tough to the unexpected? The leaders produced by army generals and groomed by them cannot be expected to do what a revolutionary is trained to do. Our army is trained and equipped by US. They have the same mental make up. Will the supporter of revolution not invite the wrath of our own army? Will these present lot of politicians have the courage to stand up to it? The past experience is not encouraging.

The situation is grave on the ground and needs urgent measure to avoid anarchy it needs collective political acumen. More than a corrupt incompetent government we have no vibrant and politically mature opposition.

If nothing is done in this regard not only anarchy will be invited but the disintegration of the state will be brought forward as the ground has been prepared by our myopic leaders.

It will be a wise idea to push forward for evolution for betterment than to talk of revolution. None of us is ready to accept the changes brought by the trio of Army, Punjab and Mohajirs.

Let us starve our ambitions and feed our opportunities. There are a lot of changes expected in Middle East and Iran. It is no point to play with the emotions of the

people by our prepaid electronic Taliban. I am afraid that if they succeed to trigger the impulse we have to taste another 1972.

To talk of revolution sounds nice but to carry it out is not a joke.