Emergency in Pakistan
An appeal by Saima Jasam, Lahore
Am I angry, sad, hurt, speechless, or paralysed? Is it always one step forward and two steps back?
Is it really happening or am I imagining it; ought it to be like this? Is this destiny, a fact, or the failure of a nation?
Everything is collapsing from morality to the right of speech. Who is in control? Are we silent or making noise or screaming? Is it making any difference?
Is it our war, theirs, or somebody else’s? Slowly but surely this nightmare is haunting us. Are we Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon etc.?
Our senses have lost all their taste. Is there a chance for an ordinary citizen like me to dream of freedom? Freedom from the hands of militants, freedom from a dictator, freedom from corrupt politicians?
Speculations on hold! Speculation makes the news, speculation creates horror, fear, but none of the speculation gives hope.
Just six months back the lawyer’s movement, the strength it showed, was a vision or a dream of a free nation. Back then the media was showing its power to disseminate information, to let citizens know what they have a right to know. Back then “transition to democracy” was the slogan. Free and fair elections seemed to be around the corner. The return of Benazir Bhutto, in spite of the various deals she struck, was still a sign of hope – her party, the single largest party, might advance this process. Or so we thought. Much was happening. Slogans of free media, judiciary etc. were in the air.
Alas, everything changed with Musharraf’s Provisional Constitutional Order. What is going to happen? We have seen in the past what dictators and martial law have done to us. We are a nation of schizophrenic people.
Can we come out onto the streets and protest? Some have done so – and some of those are missing, either they are in jail or they have been put under house arrest.
We as a civil society have failed: The women’s movement, the lawyers’ movement, the journalists’ movement. One dictator’s absolutist will has scrapped the entire fabric of the state.
Where do I go from here, whom do I ask for fairness, what should be my next step? I am emotionless; nothing matters any more. Coup after coup has shaken our sensibility.
Can anyone give me back my dream of peace, tranquillity, happiness, the rule of law and of a life in dignity? Is it asking too much?
We who have inherited dictators, martial law, we who have inherited militants, jihadis, we who have inherited corruption of the highest order, should we close our eyes? Or should we continue this very painful struggle? The fight goes on in spite of all its miseries and hardship.
As somebody said: “If we cannot dance, we can not be part of the revolution.”