Adil Najam
The frustration and anger that one finds in the comments on the Emergency imposed by Gen. Musharraf in Pakistan is mirrored everywhere. In every conversation one has with any Pakistani anywhere. I was in Pakistan till last weekend and this pent-up feeling of frustration was evident in every conversation even before the Emergency was imposed.
It is, of course, a complex feeling emanating from the complex dynamics of our complex politics. At its very core, however, is the burning desire to be able to “do something” about what is happening made all the intense by a sense of helplessness about exactly what it is that we as citizens might, in fact, be able to do that might make a difference.
Since Saturday every conversation I have had with Pakistanis ends in exactly this question. What can we do? I have an in-box full of emails asking me to sign a petition, attend a meeting, say this or that to the media if I speak to them, join a protest, pass on a message, do this or that on ATP, join a conference call to plan a strategy, send out notes to my contacts, and so much more. There have been call after call from friends and acquaintance many of whom not even Pakistanis who just want to talk and share the intensity of their disgust at how the events are unfolding.
Of course, at the basest level doing anything - anything at all - has a cathartic effect and makes one feel that at least we did not do nothing. But the desire to do something is more intense. The desire not to just be a spectator to history. The desire to have contributed something, somehow. As one watches the heroic struggle of the lawyers, and now the students, to stand up and speak out - despite the brutality they are met with - makes this desire even more intense.
We each do what we can. We speak out to the media (I have had more than a dozen media interviews and comments already, we give talks (I have been giving multiple talks on this a day), we send out messages of support to those on the front lines in Pakistan to let them know that they are not alone, we sign petitions, and above all we hold hands in solidarity and vent our feelings where ever we can - on blogs, on phone calls to friends, in gatherings. All of this helps some, but one keeps wondering if it really makes a difference to the big picture?
Even if it is not, it is clearly worth doing. But can more be done? What? How? We would like to hear from our readers on that. Please let us know what is already happening as well as suggest what more could happen.
Are there to many petitions going around; so many that they might lose their efficacy? Are some of us crossing the line between that which is anti-Musharraf and that which is anti-Pakistan? Even if they mean the same thing, strategically would a message that is pro-constitution, pro-democracy, pro-Pakistani resistance be better than one that is anti-individual? How can one best support those lawyers and students and others who are on the front-line of action, especially those who are not physically there? What, if any, are the dangers of focusing our attention too much of external actors rather than those in Pakistan itself? How does one explain to the media and policy-makers abroad that the events we are seeing is not the failure of a nation (the Pakistani people) these are the failure of a person and a particular government? (I personally have been saying to friends and to the media that I remain bullish on Pakistan and bearish on Musharraf).
These and many others are the questions that boil in ones head. There must be other questions too. Share these with us, but more importantly point us towards answers. Share with our readers what you are doing. How others can help. What should be done.
Note to commentors: My own views on the subject have been pretty clear and I feel no compulsion to either defend them or amend them. While I consider thsi emergency an anti-Pakistan and anti-Pakistani act, I do not doubt the patriotism or integrity of those who disagree. Pakistaniat is based on the premise that there can be, have to be, multiple views and they all must be respected, even when we disagree with them. Those of us who resent the emergency because it has tried to silence certain voices cannot then silence or disempower those who disagree with our views.
I say all this because over the last few days we have had to moderate out too many comments. More, in fact, from people we might agree with than those who we do not. One realizes that the moment is tense and passions are flared, but we stand committed to implementing our comment policy as best as we can. We have moderated, and will continue to do so, not because of content but because of infringements of our comment policy. We are, and will remain, especially careful about inappropriate language, personal attacks, inflammatory and disrespectful tactics, uncivil and slanderous language, and irrelevant diatribes. Please help us in not moderating your comment out by resisting these things. (And, please stop sending us notes about why you can misbehave because someone else did; we try to catch these things as best as we can and even if we miss them sometimes that does not give others a liscence to misbehavior). We remain committed to having a civil discourse and no matter whether we agree with you or not, no matter if you are an old friend or anew acquaintance, we will do our best to maintain that civility. If and when we feel that we are unable to do so, we are more likely to just close down the blog then to give in to people’s tantrums and badtameezi.
Adil:
I believe you can do alot. You can gather educated professionals in the US and try to reach the administraion here in the US . I am not being emotional, we blame people who don’t come out on the roads in Pakistan, atleast, this much we can do for the land where we were born and raised. I’ll be with you in it. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister is here and he is smart and shrewed person, he is doing everything to send a message to Bush’s administration that ‘don’t worry, emergency was a necessity to fight terrorism.’ We need to tell people in the US that Musharaf’s agenda is to keep the terrorism and extremism alive in Pakistan because thats his survival. Now, he is against the Civil Society in Pakistan
We at LUMS Protested on 7th November 2007, and as reports claim, over a 1000 students took part in the on-campus rally, where policemen in plainclothes and uniform tried to threaten the students from taking out a peaceful rally early in the morning.
The policemen also came in the way of mediamen who were to cover this peaceful event. We must keep “peacefully” protesting!
Adding a few more ideas :
1. Wear a black band on arm during the work and explain your coleagues its purpose.Hoisting Black flags on top of your house, car.
2. Write op-eds to NY Times, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Le Monde.
3. Sending “anti-emergency rus malai”, “pro-democracy Samosas” and “democratic pakoras” to your neighbours.
4. Sending “Thank you for batton charge” cards to local police station telling them that you were impressed by their patriotism.
5. Send anonymous letters to the houses of military officers in local cantonements telling how they have disappointed you.
Notes to Myself:
1) Declare Emergency, strike fast, eliminate the enemy (Supreme Court) in pre-emptive strike, while containing mass protests and keeping my men loyal.
2) Replace the judges quickly, manage the politicians, muzzle the media, lawyers locked up, settle all old scores quickly.
3) Announce Election dates / Restore Constitution
4) Micro-Manage the elections, Fake them real good, Make sure no one wins but me amd my cronies.
5) Dismiss the new govt after few years and call for new elections, bring in new cronies.
5) I am safe for a decade or so and will remain Prez of Pak.
Things we can do:
1. All protests in Pakistan to remain peaceful. Do not destroy cars and shops and attack international organizations’ offices.
2. Boycott all our relatives and friends who are in the army, police, top civil servants, and newly appointed judiciary. Make them feel outcasts and traitors without any violence.
3. Boycott all those organizations who are cooperating with the military such as cell phone companies.
4. Boycott all journalists who are working for the government organization.
5. Meet industrialists and opinion makers to covince them that this emergency is going to hurt their bottom line.
6. Those who live abroad should cancel their trips to Pakistan.
7. Convince all companies to pull their advertisements from PTV.
There is a saying in Urdu, or rather Persian, which says for every Pharaoh there is a Moses (har Fiaun ra Musa). We have a new maxim in Pakistan that says: For every Judge Chaudhry there is always a Dogar or a Khokar.
This marshal law will galvanizes brave people of Pakistan and bring down the Army Raj. Long live Pakistan and I salute the brave ‘Men in Suits’.
“The thing is our politicians are not trustworthy. They were given more then 10 year but they brought the country to the bankruptcy.”
Are you for real? The current generation of politicians were given TEN years out of SIXTY and that is somehow enough to conclude that they will NEVER be able to lead us effectively? Well what about the army. HALF of our SIXTY years have been under direct army rule. Many more years have been spent under indirect army rule. What has the army given the country in those 30+ years (a very conservative estimate) that you begrudge the politicians their 10 years?
Sure they gave us Bangladesh and the massive human rights abuses conducted by our valiant army in Bangladesh that would make any sane Pakistani hang his head in shame, in 1971 a surrender so shameful that no parallel exists in human history, the murder of Bhutto, the Kargil fiasco, the Dr. Shazia rape and subsequent acquittal of that rapist Captain Hammad without so much as an inquiry, looting of the nation’s resources, being the largest landowners in Pakistan, having a serving or retired army officer in every single government office leeching and mooching off the resources of the state, etc. How many generals are millionaires and billionaires? How do the incompetent progeny of these incompetent generals end up in expensive universities in North America when they can barely read and count? How do they pay the fees? For the latest presidential “election”, why were the rules asking candidates to declare their assets removed? What is Musharraf afraid of and why did he not declare his assets? The list can go on and on. So, with what face can this General and others of his kind accuse the politicians of corruption when the army is just as corrupt as anybody else though it demands that it be above criticism because it is some sort of a holy cow.
The job of the army is to defend borders, not run WAPDA and PTV. They can’t even do their day job properly and yet they itch for the chance to boss around us “bloody civilians”.
BB and NS combined had a ten year run. Musharraf on his own has had eight years already. What has he accomplished apart from suicide bombings in Islamabad of all places and fighting a civil war in the North? Despite all their numerous faults, at least there were no suicide bombings in Islamabad in the much reviled democratic eras. Suicide bombings is a new phenomenon that only the fascist dictator can be very proud of introducing to the urban centers of Pakistan. He deserves full credit for it.
And all those posters who say that we have no other option but Musharraf and mourn the lack of political leadership, I have a question: Where do you expect the political leadership to come from when a jiyala jarnail is going to stage a coup, pronounce himself the king of Pakistan and suspend and paralyze the political process every ten years on a regular basis? Political leaders are only made when there is a free and fair political process that our beloved army does not constantly interfere in.
If democracy can work in India, it can in Pakistan too. It just needs to be given a proper run. If the army needs to have its legs cut off and rendered impotent, then so be it. That is what we must do. We have this humongous army which is a burden on the state’s already scant resources to supposedly protect us from outsiders. But protect us from outsiders for what? What will the outsiders so that this army hasn’t already done? 1) Outsiders will kill Pakistanis; the army is already doing that in the North and is much better at it than any outsider would. 2) Outsiders will loot the nation’s resources; the army is already doing that and is much better than many at stealing from the nation. 3) Outsiders will violate the human rights of Pakistanis; the army did plenty of that too whenever they’ve gotten the chance. 4) Outsiders will split the country; the army has played a significant role in doing that once already and seems all set to reprise its glorious role in the North only 35 years later. So what is the difference between an outsider and the army? Why not sign an all-encompassing peace treaty with our neighbours and disband this ragtag army of uniformed politicians, usurpers, thieves, murderers and rapists. Maybe that will give democracy a realistic, sustained chance in our country?