Syed Ahsan Ali
Recently PPP’s co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari told media categorically that we were not elected for the restoration of judges but for basic issues such as roti, kapra aur makaan. Since then factions in media have been trying to build up an argument about what is more essential, our basic necessities or restoration of an individual?
I am not going to ponder here about what did we vote for? But I’d like to draw the attention of all of my readers towards another thing which becomes a norm now in Pakistan society. We are turning into “us” and “them” kind of people who are always standing on one side of the line. As the famous line from Rodney King after the Los Angeles riots goes, “Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?”
In last few years, we heard all kinds of divisionary rhetorics, moderates or liberals, conservatives or non-conservatives, clean-shaven or bearded, extremist or non-extremists. Is it necessary to chose between the two? Why are we always like to be black and white, why can’t we own the grey areas in our lives, in our personalities and in our societies? Why am I forced to say that I voted for restoration of deposed judges? Can’t I say that I voted to choose leadership that could help this country in sorting out all basic issues whether it is grain, electricity, law and order or independent judiciary?
This mentality of to be one side of the fence is making our task of co-existing doubly difficult. It is dragging us to the new limits of extremity where we would always be bound to make such choices. It is also hampering our younger generation to develop an understanding which teaches them to accept certain things in life whether we like it or not. One thing about the life that we accept is its imperfection.
Why can’t we say with sense of ingenuity that President has done some good in the past eight years at the same time when he made some horrendous decisions? Why do we forget that Shoaib Akhtar has won matches as well for Pakistan in his career along with creating some mind-boggling controversies?
I accept that we have to draw a line when and what is more than enough and we should step forward to stop something bad to happen. But for that we have to keep our sense of astute decision-making alive at any cost. And unfortunately in past few years we have lost that. If we keep persisting with this thinking then tomorrow we would start out crying about weather, border, color of flowers, taste of fruits as we do when it comes to having beta or beti.
Now we all should promise ourselves that next time someone comes out and asks passionately whether you are with us or with them then we hold on for a second and decide that you can be on the both sides with clear thinking, focus and a will to co-exist.
We better learn quickly to co-exist and adjust.
good point. You are exactly right we have become a black and white society where everything is either Haq or Batil and no gray areas
Ayaz, you hit it right on the head. I vividly remember my 4th grade teacher asking me if I was a Sunni or a Shi’ite. Based on this info, she was going to assign me to the right section of the religion class. Talk about systematically dividing the society.
Kudos to my dad, he put me in a Christian school instead.
You have absolutely mirrored my mind in your article. I couldn’t agree more that we see the world in only black and white. We need to educate our people to realize that there is much more to life.
@ Aiy Awaam-un-Naas,
Siyyasat, juloose, taqreer, goya Baraat ho koi,
Ghori charay hein Dulha mian, Baraation kay sath
Sharma-sharmi, lajajat, dekhio zara leadron ki,
Samait’tay salamian, wo awaami susral kay sath
Vote dekay ja’ain gay sub, kia thikana ho unka,
Qimat-e-Kharid, bharhti rehaygi, zamanay kay sath
Mizaj-e-Leader, jo kehday wohi hoa karta hay,warna,
Kartay aur hi faiselay wo, awaam say ma’azrat kay sath
Rafay Kashmiri
We can not get along because since our births, we have been told by our family and society that we are Sindhis, Punjabis, Mohajirs, Pathans, Balochis and the list goes one. We have stories in our households that tells us that we are superior to that other brown guy becuz we speak a different language.
The unfortunate truth is we are not. We are all simple brown guys trying their best to impose their superiority over the other brown guy. The rest is history.
absolutely right Syed Ahsan Ali.grey areas are everywhere.What happens when a rift occurs in our homes?do we make parties and eliminate one?Offcourse not! Everyone has discrepencies and no one is perfect.Both sides need to understand each other’s stance and give way.
I think first we need to understand and agree on the problems we face , then discuss their severity and in decreasing order address them accordingly while maintaining mutual understanding and coordination among all factions involved.These groups may be classified on political , religious or any other basis.
Now once we take this step , I do believe things would be much easier for us to understand and taking a decision and its implementation won’t be a problem and the biggest achievement is : everyone will agree.
We as a nation need to plan our future just like a student plans his career for future and for this we have to take everyone into confidence and march ahead with full throttle (best of whatever each person can give to the society) which I believe is abundantly available in Pakistanis.We as people need a direction albeit a positive one.
@ because , our mentality is backward, what have we
achieved uptil now is only machialvelli from western
Political Science,
for Pakistani pendoo siyyasatdans
, the train stops only at defending arguments in Pinglish,
Public apearances with halli mawallis boot lickers around,
and public rallies where you don’t even hear a word of there speaches,
the voice been echoed by the donkey resonsible of pindaal’s
accostics, they don’t know what is public compromise and
comittments or sense of humour, or even simple
” getting along ” there is an atmosphere of hypocritic
silence and ” unprofessional ” dealings. Its sufficient to be
a progeneture of a so called Feudal Politician.
Perhaps, they need to learn by heart Mullah Nasruddin !!
Pakistani politics is not at all competitive, its just a sad
stagnant tragedy, a tragedy can be glorious, No ??
The old style of 30s giving lectures on your favorite
party, even the journalism is of year 20s so backward, not
at all bold, always victorian style glorification of their leaders,
its just disgusting.
Who has really understood Pakistan’s Musharrafian
freedom of expression ???
It is certainly not to ” just get long with othrs ” no way !!!
Pakistan Zindahbaad
I guess its more convenient to view things in black & white