Adil Najam
Over the last few days we have resisted posts about the recent political machinations in Pakistan. This is despite the fact pseudo-news pours in ever-more ferociously and ever-more sensationally from Pakistan. Literally by the hour.
This is pseudo-news not only because everything is sensationalized and exaggerated with bombastic Ministers, protesting lawyers, baton-charging policemen, and dumbstruck awam. It is pseudo-news because despite the truly historic nature of what is unfolding, there is little that anyone can seem to do about anything. Events unfold as if they were totally disconnected with public sentiment. As if all the noise is just background accompaniment. In the long run, this can never be. But that is what it seems like right now.
Discussion seems to be of little use. So little that it merely causes further aggravation. Since analysis does not matter, it is swiftly replaced by slogans (naara-baazi). Look at the TV talk shows, read the op-eds, or scan the comments in our previous posts (or the posts themselves). The same people keep repeating the same points over and over again. On all sides. And since no one is really trying to convince anyone of anything – nor has the hope to do so – the arguments get increasingly more futile, ever more heated, and ever more prone to naara-baazi. Our comments section are a testimony to this frustration. This is frustration that you also see on the streets of Pakistan. Frustration that comes from the belief that you are not being heard. That you will not be heard no matter what you do or say. You shout ever louder and repeat yourself ever more ferociously, as if the merit of an argument is to be measured by the decibel or as if things will become more believable if you repeat them more loudly. Since no one is trying to convince anyone of anything anyhow, the best you can do is to try to get in the last word.
Discussion seems to be of little use. So little that it merely causes further aggravation. Since analysis does not matter, it is swiftly replaced by slogans (naara-baazi). Look at the TV talk shows, read the op-eds, or scan the comments in our previous posts (or the posts themselves). The same people keep repeating the same points over and over again. On all sides. And since no one is really trying to convince anyone of anything – nor has the hope to do so – the arguments get increasingly more futile, ever more heated, and ever more prone to naara-baazi.
Our comments section are a testimony to this frustration. This is frustration that you also see on the streets of Pakistan. Frustration that comes from the belief that you are not being heard. That you will not be heard no matter what you do or say. You shout ever louder and repeat yourself ever more ferociously, as if the merit of an argument is to be measured by the decibel or as if things will become more believable if you repeat them more loudly. Since no one is trying to convince anyone of anything anyhow, the best you can do is to try to get in the last word.It is of little use, right now, to do yet another post on the Presidential elections or to invite people to vent the same frustrations yet again, and again, and again. Venting can be useful, but onlyto a point. Please, spare us your comments on just how good Gen. Musharraf has been for Pakistan’s economy or just how bad the military is. These points have been made too many times already in the comments, and frankly, if others have not been convinced of your viewpoint on this yet (whatever your viewpoint), then repeating it one more time will really make no difference. It will only waste our bandwidth.
Let us try, instead, to push into more analytically fertile territory. Let us try, at least, to think beyond the slogans about the even larger political questions confronting us. Barring some really big surprise, it seems a fair assumption that Gen. Musharraf will get himself elected as President. Right now, we do not want to hear whether you think it is a good thing or not. Most of you have already made your positions on this clear already. As have we. We want to hear instead on what do you think will happen next? And why? Will things calm down or worsen? And, again, why? Why is the really important analytical question.
To assist in catalyzing such a discussion, we have devised a two part ATP Opinion Poll.
Q1. Assuming that Gen. Musharraf will get himself elected as President, what do you think is most likely to happen next?
Q2. One year from today, what do you think would be the level of Gen. Musharraf’s political power?
Again, and please, spare us the slogans. Give us your analysis. We understand and share the frustrations that give rise to the slogans, but let us at least try to make something better of this discussion. If you really feel like abusing and shouting, there are plenty of other places to do so. Here, lets focus on analysis. That means, the ‘why’ questions.
Dear Adil,
First of all, very nice post and an honest one. Your post bring up many frustrations to the surface. There is already so many replies to this post, I dont know if I should even write one or if its even important. Your crew have done a good job with this site, a good place to come and read the perspective of like minded people. Thank you.
I dont live in Pakistan, even when I did, I was not part of the frustrating, never ending loot khasoot jhoote politics. But honestly, I love my country, I love its traditions, its history and its people. I love Pakistan. It breaks my heart that nothing is right in pakistan. I am going to put my answer in 2 parts.
Why? Because of reasons starting from inside the small house of a common man to the original cause why Pakistan came into being, from an orphan child eating from a dumpstar to a rich kid driving 4×4, from injustice to hatred, anger, lack of education, illiterate myths and habits. Social imbalance. We are the nation or we have atleast become a nation that deserves no respect, no love and no care. We need it, we want it, but we will not get it. Our society is a true -NON ISLAMIC – society, that Allah has warned us about over and over again. Forget about the good things, there is so much bad, it does not even matter anymore. Why, because we hate our neighbors more than we love our children. We love our Daqianoosee traditons more than we love our happiness. We love suffering more than we respect our friends. Thats why we continue to suffer. Thats why one infidel politician replaces the other, and no one good leader can change anything.
What? We are nation brought togather in 47 by the slogan and “naara baazi”. Nothing was concrete then. Nothing is concrete now. What we can do is some very simple things.
1) it should be the law to be peaceful, any kind of Naara Baazi should be banned except for designated places.
2) We should preach in the name of Allah – peacefulness and calmness, patience and respect for others- It should be the law
3) Education should be mandatory and available to everybody free of cost.
4) Change should be mandatory, Evolution should not be stopped. Everybody should ridge bikes, clean their streets, clean their houses, Bad attitude, AKAR, badmashee should be completely banned.
5) Fighting should be strictly punishable by law
We change our attitude, we will be less angry, we will not panic, our priorities will change, trust will develop. We educate, and our kids will now what exactly to do to be happy and how to enrich our lives. We have a beautiful land, wonderful people and great resources.
Kruman ji, let me guess… you are not in Pakistan… if you were then you would realize that the chances of Wajihuddin getting elected are about the same as the Indus Blind Dolphin having its eyesight restored.
Saieen kya batien kar rahay hein? Have you seen these lawyers up close who are at the forefront of this “movement”? Half of them are not lawyers, and the other half shouldn’t be. Jaibo’n mein pathar, dil mein khibasat aur damagh mein… well… not much other than sava chataa’nk ka bheja.
The problem we have in Pakistan is that all of us suffer from seeing things only in black and white; we are a dualist nation. “If Musharraf is bad, then everyone opposed to him must be good”. Aisay nahien hota saieen. Thand rakhein, everything will be fine. As Michael Jackson sagaciously proclaimed, “Now I believe in miracles, and a miracle has happened tonight – but if you’re thinkin’ ’bout my baby it don’t matter if you’re black or white!”
Musharraf needs to be around for a transition and what’s most important is that Pakistan remains stable and continues to grow. That there’s a continuity of policy and all the investment commitments we’ve gotten and have begun to take advantage of, continue to come our way. While I am sure even in the current administration stuff is skimmed off the top, much like it is anywhere in the world, a lot is being invested in HUGELY important things. Unfortunately, since not all of these are as visible as Yellow Cabs, many Pakistanis dismiss them. But that doesn’t diminish their importance of impact. There should be a separate thread on this, but I’ll just give you one example. I recently visited the Sundar industrial estate which is a short distance outside Lahore. There is room for over 100 factories over there, 22 or 25 of which are already online. The estate is already providing employment to 10,000 people. By the time it comes on line fully (and yes, work is in progress, I’ve seen it myself), it will be contributing 100,000 jobs. But in order to get to this point, first, roads had to be constructed, which took a couple of years, then the estate infrastructure had to be put in place, which took about 2 years, then factories had to be built, which took between 1 and 2 years. NOW you are seeing the fruit of it. So big projects take between 6-9 years to really show benefit. We want that Musharraf should wave his magic wand and all oil prices should come down, corruption should vanish, people should stop having as many babies and a new cadre of brilliant, honest politicians should emerge from nowhere. How fair are these expectations?
Back to Sundar, these are the kinds of projects this government – really principally Shaukat and Musharraf – have invested in. These are sagacious investments not designed to be Yellow Cab type marketing propoganda, but REAL meaningful projects that have long term impact. Sundar is one of three estates being setup JUST in the Punjab. And that isn’t even close to the biggest infrastructural contribution of this government.
Naiee shakal ki talab siraf naiee shakal ki khaatir khatarnak hay. If we led life by this formula then every three years you would want another valima.
Thand rakho, meray bhaiyo’n. Garmia’n guzar gaiee hein.
In the rest of the world elections are a means for people to vent their anger and express themselves. It is an opportunity for a peaceful transitition of power.
In the land of the pure it will lead to more unrest, since the masses have been gagged. An outgoing parliament has elected a president for 5 years. The turmoil and the turbulence will continue. Musharraf will enjoy a 10-14 day honeymoon though. By then either an adverse decision from the SC will spoil the celebration, or the lawyers will reasses, regroup and come back.
Watching Wajihuddin’s campaign, I get the inkling that a new political force headed by CJP’s lawyers and Wajihuddin sahib is in the offing.
Another analysis of Dual office case here Dual Office Case..Dead
Same rituals and culture will prevail as it was before election.
Where our country will end, may be Americans know better than our so called rulers