Adil Najam
Today is May 12.
Today marks the first anniversary of the carnage in Karachi.
Today is the day when the resolution on the restoration of the Supreme Court judges was to be presented in Parliament.
Ominously, even eerily, today also marks the 15th death anniversary of the Pakistan’s pre-eminent poet of political protest, Habib Jalib.
May 12 will forever be a date in infamy because of what happened on this date a year ago. A year ago today, I was in Pakistan. Karachi was burning and I wrote: “The city is at war. Morchas everywhere. Clashes, violence, firing, deaths... Khuda khair karey.” What were your thoughts then? What are your thoughts on it now?
Distasteful as it may seem, let me repeat just some of the pictures that were on our front page a year ago. I do so to remind myself, and you, of exactly what it was that we must never, ever, let happen again.
Just as we were doing a year ago, we are again wondering about the fate of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry today. But also at stake today are the democratic gains that have been made between last year and now. Gains that have given hope to so many of us. Gains that must not be lost. But, nor should we lose the struggle for judicial independence.
If newspaper headlines are to be believed then the PPP-PML coalition is also disintegrating and possibly on the verge of breakup (in our Poll, our readers seem to think not just yet).
I hope all of this is being overblown, but a look at the front page of The News suggests that the nation is in despair as the PPP-PML talks falter, that there is renewed pressure on the media including a Supreme Court notice, and the US deal-makers are again having secret meetings to “manage” Pakistan.
I am not a superstitious person. But all of the above gives me the shudder. Khuda khair karey.
UPDATE: Two news items from The News breaking news of relevance to this:
ON NAWAZ SHARIF’S RETURN TO PAKISTAN:
Following the failure of London talks on the re-instatement of judges, Muslim League-N chief, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on his arrival at the Islamabad airport was given a rousing welcome by a large number of party workers besides Ishaq Dar, Tahmina Daultana and other leaders.
Nawaz Sharif drove from the airport straight to the Punjab House, where he held talks with the party leaders in detail. Meanwhile, a joint meeting of the ML-N Parliamentary Party (PP) and the Central Executive Committee (CEC) has been called today at 1.00 P.M. for arriving at a decision relating to the alliance with the PPP. Mian Nawaz Sharif at the outset of the meeting would be apprising of the details of the London talks to the participants of the meeting and the future line of action would be deliberated. Later, ML-N would hold a briefing to the media in the afternoon at 3.00 P.M., when Mian Nawaz Sharif would announce decisions relating to the future.
On KARACHI SECURITY:
Security has been tightened in Karachi on the completion of one year of May 12 tragic incidents on Monday.
Heavy police and Rangers contingents have been deployed at City court, Malir court and High court and entry in these premises prohibited for unauthorized persons.
Political, social and lawyers organizations organize protest rallies and programs on this occasion.
On the coalition and judges I do hope that PPP and PML can find an agreement.
I think it will be terrible if the justices are not restored and it will be even more terrible if this coalition fails. That will give Gen. Musharraf a new lease of life.
This is a chilling reminder of one of the lowest and saddest days. I remember being numb and angry. Angry mostly because I did not know what I could do and felt helpless.
It was hell. I learnt about it with a phone call from my brother in Karachi to tell me what was happening and the family was ok. Later I went to the web including here and realized from pictures just how terrible things had become.
Strategically, it will be a big blunder by the PPP if they do not fine some way to restore the judges. At least in the short term, they need PML-N’s support; as a columnist in Dawn said, it’s impossible to run a national government with a hostile government in the Punjab.
What’s most important right now is how the common man reacts; if the lawyers restart their protests and they are joined by other people, then the PPP may have no other choice but to give in.
I still hope that both parties will (and their Western betters) realize that it is in their best interest to go ahead and resolve this issue as soon as possible.