Islamabad tragedy (as they call it and as i choose to name it)

I am happy but Islamabad is sad. It is still reeling from the "redness" of the Lal masjid, it is still numb from the shrieks of the innocent children buried quietly in the gloom of its environs, it is still aching from the blow to its heart, its residents still hanging their heads in shame at watever they allowed their city to be turned into. Islamabad the beautiful, reddened by government high handedness, by civilian callousness, by religious pretentions.

The other day, a resident of faisalabad , while participating in a live discussion, broke into tears commenting over the Lal masjid operation and said "...yeh taj kab uchalay jaian gai (when will those crowned be decrowned-the figurative translation)". No one can probably say for sure but certainly not until we are content with just these lamentations. Around 2000, if my memory doesnt fail me, i read an article in the newspaper, a comic appraisal of world affairs as seen 100 years from now. After having discussed the powers-that-be in our world today, Bush and (then) his poodle, Blair, he came to Pakistan, which for all those patriots out there, he chose to discuss as the creation of a by-gone phase, buried in the throes of history. But for the sake of discussion, this historian from 100 years from now would say that it was a country whose residents preferred their airconditioned drawing rooms to the sweltering heat outside even if tyrants clutched at their throats. They would laze out in their comfortable cocoons, lamenting over this and that but would always evade action.

That then was true and still is. Many people hesittate to fully support the chief justice saying that he is as much responsible for the musharraf saga because he took oath under the PCO when some of his compatriots resigned in protest. Agreed, but c'mon this struggle is not about this person and let no one make it into one. The course of this movement will be determined by those involved in it. If the people of Pakistan get involved in it with a resolve to strengthen institutions, it will no longer be about him, if at all it is even now. there is always a break in every dictatorship, which is availed to bring a change. Let us not, for a change, squander this opportunity. Let the people of Pakistan not ask for the ouster of Musharraf alone, but for free and fair elections, let them not ask for the reinstatement of iftikhar chaudry, but for the independance of judiciary, let them not ask for a "national interest" state but for a "national welfare" state (to qoute aitzaz ahsan). 1965 war was the break in ayub khan's time but then it was just Bhutto that the movement was about; 1977 elections were the break for the increasingly despotic Bhutto government, but then people demanded the military to jump in. Junejo was one of the best things that happened to pakistan, we finally got some semblance of democracy going, but then the establishment always jumped in.

This opportunity shouldnt be alowed to go to waste. The other day, abbu was like this chief justice movement has become very political with all these crowds coming out to welcome him, it seems all fake now. I said, everyone doesnt have big drawing rooms to hold discussions in and then be content that great service to the country has been done. These people who come out to greet him choose to step out in the sweltering heat to put in their share of contribution to this country's cause. Dont doubt their intentions.

well, looks like the 100-yrs-from-now historian isnt that right afterall. We are moving out. We are pitching our positions.

GOOD LUCK PAKISTAN.