Common Thread/Threat

With his every appearance on national network to address his ‘aziz humwatan’ I always cherish a wishful idea of something good like his resignation, would come out of those lips so prone to produced a twisted and sexed up version of events enfolding before us in order to perpetuate his rule on the land of pure. Dear readers I am sorry to inform you that we have to wait little longer for this good news of his resignation.
However, going back to his last missed-opportunity our embattled General appeared once again in rage against himself. He criticised prevailing law and order situation in Pakistan and renewed his unflinching commitment to deal miscreants with firm resolve by using this opportunity to postpone forth coming elections as demanded by Q league.
During his speech he expressed his anger on murder of Benazir Bhutto and pledged to complete her mission. About investigation in to her murder he allowed Scotland Yard to carry out their investigative work when all forensic evidences have been carefully washed away from crime scene and government employing fulltime staff to confuse the situation by promoting different theories about causes of BB’s death. On the top of all this our General in greater national interest (read nation as General Musharraf) disallowed Scotland Yard to carry out investigation against any individual merely on allegations.
He looked very agitated when he claimed that intelligence agencies have nothing to do with BB’s murder. Taking stock of events in Pakistan it is evident that those elements that changed Pakistan from a welfare state to a security state would go to any lengths to keep their stranglehold on power. One common thread or threat between sacking of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudary and BB’s murder is their criticism on the activities of intelligence agencies.
Musharraf who appears to be a representative this murky world of intelligence agencies of Pakistan sacked Chief Justice on trumped-up charges when CJ took up missing persons cases. Look how far Musharraf has gone to get rid of CJ when he was later reinstated by Supreme Court of Pakistan. He ransacked and destroyed Supreme Court with his second coup in first week of October, 2007 at the behest of intelligence agencies. Remember those scenes when CJ was surrounded by intelligence chiefs on PTV demanding his resignation.
BB with all her defects was the most popular politician in Pakistan and she had personal experience of dealing with intelligence agencies and their modus operandi. Well before her return she criticised the role of intelligence agencies in Pakistan and she was well aware of threats to her life. She even mentioned the name of one intelligence chief who wanted to kill her. She was a direct threat to those murky elements in Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus and these elements are real power base of General Musharraf.
My thesis is that any prominent personality from any field who criticises the role of intelligence agencies will never be tolerated in Pakistan. And if this personality inspires ordinary people in Pakistan he/she will either be put under house arrest or six feet under. And therein lies the common thread or threat between sacking CJ and BB’s murder.
So when General Musharraf denies the involvement of intelligence agencies in BB’s murder there are only two possibilities. Firstly he knows but he conveniently lies about their involvement. The second scenario is even more disturbing and dangerous if he is telling the truth that agencies are not involved in the murder. That means that he himself has no control over intelligence apparatus in Pakistan and they can do whatever they want at their will. As I said earlier General Musharraf has acted up till now to strengthen and promote the interests of intelligence agencies. Remember his allegations while declaring his second coup against Supreme Court of Pakistan. He appeared very annoyed when he mentioned that CJ demands explanations from intelligence agencies about whisking away of ordinary citizens of Pakistan. Therefore he would do whatever he could to block free, fair and wide ranging investigation into BB’s murder.
Now we are living in a changed environment and with their desperate actions these murky forces exposing their nervousness at the prospects of losing their grip on power. People now are not afraid to ask questions which are once considered taboo. Let this most tragic and foul murder of all murders becomes a final blow to dwindling corrrupt regime of General Musharraf and his collaborators.

‘Truth will come to light; murder can not be hid long.’
(11.6.36-7)

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My Favourite poem

While I was reading a news peace about the destruction of Robert Frost's house in the USA by drunken hooligans celebrating new year's night reminded me one of my favourite poems. I want to share it with my readers. Regardless we interpret this poem portraying individualism or a hesitant traveller it is no doubt a poetic master piece of all times.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

(1915)

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New Year Resolutions

From ordinary citizens' point of view the year of 2007 was one of many other tragic years since the inception of Pakistan. A scheme to murder judiciary that started in March culminated with broad day light killing of Supreme Court in November at the hands of a military dictator. Keeping with its traditions Pakistan witnessed the most tragic of deaths when Benazir Bhutto was killed in Rawalpindi at fateful Liaquat Bagh. But this is only a citizen's perspective on year 2007 and we have been told since our birth that citizens of Pakistan are nothing but stupid. Recently our dictator with absolute wisdom brought us to our senses by saying that we are not even humans.

From our dear dictator's point of view it was year of great successes with only few small failures such as July carnage in Karachi, sacking of 63 senior judges, October carnage in Karachi again and killing of BB in Rawalpindi. The successes included putting derailed democracy train back on tracks, getting rid of terrorist judiciary, imposition and lifting of emergency both in the interest of nation, delegation of power from General Musharraf to General (retd) Musharraf and last but not least solving BB's murder case within 72 hours with irrefutable evidence of an audio tape and a press conference by nervous and agitated Brigadier (retd) Cheema. A country where we are still unable to indentify murders of first prime minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan identifying BB's murders within 72 hours is no mean achievement in any respect. In order to appreciate these successes you need to be in ‘National Interest’ mode. Just the way our holy fathers claim that it is impossible for ordinary muslims to understand and appreciate all the wisdom stored in holy Koran likewise ordinary citizens can never ever understand why military dictators are indispensible for Pakistan.

This is what you get when you have unrepresentative and mediocre people at the helm of affairs. BB with all her defects had something that can be said as hope for Pakistan. After her return she travelled all four corners of Pakistan and tried all her best to unite people divided by tin-pot dictators. What her murder told us that military establishment can not understand any political figure that can unite people and has ability to bring politics from drawing rooms to streets. Any political leader making people as a source of power and can negotiate intelligently towards his/her political goals can not be tolerated at any cost. Lets be sure that military establish can go any length to preserve this status quo even at the cost of killing millions of people or disintegrating Pakistan. Only way to save Pakistan is to get Pakistan rid of military dictators once and for all. This could one and only new year’s resolution for all patriot Pakistanis if we want to save this beautiful country.