The Beginning of the End
Astrologers have marked last year that of challenges, rifts and unexpected twists and turns. We have been on a diabolic roller coaster ride since May 2011 elections. Nothing seems to settle as yet; each and every day there is a new wave giving a fresh current to the political affairs at hand. In last ten days, we have experienced everything, dust, hail & storm, scorching heat and parching thirst, road blocks, slogans, rhetoric, catfights, media’s enchantment and social media activism. I wonder after experiencing so much hype how can we settle down for a quieter life. How would Islamabad sleep at 10:00? How would it compromise without nightlife full of music and dance in the air? On the other hand, where this romantic adventure would lead us? Situation is taking a melodramatic tone with smoke in the air for the 1st time last evening, and the raising of coffin by the cleric Tahir ul Qadri.
Both the leaders are vowing their audience by taking them to high emotional ride; well they have passed the climax; it is almost all over; but with that dizzy head and eerie atmosphere with their hopes and dreams resounding all around, I wonder if they would be able to descend back carefully. Many of them may stumble and come down tumbling one after the other. Tragedy is the most important human destiny and it is bound to happen when people have their hearts turned to stone and they cannot feel the moans and cries in the dark night of the destitute and less privileged. I hear the political workers and leaders shouting at one another each night, but in the background I listen to the night weeping and wailing all alone… why..? It is not so hard to understand. There is so much blood spilling on the floor, some for HAQ (truth) and the other NAHAQ (victims). Morality and reason are lost; we smell the burnt emotions everywhere.
As the astrologers say we should always be welcoming the unexpected, demanding that we will have to make some adjustments to live by the reality. The reality at present reflects that the Supreme Court is unmoved by the pleas of the weak for justice; instead they don’t want the odorous waste to be blocking their ways. It’s better after all that the justice keeps itself blind; the entire problem had initiated when it had started looking at the world with single eye. The post partum confessions may be good for the individual to breathe lightly but it is not going to burden any conscience. We want to maintain a reality that nothing bad happened; it is just the sour eye or bad vision of few people who are making trouble. I am reminded of Plato describing the reaction of the people of cave; unfamiliar with the light, hence, they were utterly unprepared to receive it. Whenever the stone on the mouth of cave was lifted, they crawled to dark corners and shady sides of the cave instead of seeking light. Therefore, how many people may make confessions about rigging or spill out the conspiracy theories, we are bound to react like people of cave as they respond to light, i.e. shirking away from it. It’s not my eyes or mouth but it’s my ears which are bleeding after hearing so much nonsense all around.
Whoever has written the script of this drama is in a bitter fix how to end it. The glorified end demands a sacrifice; can we afford it? The cleric is a Canadian citizen and the commander of justice has his ex-wife and sons in England. Both of them have very strong ties in the Western World, which may create larger hue and cry at the loss of any one of them rather than helping and supporting them now in their destitution. The men with gun must keep in mind, how they have to clear the wasteland after the action. As we should be expecting the least expected; the deaf ears of the men in uniform should not take anyone by surprise. And if anyone wants to avoid the surprises, that person should make meaningful communication through multiple channels. After all we live in hi-tech sci-fi make believe world. I feel that this chance has been missed by the skipper in his own wake of self-righteousness.
The early bird sensing the order of the day has flown to a different direction. It’s not the west but further East. Most of the goods sold in this world have the copyrights owned by China; why Pakistan should be an exception? When Western boots are walking away the shrewd one intends to win the favor of East to find an appropriate place; they had a glorious tale to tell from the past. Finally we see the third umpire emerging; the one holding the maximum stakes in Pakistan. Now he will decide what they want; people with maximum kickbacks but nothing to hold in return, people with moderate kickbacks and better management skills or the people with zero kickbacks but nothing to offer in return. HR is on high alert as recruiting begins by the end of this year. All interested should be shaping up their CVs. The early bird catches its food fast.
About the writer
Seema Arif is associate professor at School of Social Sciences & Humanities in University of Management & Technology, Lahore. Pakistan. She portrays herself as humble seeker of the Sufi way. Her academic output relates to organizational behavior and concerns about leadership. She has published widely in local and international newspapers, magazines and journals.
Contact her: seema.arif@umt.edu.pk
