STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan
Maula Jat and his nemeses Noori Nat are fictional characters in Punjabi folklore glamorized through films spanning decades. Their violent conflict has been verbalized as “Kharak”, an appropriate description of what is unfolding on our national scene. The intensity increases every day leading to an undesirable crescendo. It’s a path to disaster paved intentionally to conduct the most rigged elections in our history; orchestrated by all elements of power structure.
How can “free and fair elections” be conducted when every step is being taken to remove the most popular political party in the country from the electoral process? Ironically Honorable CJ is seeking proof of alleged abuse of power. It shocks the sensibilities of thinking minds. Does he live in a cocoon? Pick up any event since April 2022. The brutality by police and intelligence agencies, human right abuses, violations of the sanctity of homes, mistreatment of women and children, open violations of law and Superior Court rulings stare you in the face. CJ is not even pretending to portray evenhandedness. His animus is apparent from every word he utters when dealing with matters relating to PTI or Imran Khan.
Imran Riaz Khan is arguably the most well known journalist amongst Pakistanis here or abroad. He has millions of followers, far more than all these power brokerscombined. He recently got released from incarceration suffering intense inhuman treatment at the hands of his captors. He is still recovering from his trauma. Yet when his name was brought up before the Supreme Court our respected CJ inquired “Imran Riaz who?” It shows unbelievable level of callousness shown on national TV. I hope he spares us this torture when the name of our national hero Arshad Sharif Shaheed comes up.
With every passing day hope for a free election and a level playing field is diminishing. PTI is not even being permitted to enter the field. PTI candidates are not allowed to file their election papers; if they manage, their papers are being rejected. They are being arrested and tortured to prevent them from contesting. In this reign of terror what sanctity will these elections hold in the eyes of Pakistanis and rest of the world? They can only prove that army rules!
What happened to our armed forces that I grew up loving and revering? It is a national tragedy that an institution that once acted as a national bond is losing its pedestal with each passing day. It is pouring acid on this unconditional love by unleashing these police goons in uniforms and plain clothes. What purpose do they want to achieve? To install the most corrupt coterie of politicians led by Nawaz Sharif in power so they can be kept on a tight leash and managed remotely.
What part of our national agenda will such an exercise in futility serve? Will it give relief to our suffering poor being crushed by unbearable inflation? Revive our tanking economy headed towards insolvency? Give hope to our youth comprising over 60% of the population? Bring in investment to a country in turmoil protesting unfair elections? Restore confidence in institutions hell bent on breaking every law to install these crooks?
The peoples’ choice is evident from every survey conducted so far. It is with such clarity that ECP has banned sharing such opinions on media! It is so aptly stated by my respected friend, Aitzaz Ahsan “the ECP is not conducting elections, it is fighting elections”. In a recent video, experienced data analysts and political experts Asad Rafiq and Yasir Hussain Sheikh projected 5possible outcomes of 2024 elections based on the 2018 results. These different scenarios factored in variables and their possible impact on results. If the elections are conducted normally PTI will get 165 plus seats. At different levels of rigging the worst case scenario is 119 seats. These data driven conclusions will make many evil planners lose sleep.
The results of 8th February will be a direct consequence of how many voters turn out on Election Day. Voting in high numbers, especially amongst women and youth, will go a long way to defeat the nefarious designs of these evil plotters. “Zulm ka badla vote say” is the most appropriate answer to those attempting to steal the elections. What bewilders all the analysts is why public sentiments are being so blatantly ignored. Do the planners really believe that by incarcerating IK, banning him from media, blacking out election surveys, obtaining tainted judgments from tarnished judges, they can eliminate PTI?
I have witnessed elections in normally functioning democracies. Opinion polls determine the direction for the expected outcome. Results vary based on the sources conducting them, yet they are monitored closely by participants. They amend their strategies and programs accordingly. In the forthcoming elections none of the contenders backed by establishment have presented an election manifesto. They are convinced that their masters will install them without any electioneering or platform.
Apparently the incoming Governments have already been decided. Federally there will be a “national unity government” with Tareen as a leading contender. Nawaz is being thrown to the wolves. Sind and Baluchistan is being handed over to Zardari. Punjab to be shared by PML(N) and IPP. KP is still in the works. Such abomination will spell the end of democracy in Pakistan. Where are the global defenders of this form of governance, the so called champions of democracy?
