STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan
I remember watching wrestling matches in my younger days. There were no sports channels or live commentaries except cricket; one had to attend in person. They were fun events full of enthusiasts. Each contestant would arrive with supporters and drum beaters. The wrestler dressed in kurta, dhoti (traditional Punjabi attire) and would be supporting a colorful turban. He would be raising chants (baraks) to intimidate their opponents and work up support. The chants would include threats I am unable to repeat here.
One such contest was between Jhara, a scion of much celebrated Bhollu brothers and famed Yunus Pehlwan, crowned Champion of India (Rustam-e-Hind). Jhara had challenged a Japanese martial arts expert, Onoke. It was a contest between Sub-Continent’s traditional wrestling and oriental martial arts. This hyped contest was expected to go many rounds. Within the first few minutes Onokeprevailed and floored Jhara. As a goodwill gesture, the Japanese wrestler raised Jhara’s hand leading the latter’sdiehard supporters to claim victory. Much like our sold-out media today. Jhara spilled the beans in his interview when he conceded that his opponent had pulled his shoulder out of its socket (munda kad ditta).
I was reminded of this incident as I relate to the present situation in Pakistan. Our uniformed “jharas” along with their touts in politics and media cannot stop claiming victory. They live in a dreamworld of make-believe realities that are completely false and without basis. Deploying brute force without technique or strategy leads to dislocated joints. The biggest casualty in this mindless pursuit to subdue and prevail, the army has caused the demise of Pakistanis’ unconditional love and support. History has repeatedly proven that no force can defend or fight an enemy without the support of its people.
The thick dark clouds gathering over Pakistan of a collapsing economy and unsustainable debt levels has prevented the Generals from taking over. They want to enjoy all the power without the responsibilities that come with it. Their crutch is the fake form 47 government which has no weight bearing capacity. All signs point towards this joyride coming down with a crash. However, these mindless ego-maniacs have neither direction nor strategy. Their “crush and subdue” policies are feeding peoples’ anger and frustration, turning love into resentment and hatred. There are strong reasons for it.
Most analysts, including myself, dwell on overall situation or current political events. We need to focus on the individual sufferings of PTI leaders and workers and their brave stand not to concede. It has been a painful uphill journey for each one of them. Some of the tactics deployed by the tool of choice of the generals, the ISI, are downright despicable and inhuman. I have spoken to many victims. They were abducted by these goons in civvies, beaten into pulp, threatened, interrogated aggressively and then locked up in windowless dungeons. They were denied basic needs of survival. This treatment was not limited to PTI persons, it included their families. Their homes and businesses were destroyed and their ladies mistreated in a way that would make you cringe.
This is not fiction or a drama serial. These are real time happenings of cruelty. The lead bludgeon is the false-flag operation of May 9th. It was a carefully crafted Machiavellian scheme executed by agent provocateurs to entrap PTI workers. Their lists were prepared ahead of time to swoop in and through a surgical strike to defang PTI’s entire cadre. The plan included setting up of Military Courts through legislation using their touts in PDM 1 government, who complied willingly. These convictions would have happened over a year ago were it not for the outrage within Pakistan and global condemnation, thanks to the social media.
These illegal acts were challenged in Supreme Court. On 23rd October 2023 a five member SC bench declared military trails of civilians as unconstitutional. Enter the star ally of Establishment as the Chief Justice Supreme Court. A new bench constituted by CJ SC Qazi, ruled by 5 to 1 majority to suspend the earlier ruling, and permitted civilian trail by military courts to continue. It is a ridiculous ruling. The trials can be concluded but the verdict cannot be announced. The net result is that all the 106 accused, less those pardoned by COAS, are under detention of the army or in physical remand for over a year in deplorable conditions with no end in sight. It is literally solitary confinement, far worse than being in civilian jail.
Among the detainees are Hasaan Niazi, Umar Cheema, Mian Mehmood Ur Rashid, Ijaz Chaudhry, veteran Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Aliya Hamza, Sanam Javed and many more. The brave believers of the cause espoused by IK. Hassan’s father Hafeez Ullah Niazi made an impassioned appeal before SC highlighting the pain and difficulties of these victims. It all fell on deaf ears as the CJ SC has compromised on all the great values he expounded before assuming office.
PTI leaders Murad Saeed, Hamad Azhar, Qasim Suri and many others PTI veterans are being hounded incessantly. Their homes damaged multiple times and families severely harassed. Their lives are threatened and they are suffering the worst form of persecution. All these pent–up emotions will burst, I believe sooner than later. Combine this anger with the disastrous budget just announced; it is like a huge pile of dry fodder. It will conflagrate with the tiniest spark.
