STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan
With winter creeping in and onset of snow flurries both Rakhshanda and I miss our annual jaunt of escaping to Lahore. Many Canadians, especially seniors, have found ways of dodging the harsh winter by setting up a pad in Florida, locally known as “snow birds”. We had that option; instead we chose our homeland. However this year that is not to be. I know exactly what awaits me and my friends and well wishers have confirmed the same.
I may be able to handle jail; I have experience as apolitical activist. However it is the spice and garnishes that accompany this incarceration that has deterred us. Jail can be avoided if I hold a press conference or join some former friends on Tareen/Aleem express. I find the whole process revolting thus it is better to stay put. We considered my wife going alone but after seeing the treatment being meted out to family members of dissidents it turned out to be a non-option. This brutal suppression reminds of stories I heard from Cuban American friends during Castro’s regime. We have no revolutionaries, only power-drunk rulers driven by greed
It has forced me reflect on what has happened to Pakistan in the last twenty months. Depravity has a synonym; wickedness. We as a nation were on the right track. After decades of doddering around, the economy which determines the health of a nation, was headed in the right direction. Industry, commerce, agriculture, real estate, IT industry and many more segments were all on an ascendency. We were gaining respect as a nation amongst the Islamic world and other regional players. After a long time you could sense a palpable pride to be a Pakistani both at home and abroad. Overseas Pakistanis were conveying their approval through increased remittances and investing in schemes like “Roshan”Pakistan.
All this came to a jarring halt in April 2022. All the positivity was consumed by a three legged dragon of negativity. PTI was replaced by a bunch of crooks who have looted the nation blind over the last three decades. Their Honcho Nawaz Sharif was sulking in London licking his woundsand pining to return to power. Intermediaries re-connected him with General Bajwa, himself seeking an extension. The third and the pivotal limb was the State Department,unhappy with IK’s independent stance taken in the best interest of Pakistan. These IK haters’ confluence became visible in the last quarter of 2021 through activities of US Embassy harnessing disgruntled PTI parliamentarians.
No confidence was just the beginning of dismembering the positive direction of the nation. The nightmares started shortly thereafter. PM SS and his hatchet-man Rana Sana with active participation of Aabpara unleashed a reign of terror to suppress all dissent. That is when a new phenomenon kicked in. The people of Pakistan refused to accept this criminal enterprise. They came out in droves supporting IK and rejecting these PDM crooks.
As the resistance built up so did the level of tyranny of this imported regime and their uniformed backers. They ignored a basic principal of history; nations cannot be controlled through use of force, rather it is achieved through moral authority. Bajwa’s exit and takeover by the present Chief only accentuated the brutal suppression. The gloves came off and through engineered events like May 9th the levels of brutality gained new heights. Thousands of PTI workers have been tortured, jailed including women and children.
All these efforts were aimed towards a one point agenda; how to eliminate IK from the political scene and sever the unshakable bonds that has developed between him and Pakistanis. Depravity and wickedness are in full display. IK has been jailed after failed assassination attempts. Courts have been intimidated to deny any relief to him or his party men. There is complete censorship in media. Personal attacks and character assassination is in full swing. ECP has become their errand boy.
Hypocrisy has become the order of the day. “Ladla” Nawaz Sharif is being dry-cleaned getting speedy hearings and relief. IK’s cases are being dragged with CJ Islamabad taking a lead role. While IK has been convicted for accounting errors in his filings in Tosha Khana, Nawaz Sharif, Zardari and their flock’s blatant theft of vehicles and other items is in cold storage. Maryam and Fazal’s foul mouthed utterances against Supreme Court Justices are conveniently ignored while IK is being prosecuted for pointing out flaws of a Session Court Judge.
Sick minds in power and their PML(N) partners are getting vicarious pleasure through releasing a defamatory book by an aging starlet and the shameless interview by ex-husband Maneka. Apparently more such releases are in the works. The public’s reaction is of disgust and there is further strengthening of IK’s support.
With elections around the corner Nawaz, Tareen and their lackeys are permitted public meetings which no one wants to attend while PTI is being suffocated. What purpose would be served for holding elections in which PTI is not permitted to participate? Have the Junta taken leave of all logic and reason? Meanness alone despite your guns, will not change the writings on the wall. Pakistanis will not accept a stolen election without PTI’s unhindered participation. IK has played a masterstroke by deflecting ECP’s latest Machiavellian attempt to disbar him. Many more attempts will be made. IK has demonstrated he can withstand pressure; people solidly stand behind him. Can this Junta sustain themselves?
