True Crisis in Pakistan

If I were to narrate my final epitaph based on the experiences of the life I have lived, I would quote a passage from the Gospel of Mark in which Saint Peter denied Jesus Christ thrice. This proves that we are alone in this world and we cannot rely on anyone. We can console ourselves by using words like society, co-existence, family, nation, unity, justice, good governance but it is a facade when compared to true realities. We don’t have to look further from home to see this happen; the rule to live in Pakistan is literally every man for himself and the same goes for the fairer sex. In a society where one is born lonely, lives lonely and dies lonely, and there is no one to show an iota of compassion in life as well as in death, how can anyone dream big dreams. We have become a society that doesn’t know its true identity. That in itself is a recipe for disaster. We are collectively callous as a nation to each other and others.

The proof are the suicide bombings, bomb blasts, and abductions and murder, target killings going on inside Pakistan and how insecure foreigners have become in Pakistan. Indeed we are a country lost in its purity and with no clue or purpose as to how we shall get it back. Footages of Quaid-e-Azam, Liaqut Ali Khan waving the national flag, and a triumphant Fatima Jinnah and her brother Mohammad Ali Jinnah walking together after Pakistan’s independence seem like pictures from another time, another age, another world. Were we really so pure, so true at our existence? What went wrong? India lost their father, their ‘Bapu’, Gandhiji, but they stayed on course. We can make as many excuses as we want, and blame circumstances for the shaping of history when in fact, the finger should be pointed at us. We, collectively are responsible for where we stand today. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? We don’t even have light in Pakistan; the country is drowned in darkness.

The recent news for Pakistanis is the power crisis is still raging in Pakistan; Balochistan is hardest hit in this regard. In 14 districts, Balochistan has been experiencing load shedding for 20 hours a day for the last ten days. Pakistan is an agricultural country undergoing a serious water crisis. People are scavenging for potable water.

According to statistics provided by Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO), the power production standing at 10,500 Megawatts and demand still rising at 13,900 MWs. The power outage span in Karachi, Islamabad and Faisalabad is three hours; whereas in Lahore and other cities it has stretched to 12 hours.

In Sindh the situation is no worse, Sindh’s urban areas including Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, Nawab Shah, Qazi Ahmed, Jakobabad, Shikarpur, Obaro and Ghotki are devoid of power for 12 to 14 hours; while, the rural areas are affected with 14 to 16-hour of load shedding.

Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw is experiencing 12 to 14 hours of load shedding in urban areas and 16 hours in rural areas. This power crisis is creating in all major departments in Pakistan. Meanwhile, PEPCO has issued a statement that this load management will be beneficial for the country. And yes, now the government is laid back and relaxed because they have allowed the power, food and work deprived Pakistanis two holidays a week.

Meanwhile, Pakistani warplanes have targeted and bombed Taliban positions in the northwest on Sunday, killing at least 19 militants. The military is claiming to have killed several hundred Taliban fighters in its operations in the Orakzai and Khyber regions.

Another casualty of anti-US and anti-western sentiment in post 9/11 is Abdul Khaliq Farahi, who was kidnapped by armed gunmen from Peshawar in Sept 2008, Sunday released a video in which he was shown pleading to authorities to accept the demands of his captors. In the video he appealed to his government and Afghan nation as well as the international community to make their last attempt to save his life. He claimed and rightfully that he had been spending my days and nights in very critical conditions. He said that his abductors have accused him of working with “misled” and US representative government of Afghanistan and the punishment of this crime is death sentence.

After this one of his abductors claiming to be a mujahid, praised his cause and issued a warning to the man pleading for his life. Religion has become the most saleable commodity in Pakistan, one can become a religious scholar, spiritual leader, politician, martyr, mujahid, Saint based on the way one uses and manipulates religion. This is the state of a State that was founded on the two-nation theory. Now the creation of multiple provinces is being made in the name of individual identity and provincial autonomy. Leaders in Hazara are vowing to go on a Long March. This is a practical demonstration that we are lost to our identity, individually and collectively and we are resorting to further dismemberment just to find a reason to co-exist with each other.

What was mentioned earlier in arguments has now been validated by facts and statistics. The Parliament is triumphant with the 18th Amendment, but as a citizen of Pakistan, I propose the following Acts-these are the ones Pakistanis truly look forward to. Roti, Kapra aur Makaan Act, Unemployment for all, Free health care in Pakistan Act, Military to Civil Rule Act, Tertiary Education for all, Sufferers of Domestic Violence Act, Harassment at Work Act, Victims of Rape and Sexual Abuse Act, Fight against Emotional Abuse Act, Transparency and Accountability Act, Empowerment of Minorities Act and last but not least Insurance for the Artists in Pakistan. The point to make here is that whatever a Pakistani citizen writes or says has no significance. He or She is an individual crushed in a merciless society. If he or she makes a consistent humble income, eats three square meals and manages to pay bills and indirect taxes in this brutal and oppressed system then consider you have lived-Jeenay ka Haq Ada Kar diya Hai. The dream of having a platform to serve the underprivileged will remain a dream, Alas! I would have lived a life in which all I could do was to fend for myself and in the process I met my Maker. Had society been different, people with similar ideals would have toiled day and night to bring a change in fact a complete turnaround in this country.

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In such a situation, all one could have is faith. In the Holy Bible, it has been stated that all adversities are a blessing in disguise, a test from the Lord and a promise for a better future if one holds to his or her faith. We must cry out to our Lord in pain and distress and He will listen in His temple and He will respond because he cares and understands. The Lord is your Sheppard and He will show you the way. Bless Him and let not temptation overcome you and He will lead you to triumph as He did King David. If not, then the Lord never helps those who are not upright. This quote from the Bible will validate all stated above in order to convince and understand.

Isaiah 59:1-2

“Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear”.