A Soap Opera, only it’s real

note: I wrote this article a year back, and each year we grow older and wiser. Some comments may seem to farfetched but this was a time I was deeply frustrated and shocked since Pakistan's future seemed uncertain.

I live outside of Pakistan for three years now, and yet my heart bleeds at the sight of every news page I open whether it is Dawn, The News or even BBC. The mockery made out of our political system, and the greed for power by the bad guys and eventually their rise reminds me of those television soap operas where the villain rises to the occasion fooling all those around him/her and only us the viewers know who is the true criminal in the house. I grew up in that country, it was my home, and now I can’t think of going back. And I blame all you politicians for your selfishness and illiteracy of focusing on only things important to you.
When President Musharraf came to power, I remember the whole scenario of the coup of how it was breaking news, and what a hero the nation made him. Soon I saw the changes around me. Streets had names now, and directional banners were laid out around Karachi. I was very proud. Construction was peaking, and roads were good. Economy was stable and we were all happy. Then came 9/11, and we all knew Pakistan was in trouble. But it was at that time he made critical decision. He sided with the U.S to fight terrorism which is what any person in his place would do. It’s easy to talk now but seriously think about it. You’re at work, and a fellow Muslim employee murders a non-Muslim employee in front of you. Would you defend the murderer just because he’s Muslim? Would you not give a testimony? Of course you would if you’re a person with some morals and sensibility. And we are talking about United States of America. A country so successful that it’s legal for them to be proud. So back to this military man who changed the fate of our country. A few years passed and then a few more and then it was a dictatorship. Should he have left gracefully when Pakistan was doing well? I guess so, but each to his own. Did he? No. He stuck to it. Just like Macbeth, usurped by his own power. Again let us remind ourselves that he is only human. Power is a taste that just grows in ones mouth. He stuck on till eventually he was disrespectfully overruled and forced to step back. The man we made a hero was a man we made the enemy. The poor cursed him for making everything too expensive, the rich accused him of being too stringent, the business man accused him of toppling the economy, and the army accused him of neglect. Understandable, everyone was hurt by the oil prices and they needed someone to blame.
After a lot of insult, international mockery, and humiliation of this man, old enough to be my father the elections took place. Benazir Bhutto was murdered. Her husband suddenly rose to power. Wow, a whole new regime happened. Are you happy now? I guess not. Not till the President is further humiliated and accused of horrid things and charged. I have not read his biography therefore I am not sympathizing with him for any reason but rationale. I am not saying hes a hero. The man we are concerned here is an ordinary guy, who after completing his education at Forman Christian College; Lahore devoted his life to the army and fought in wars for our country. His son graduated from Stanford and doing very well for himself. His daughter is an architect by profession. They are a family just like any of us, educated and respectful.
Whereas the man currently more powerful than our President, and the co-chairman of the leading political party is equally impressive or maybe more to you Musharraf haters. The most interesting on record piece of information about him written on BBC was that his rise to fame was due to operating a private “disco” at home and his reputation as a “playboy”. Moreover after excessive googling I did not find any significant educational background, like a college degree or even a diploma in something substantial. But its okay, you elected his party, knowing he would be King, maybe you know more about him than the internet does. But what I did find in various results were corruption charges, jail terms, bank fraud and many other things we all know are true but we like to pretend there is a halo on top of his head. Seriously you educated and non-educated people, you shock me. You want a leader, who has no educational background to make informed political decisions, who as a history of fraud and corruption to the extent that he was banned from entering the very country he claims to run. There are such educated sensible experienced people in his party yet he chooses himself to go on the forefront and you say nothing.
Then there is the other guy, from another party, who is let’s face it, only seeking revenge. He knows hes not wanted, but he also knows he is an asset to the leading party because currently they share common hatred towards Musharraf who revealed their true colors. This ex-Prime Minister holds a law degree but yet fails to follow it himself. He too has been charged under corruption charges, and is heavily fined and was also at the end of his PM term exiled to Saudi Arabia. If none of those charges were true, if he was such a great leader as he claims, why was their no trial held? Why did he not get the best lawyers to fight for him? Why did his people not mourn his departure? Why did he contently exile for many many years?
Ever Since President Musharraf lost his credibility in politics and these “masters of diplomacy” came to power how much has the country changed? And who has benefited? The economy is depleting faster than ever, food prices are sky high, inflation is irreversible, poverty is to the point that stealing is as common as draught. What have these men done for you? Which school did they open for the poor, which charity organization did they create, which sport did they encourage, what new security measures have they created so that you sleep securely at night not worrying when the next round of burglars would cross your street? What have they done for you culturally, educationally, socially and most of all politically? Our country is internally bleeding, and all they seem to care is to impeach the President. It was the sad act of this President who actually allowed them back into this country, and I think his biggest mistake till date. Time is running out. So are good educated personnel. The rich can fly away, and the poor have to suffer. We are a shameful nation where a Pakistani wants to hurt another Pakistani. We are regressing while the world is progressing. We stabbed ourselves with this new regime. It’s only a matter of time before we cripple. I can’t step foot in a country where I don’t respect the leaders, I don’t trust their intentions, and I don’t care for their selfish opinions. I don’t know why people act oblivious to this parade of evil taking place every single day affecting every single one of us. It makes me sad to feel so repelled by my own country when im not the one who ever tried to harm it, or had a history of exile or prison.
I don’t want to suggest a remedy, but I did feel compelled to shed light on the credentials of those people leading our country today. We should know who they are, what they did, and how did they get here. Because otherwise we are just a bunch of blind mice led into the lake by the pied piper and in our story, we are not the cause of trouble.