Let’s Never Normalize the “New Normal” in Pakistan
On 5th October, 9:10 am, I had to travel to the village of Heir on Bedian Road, but I couldn’t. The police had closed the route off. My aunt had to travel to Gulberg, but she couldn’t. Ring Road had containers on it. Entries to Ferozepur Road – one of the main routes of the city – were closed too. The situation in Islamabad and Rawalpindi is worse. There’s no mobile service, and a majority of the roads are closed off. Just a new normal day in Pakistan?
Since Friday, 4th October, 4g signals are next to non-existent throughout the country. You cannot send a single message on Whatsapp without using a VPN.
Reason? The PTI protest in Lahore.
Social media is full of extremely footage. Motorway has been dig up by the state, and apparently the digging has led to accidents. Zartaj Gul arrested from her house without a dupatta, other women are being dragged on streets in broad daylight. The sitting Chief Minister of a province being abducted. State resources are being used to drop tear gas on protestors.
We’re heading towards absolute madness, and we need to stop it from happening!
A Party Issue?
It’s not even a party issue anymore, but the new reality – all discerning voices need to be silenced by the use of brute force. We all know that the sitting government is unpopular and unelected. Unlike democracies, their power does not stem from public support, but rather as a gift from certain “institutes”. Hence, the only way for them to save their unpopular kursi is through crackdowns on whoever criticizes them – be it PTI, or even JI protesting for Gaza and criticizing the government’s lack of action.
In the span of a little over a week, we have witnessed monstrosity against PTI protestors, lawyers in Karachi and now students of Punjab Group of Colleges (PGC) students fighting against the rape of a fellow student. Entire state machinery is being used to protect a rapist, all while threatening students with more rape cases, college suspensions and arrests. Keep in mind, these children are barely 17-18 years old!
Pakistan never has been a true democracy, unfortunately. Missing persons, crackdowns, martial laws, military operations – we’ve seen it all. However, what we’re seeing today is an absolute banana republic. As a majority struggles to pay for basic necessities, with no economic revival in sight, one would expect some kind of actions being taken to fix it. However, the anger towards the sitting government – that too, unelected – only grows when people see that even the remaining state resources are being used to crush people, close remaining businesses and disrupt livelihoods.
Unprecedented Crackdown?
We have seen some trying to justify the crackdown with the argument that it’s nothing ”unprecedented”. Firstly, it’s absolutely criminal to change the focus from the government actions and how wrong they are, to whether it’s the first time this has happened. Just because tyranny has existed previously, it makes it okay for it to continue?
Moreover, even people who have lived through Zia’s martial law – one of the darkest periods in the country’s history – claim that this is a new level of despair that we are witnessing. Although activists have always been targeted, the women of their family, the elderly, the children have never been dragged into the mess for political gains the way they are now.
Why are Imran Khan’s sisters and wife in jail, not being allowed access to lawyers? Who is responsible for the death of Ibad Farooq’s little son? No one is safe in this madhouse anymore.
Is this the reality we want to live in?
If we as a nation cannot stop and self-reflect at this moment, we’re truly a lost cause. Do we really want to collectively build – and accept – a society where illegally breaking into people’s houses at midnight, abduction of elected officials, dragging women on the streets and demolishing homes and businesses to build political pressure are daily occurrences? The way we have started to move past these ‘updates’ is a shameful moment for us as a nation.
We’re delusional if we think this would end with PTI. If you think it’s because PTI is disturbing the path to national progress, and needs to be controlled, you are in for a huge surprise. PTM has been banned too. Individual poets and artists are being targeted. It was never PTI, anyone who challenges the status quo is a problem.
Are you going to sit and wait till the point where you are asking for your rights, and in return, get gifted by laathi charge and shelling in return? You’re delusional if you think it won’t happen.
What are people protesting for?
PTI supporters – given a majority of the leadership is either in jail or hiding – are out there fighting for what they believe to be the fundamentals for survival of the country.
One might not agree with them, but its crucial to at least listen to what they’re demanding before supporting state’s use of unhinged power against them. They’re calling for their election votes to be respected, they’re fighting against military trials and illegal abductions of civilians, against constitutional amendments that will place unbridled power in the hands of individuals. They’re asking for economical reforms that will save people from dying of hunger.
Does that make them traitors? The state and its puppet journalists will make you believe so.
But don’t worry, all is well!
The Pakistan being built under the current regime allows for no room to speak. You cannot criticize those in power even on factual elements like inflation rates and poverty.
“All is Well”, the uncrowned King told you an year back. Dare you question him, while you struggle to feed your kids. If you do, be prepared for the King’s puppets to call you an anti-state traitor, drag the women of your home on the streets, and crush down your house.
But like they told us, “Welcome to Purana Pakistan”.
