Pakistan: How a Youth Sees | Opinion Maker

Pakistan: How a Youth Sees | Opinion Maker.

Pakistan is not just a country it is a phenomenon. A brand new state filled with incredible possibilities and promise.  People wasting their lives in a stagnant environment and with no future came here. They were not just talented, they were multi-talented. When people from different parts of British ruled India – came here – they were determined to change their lives completely because they did not want to waste single day – when the doorway to all kinds of opportunity had opened.
To top this all was the emerging city Karachi. No history to burden it, just some old British colonial remnants – which did not signify much. No burden of history of any kind. It was originally the capital of Pakistan -it became the commercial capital of Pakistan. More than half of Karachi comprises of factories, the rest are residential areas. I have a story a personal favourite of mine. There was this Christian factory worker in a textile company,  he lost his job – because of the economic downturn.
He was not out work, he found an opportunity to darn  shirts and trousers. He did this for one shop then several shops in the area. His work load increased and told the shopkeepers he would not be able to darn them all in one day, he would have to take them home. Soon enough he was darning them from his house. Since he was the most trustworthy darner the work kept piling up in his house.
Eventually he started hiring people for this job – they were many times poorer than he was. Now this former factor worker has become a businessman.
He sends his workers to collect clothes from different areas of Karachi. His home has become a factory. The next time I met him he was not lamenting not about  having a job, he was worried about the business atmosphere which had slowed down. Talking like a true businessman. He had transformed his original setback as opportunity to make himself a businessman. This is what Pakistan is all about. Out of simply nothing people are building their lives and improving on them.
Pakistan means hope and opportunity. Those who had vision, came to Pakistan. Because of this people in Pakistan say ‘Pakistani hamari jaan’.
Pakistan had nothing to start with. One factory  in its name. There was no ink, no paper. The Indians had it all. The British flag came down in New Delhi government offices and other official buildings and the Indian flag was flying. Everything was ready made. Pakistan has been built carefully. It still has a long way to go. Of course there are corrupt people. It is not easy to build a nation from scratch, but we are still at it  - there is no problem Pakistan cannot fix.

 

The media in Pakistan may have achieved some freedom to say what it likes. But the industry is run itself is run, who are noble to the cause – they do not know ,care are understand what journalism is in the first place. When there is no respect for journalistic ideals as such, how can there be and consideration for journalists. The owners are only interested in having the newspaper the next morning, nothing else – they  are not concerned about content – even if it is filled with nothing worth printing.
Journalists are not encouraged to dig stories – not ask questions. Just prints things as they have been reported by those who are in a position of power and influence. Never challenge them.  The owners are not after scoops to make their paper popular – they are simply after advertisements. If a company’s managing director is saying – print everything he has said – word for word. The reason is that the owners are not interested in news and are only  concerned with advertising revenue.
As for the people who work in newspapers, TV channels – they are hired – but that does not mean they would be paid.   The owners of Business Recorder and Aaj TV had one of its employees Mr Baloch, working for them on a contract basis. Meaning that he would be entitled only to a salary and no benefits. After 20 years of service he was fired.
This person sued  owners and won his case.  The owners appealed the case in the Supreme Court and they lost there also. No sooner was this case decided in favour of the Mr Baloch – all the newspaper owners panicked.  They had been relying on the services of contract employees instead of full time regular employees. (Regular employees are entitled to proper salaries and particular benefits – they cannot be fired on a whim – there has to be just cause).
The newspaper owners dropped the idea of contract employees and started hiring people as trainees and interns. In this way they did not have to pay anyone anything. People could be made to work – without any of them expecting to be paid for their services. This is slavery but no one will recognise this as such because  - no one expects educated people working for absolutely nothing.
All newspapers relying ‘stringer’ reporters to send them reports from different parts of Pakistan. These reporters are freelance reporters – who only get paid not for the story – but on the basis of the size of the story which has been printed. This also comes in the category of slavery.  The owners of media set ups should start paying up.  The owners are tax evaders and some are drug barons – they use their newspapers to blackmail – in order to avoid being caught.
Just because there is a great deal of unemployment in Pakistan. People take any job they can – realise that they will not be paid a little too late.

Freedom of expression and speech

A part of human nature is to do exactly the opposite. If they have been given freedom, they choose imprisonment and want to be confined. They want to be told what to do. When they are imprisoned for long, they get tired of that and crave freedom.  Human nature gravitates towards contradictions yet no one wants to admit this.
They will want conform at the same time not to. For instance freedom of expression and freedom is a fundamental right. The highest form of freedom of expression is pornography – yet it is universally condemned – because people inherently contradict themselves. Perhaps in their privacy they want to have porn. But will vehemently deny others. The growth of this kind of thinking is catching one.  Road blocks are being set up.  All kinds of means to prevent access to porn.
Then there is no support for hate speech and comments. Its like saying that one can hate, but have no right to say it. Denying someone from saying something – does not make hate disappear. Racism and religious hatred will remain no matter how many times are people are gagged.  One may not write ones feelings down, but no one can stop people from not talking with someone whom they hate, or choosing to ignore them.  It is silent expression of hatred. Not a verbal one or written one.
Freedom of expression means is like opening a valve, instead of letting the pressure build  up and people explode in a wave of violence, which is unspoken and unbridled.  Hate and offensive speech should be on the written page – not spread on the streets where people end up killing one another. Social networks and chat sites are not helping by preventing people say what they feel, or show how they feel.  Perhaps forums and social networks are not the right places, not even the forums which are dedicated to letting say whatever they like, because they have their own ‘terms and conditions’ which have to be signed, before that website can be used. Now how free is that?
I suppose what no longer applies “Hey! I’m going say whatever I  like to say, whenever I like to say it”.  Perhaps the Internet itself is not the right place to express anything at all, because there are too many administrators and monitors. They cancel what you said – posts are deleted. Of course posts are deleted because it is an example of intolerance. When intolerance comes in the way, write things on the wall. Photocopy your comments and spread them around. Some people will read them, others will trash them. But they are opinions. It is very powerful thing  to let people know what you think.  If  I hate the police trying to prevent me from saying what I like to say – I don’t have the right to express  it. If I hate corrupt politicians,  I have no right to say it. There are so many things I hate, but I will never be say anything because it is completely unacceptable to the moderators, administrators and monitors of the websites who are controlling them.

Islamism, church and Atheism

For people who are Christians there is a concept of priesthood. The church and its entire structure. The different rank and file of the church.  The power of the church in their religious life. A very powerful institution the Church is. The confessions, they praying on Sundays and listening to the Bible.  All this is the part of a very strong organised belief system.
Christians have been brought up like this – since their childhood. They have been going to Church since they were able to walk. The sang eulogies.  Judaism is very similar in structure. It also has its own priesthood. There are some differences in terms of structure they are same.
When Communism made its way in the world – condemning the church, condemning religion and accepting atheism as being right.
Religion was called the opium of the people – that God will come and save everyone – the church was terrified of this development. Communism became part of the great Russian Empire and was renamed the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics. The Czar’s powers were transferred to a political leadership. The Czars were known as cruel masters.
The Church viewed the USSR particularly its atheism as something which endangered all things good.
The Church’s opinion was very strong and the people accepted it. The USA a predominantly Christian country had people who scared of being over-run by a Communist power and there would be atheists everywhere. Christians everywhere take religious values very seriously. They may joke about every once in a while but they would never say something which would be completely unacceptable.
The Cold War was not really about Capitalism versus Communism.  Communist values like complete employment, complete health-cover, housing,  taking care of the old very tempting. All Capitalist countries adopted them in one way or another. It was enough keep away Communist sentiments at bay. The real battle was the Church versus atheism.
When the USSR invaded Afghanistan, it was opportunity to strike at atheism. The Afghan tribes divisive as they were united under the banner of Islam and were turned into soldiers of Islam and called Mujahideen.
The USA and other Capitalist countries poured in lots of money and weaponry in that war. The world was on tenterhooks. The USSR could easily turn the war into something global and it would be World War 3 and all would be over in a matter of minutes. But that did not happen. The Soviet Union admitted defeat and withdrew. There was no need for the Mujahideen, this resulted in the tribes going back to their own turfs. But with advanced weapons they started attacking each other. The tribal chiefs became warlords. Till the Taliban came and restored order.
That was all said in done – the Christians were puzzled about the fact the way the Muslim forces dispersed and broke up into several independent units. What they did not understand why there was such loose connection between the mosque and the people.  How can a religion exist without a priesthood and without a clergy to guide them.  Islam does not have priesthood – it is the only monotheistic religion which does not have a clergy.  Mosques are built like churches or temples.
There is no  hierarchy in the mosque. Anyone can lead a prayer and forgiveness is sought from God not through some individual.It was puzzling for the Church that there is no such thing as pope or central religious leader and no archbishop. When the funding was being done for the Mujahideen different Muslim groups collected it and gave it to the Mujhahideen. The other source were the seminaries, in which children were being trained to become soldiers.
As soon as the war ended it all ended. The influence of the religious groups and the seminaries came to a standstill.  The  phrase coined ‘Islamic Terrorism’ is  similar to the fear of atheism.  Islam a poorly understood religion  has become a source of revulsion for the Christian community. It is not terrorism which scares people, it is Islamic Terrorism, as is Islam is something very dangerous.
Ignorance has a great deal to do with this. Islam does not say people should not believe in God, in fact encourages believing in him and praying.  What Islam does is set aside the idea that there should be a priesthood of any kind. That would mean lots of people would be out of jobs, because they are the purveyors of faith.
The Church would be happier if Islamic faith was hierarchical and was built around a super-structure of some kind of temple – Buddhism is more acceptable there are priests and they have monasteries.
One organisation called the Tableeghi Jamaat is trying to change Islam into a monastic faith. That cannot happen, because Islam is about freedom and the belief system has not place for priests and there is no room monasteries. The day the funding of the Tableeghi Jamaat ends it shall cease to exist.
Islam poses a danger to the Church which wants to control the population. Islam therefore is far worse that atheism.  The atheists ceased to going to Church and pray. When Communism ended the people who were deeply rooted in Christianity resumed going to Church. Islam provides the ultimate alternative – believe in God – but do not have any in between. The mullah in the mosque is an ignoramus and to listening to him is like listening to a donkey braying.
Those who talk about Talibanisation  or the invasion of the Taliban are barking up the wrong tree.  The Taliban wanted to restore peace and order in Afghanistan – they were not there start out new religion or enforce primitive Islamic values.  The US forces are in Afghanistan fighting Islamic terror. Its funny some of those soldiers coming home and becoming Muslims. That is exactly what happened Changez Khan’s armies invaded the Muslim Empire – they converted to Islam. Those armies  introduced Islam to Central Asia.
There atheist forums – because in order to encourage to stop believing in Islam and become atheists. The only thing that will achieve is that there will be more hatred for the ignorant Mullah nothing else.

Social networking a mundane excercise

Perhaps the best kind of social networking is chatting. There is no substitute. Chatting without restrictions, without monitoring, without administrators. There is a free flow of ideas and an instant reaction. A world of real time and real consequences. Unrestricted chatting means unlimited chatters.  When there is a free exchange of ideas and people show websites and start a rapid flow ideas.  Chat sites are more responsive. However social networking sites are completely are unattached. One person on that social network has nothing to do with someone else who is there. In chatting  - people get involved with one another very quickly. This never happens in a social networking site, of course there is the chat feature but few people use it.

Real chatting is anonymous and with no holds barred, it is adventurous.  People ‘talk’ convey their feelings and everyone else gets involved. The much prized social networking does not involve anyone.  A person has an account in one of them – he is constantly reminded of the rules and regulations which that website has set. In chat sites it is not the responsibility of the chatter nor is it the responsibility of the owner of that website. I do not see that closeness and attachment which people who have with someone other chatter.  In social networking sites one is blowing ones own horn and rarely is there anyone around who responds to it. In chatting website no one knows the other but gets instantly interested what someone is saying, or is trying to convey.

Social networking is the antithesis of chatting – because no one knows enough about the person who is chatting – it is discouraged – or too many restrictions are put to prevent free flow of ideas.  The powers that want to know more about the person who is chatting. It has nothing to do with policing – it is for purely marketing purposes. Tremendous business interest in individuals who are conveying their ideas and respond to what someone else has said.

Social networks have advertising directed towards the people who are have an account in any of them. The website owners restrict the number of people you can add, because marketing firms then do not get a clear idea what kind of person is the subscriber of that account.  There are marketing models.  One cannot have more than a few thousand ‘friends’ or people one can add. Every time a person is added or rejected – tells more about the person and advertising becomes more accurate.  Chatting does not allow that kind accuracy because friends are already there and they are growing on their own, the chatter has not added them – for marketing companies chat sites do not serve no purpose. A chatter has to be known, his habits understood. Everything he likes and dislikes.

This idea may have been derived from porn websites. The type of porn preferred by an individual – that person will find more of the porn he wants. Everything is linked for marketing purposes.

Karachi violence – Google Search

Karachi violence – Google Search.

The violence in Karachi is not the product of  a group of hooligans going on a rampage. It is very different. It is not even even a Beirut type  civil war situation in which there are two parts of the city, one pitted against the other.  It is not a Los Angeles type  of turf war.

What is seen, observed since the death of Benazir Bhutto – in 2007 – Karachi ended up in orgy of violence at an unprecedented scale – in which shops were fire bombed,  people burnt to death while they were still in their cars.  This was the fiery beginning of democracy. In the violence of 2007 despite the presence of rangers and police – so much was damage was and many lives were lost. The military realised that it had no choice but return to the barracks and never come back.

Yet many in the military hoped that the lost glory of military control will return. The problems created by not having a representative government has created a great deal of problems. Decisions made without debate. Orders are orders – that is what applies in the armed forces. It does not have place in a democratic environment.

Karachi is the proverbial goose which lays the golden egg.   The situation is such no one wants to let go of it,  they would rather kill it than let belong to someone else.  The violence in Karachi serves its purpose. If order is restored in Karachi – then the military will have no reason to intervene. Violence in any part of Pakistan is of no consequence – it matters in Karachi alone.  Altaf Hussain keeps asking the military take over, because he was  General Zia’s man. General Zia wanted to end the Pakistan People’s Party’s control over Karachi.  Zia got what he wanted – but it created more problems.  Altaf Hussain knew too much, he knew who made him. He knew the officers who gave him the support he needed.

The shop  to shop extortion, the kidnappings and the car thefts carried out with a single purpose in mind – to buy guns and having guns for hire. The mob gave their assassins. The assassins were given the weapons they needed.  The payment before and after – several gangs but they are only a handful of dons who know what each gang is doing.

Endless violence is not in the interest of these big gangs, they have other illegal activities – which requires peace and quiet.  The people who made this possible were the people who worked for General Zia. The dons know their names and can be exposed any time.  Being associated with any gang is a very dangerous thing. No one gives anything away unless the other does.  The mob bosses are not interested in politics – they are patriotic to the core – they love the country which enables them to continue with criminal activities and does not mean starting street warfare – that is not how the play, draws too much attention to them. However they will do it if they are  paid, but not all the time.

The situation seems ripe for a military take over. The president is seen as completely corrupt. Everyone in the government the same. The inability of the government to quell the violence.  But will the government resort out-dated and outmoded tactic, remains to be seen.

Karachi has survived – the age of divide and conquer works only a few times. No one really wants killings to go on.  No is fooled any more by the situation which has been created. The military too has suffered setbacks since May of this year. Intelligence failures and the inability to protect their own installations and killing civilians.  Murder of journalists and their murder shrouded in mystery. What should be a clear cut case in which the perpetrators can found and are found.  In Karachi no one really knows who is killing whom. The identities of the killers remain secret. During Zia’s unidentified snipers where shooting people. Nothing was done. None of those crimes ever investigated.  No one is ever caught. The day those people are caught and identified it will suddenly bring to an end to the violence in Karachi once and for all.

Return to martial law

After the violence in Karachi.   The energy crisis in Punjab and in Karachi.  The mounting charges of corruption against the existing civilian government. The souring of ties of Pakistan with the USA and the cancellation of aid by the USA for Pakistan. The return of the civil service returns to run the cities and all democratic norms discarded. The Raymond Davis  affair. The Abbottabad Incident, the Mehran base attack.  The blame is falling on the ‘inept’ civilian government.

The military is suffering one insult after another. People are complacent that the military will not return to power.  The only slogan the military has for the people of Pakistan — without the military the country cannot survive – that is reason enough to take over and forever end democracy. The armed forces has learnt from its own mistakes. It wants great ties with the US A and do everything the USA wants.

The military will force a crackdown. All private TV channels will be shut down. All newspapers will be required to blindly obey the military junta’s decisions.  Pakistanis will forever be  remain enslaved by the armed forces. All rebellion all talks demonstration will be destroyed with brutal force.  Thousands will be killed to ensure permanent military rule for as long as Pakistan exists. All civil rights will be denied. Everyone will have to prove their identity before going from one to another. Everyone will be  guilty of something.

The military wants to grab power before the next elections. Everyone will be killed – lawyers, judges, students and labour unions.  Pakistan will descend into darkness with no hope for the future. The internet will be permanently cut off.  Newspapers which do not as the junta says – will be shut down and journalists will be shot dead in front of their offices.

The junta will do what the junta in Myanmar is doing, what is happening in Libya and Syria. No time for debate or question – only blind obedience. However there will be a devastating consequence to all this. The younger officers will mutiny. They will bring down the junta to a bloody end. The price of all the massacres carried out by the junta will be paid back in full.  Every soldier who blindly obeyed illegal orders will be executed. Democracy will be in Pakistan with no strings attached.

Pakistan will be in a position to deal with its problems without fear of any repercussions.  Deal with the USA on equal terms. Pakistan is not a Third World Country – a  label given the former imperialists.  That is in the distant future. Right now the threat of the next martial law is there and it will be a very bloody one.

Turning back the clock: Sindh reverts to bureaucracy-run system – The Express Tribune

Turning back the clock: Sindh reverts to bureaucracy-run system – The Express Tribune.

Cities are not run by civil servants – they are elected representatives of the people of that city. A city the size of Karachi is gigantic undertaking  - it requires a very large legislative council. The council elects the mayor – who heads a several departments. Departments such water, sanitation, waste disposal, road building, utilities (gas and electricity), building – their construction and safety. The police department.

Since Karachi is the goose which lays the golden egg – every institution wants to have its share. The military has its housing authorities, its cantonment boards.  Then there are separate housing authorities and societies each running autonomously.  Karachi is no longer the small town of 1947. It is a megapolis  of 18 million people. A new Karachi Municipal Council – will have at least will have legislative council of 200 people. However none of the members of this council will be department heads – those will be appointed by the mayor.

Different departments which presently have been given the name of authorities and boards at present will have to be directly under the control of the mayor. The poor performance will reflect on the overall performance of the mayor. The city taxes – such property tax and excise duty will belong to the city. That money will be used to build and repair roads. The municipal council will decide the investment on the police. The people of Karachi will not have to rely on private guards for their own security – that is the job the police.  From the money the city generates  there can be thousands of buses, vans and taxis – which run on subsidised fares.

Karachi Airport and sea port will belong to Karachi, the function of the Civil Aviation Authority will only provide airport services and administer the airport. The job of the Civil Aviation Authority is not own airports of any town and city. Those belong to the respective cites and towns.  Karachi can be very well run city – and not look as if its bombed out and nothing can be done about it.

Democracy is absolutely important for city to flourish.

Native understanding

Soon after General Ayub became  the first military dictator, he  imposed the Pakistan Press Ordinance (PPO) the law which prohibited the press from publishing anything – without government approval. Nearly all the independent newspapers were nationalised and  became a wasteful organisation called the Pakistan Press Trust (PPT). The newspapers which were left – their owners agreed to do exactly as the dictator wanted and never dared criticise anything he or any members of his regime did.

Colonialism had returned to Pakistan after a short stint of freedom from 1947 till 1958 of freedom and independence. The military replaced the former British colonial masters. The result of this  was extreme intolerance. There was  a magazine called Viewpoint which dared to criticise General Ayub  - it was closed. The press which printed the magazine was shut down.

The editor of that magazine was punished. General Ayub sadly for him – knew English better than his own language Urdu, Pushto or Punjabi and others. An English magazine criticising him was completely intolerable. If he had his ear on the ground – he would have heard the insults in Urdu he would left office earlier. The jokes were  outlandish. Pakistanis developed a sense of humour which condemned all politicians and all the generals. When General Yahya took over from General Ayub  - his sexual misadventures with a prostitute Rani became a nationwide joke.

Rani was given the title General. She became General Rani – the official spokesperson of General Yahya.  No press ordinance could stop the jokes.  These were very dangerous – because the lower ranking military officers made fun of him. The press was still too terrified of  this military regime – those which was not the part of the PPT – remained terribly cautious. But there was no escape from public ridicule and derision.

ZA Bhutto claiming to be a democrat – was not interested in getting rid of the PPO and shutting down the PPT. He was the bitch of the generals. He too lost his way because the free press was not there to guide him. The ass-hole was hanged consequently. General Zia who took over from him had too many jokes to count. One was regarding his wife – in which he is New York and asks a hooker how much she would charge – she says $150 -”No, no that is too much, how about $20″. She pushes him away, shortly the general’s  fat ugly wife came by and he starts walking with her. “That’s what you get for $10!” The hooker shouted.

In the 1990s the media became relatively free. The PPO was discarded and the PPT had become too expensive to run -so all the publications were sold. Some ceased to exist soon after.  The press which had never been a part of the PPT has despite the freedom – has remained cautious.

Still the generals continued  to threaten newspapers about the coverage and exposés  which they felt would undermine security.  Journalists have been killed because of this intolerance. The military’s strength lies in the fact that the press should remain absolutely free with no interference. If the press had been free – then East Pakistan would have remained a part of Pakistan – but the stupid generals made decisions which  severely harmed the country.

What our generals should know is that what gets known by journalists – it means the same thing is already known outside Pakistan. Journalists should not be considered foreign agents and spies. The fact that something the military is doing something and the press has gotten wind of it – that means the effort keep something secret failed. If it has failed and there were serious lapses in security.  This has always happened and will continue to happen.

One of the reasons why General Ayub had to become the military dictator of Pakistan was to crush the press freedom,  because the USA was sending its U2 spy plane to  from Peshawar to fly over the Soviet Union, The Americans did not want the local press to know this,much less have an opinion about this.

The fear was the KGB would  find out. But the secrecy of these, missions failed because one of the U2 planes was shot down and the Gary Powers its pilot was captured. A great set back for the USA. So if the truth was not known in one way, it was found in some other way.  When the USA finished its satellite spy network, it no longer needed to fly U2 planes. The so called strategic importance of Pakistan was only there because US wanted to use Pakistan for its Cold War purposes only.

Newspapers are still wary of criticising anything openly. Or ever really concerned about investigating stories. The fear is tremendous that the generals will take over again. There will be a new Pakistan Press Ordinance and all the newspapers, tv channels and radio channels are going are again going  to be  shut down or nationalised.

The military has ceased to think of itself as a colonial entity. It should be a national armed force. It does not exist to rule, it exists only to serve nothing else. It has no right to depose a democratic set up and start running the country.