DON’T CRY FOR ME - PAKISTAN - Global Village Space

Having retired from the Army in 2014 and settled in South Waziristan since, I have found myself gainfully employed on my farms. Farming, leaves me with an abundance of time at my disposal, which I have always tried to put to good use. Nowadays, my mind is often occupied in an attempt to determine what type of Government do we have? So far, I have been hard-pressed to come up with any answer. We most certainly are not blessed with a democracy, since it is not, of the people, by the people, for the people in any form or substance or by any stretch of imagination. It’s neither a martial law, since the armed forces are not in the forefront but who think they are incognito and use denial as a strategy, as they apparently go about influencing the government. A government that leans on the Establishment for its survival but never tires of brandishing some sort of Constitution and an artificial propriety, in a fake and animated display of righteousness.

It cannot be a monarchy because we do not have kings or a queens, though those in power do their best to outdo the life styles of royalty that they imagine themselves ordained by divine sanction. Which brings us to a famous Italian saying; ‘By installing a Madam in a palace, does not make her a queen but does make the Palace into a b.….l’. Having being called the Islamic Republic is another huge aberration – there are no visible signs of Islam at a national level in practice, by conduct, demeanour or commitment and being labelled as a republic would be a self-contradictory exaggeration since to be one, one would first need to see some evidence of discovery in this Land of the Pure. I tried to settle for oligarchy but then changed my mind because though oligarchy is defined as a ‘rule of the few citizens’ there is no rule and people involved do not qualify to be citizens since to be a citizen one must be identified with the Law of the Land. The people who rule Pakistan are criminals who have their assets accumulated overseas and have nothing to do with Pakistan. So having searched on, I came across the Kakistocracy and have now satisfied myself with the fact that, this is the true label we can genuinely award to our so-called government. The formal and legal definition of Kakistocracy is,

‘A Government in which the worst people are in charge. This obscure word is used in political commentary, especially to call out a government considered corrupt and incompetent’

Though I have been quietly watching this spectacle in our country for a while, I have now slowly become concerned, that my silence may be mistaken for ‘agreeing’ to this exhibition of tom-foolery. So in an attempt to register my position: my silence should not be mistaken for my agreement with how things are; it is this façade of governing through tyranny, force and fraud, that has in fact, rendered me speechless – but now, I think it is time to add to the cacophony and register my position. The lack of Constitutional propriety, the total disregard for judicial diligence, the manipulation of the State apparatus in self-serving arguments are enough to astonish even those who have weathered great travesties and mockeries, of pretended governance, in the past. As I watched our legislators at work, I was tempted to start a book, ‘Some Mother’s Have Them’, because of the incredible substance that lay before me, to witness, stand testimony to and observe. What does it mean to do legislation – it implies, taking an idea, any idea and voting on it.

If one has the numbers, the idea becomes a law. But here, nowhere in the equation are the people relevant nor is any moral code a requirement. In the United States, a law was passed in California where it was legislated, that one could not question/interrogate any one on his gender, religion, ethnical affiliation or his race etc. The law was passed by a majority. A Republican Councilman, promoting himself for a legislator’s seat and who was a white male, decided to claim he was a black, lesbian female of Indian descent. When questioned that he was obviously not all that, he simply said, the law does not allow you to question me!!!! We have taken a page out of this type/nature/character of legislation – now if a majority vote in parliament decides that the parliament members will remain in chair till ‘death do us part’, so be it, that’s what it shall be. After all legislation is only about getting the right amount of votes. How those votes are arrived at does not matter – blackmail, kidnapping, bribing, intimidation – it’s just part of the process. Legislation has now become a ridiculous exercise in inventing new ways of justifying an unconstitutional government, illegal activity, in protecting corruption, bad practices and ushering in administrative procedures with purely mala-fide intent, to manipulate the rule of the law for self- serving purposes and to benefit only those, making the law – it’s never about the people, their rights or their lives. All this is happening before our eyes but one is either powerless to address these obvious inconsistencies, or then one is not willing to confront the powers that be. Thus most remain silent and anonymous, hoping that one is ignored as the storm passes by.

People are powerless, because the vote has become irrelevant and the people are no longer in the equation to choose the people who they want, to represent them, their interests and their rights. We have people in Parliament who never even bothered with elections and were simply nominated to ministries that decide the fate of millions; there is our Minister of Interior who has destroyed our cricket in a collateral damage as he dismantles the State. Then there is our honourable Finance Minister, who is celebrating the fact that we managed to worm ourselves into getting a bigger loan from the IMF rather than reforming the economy. So now, the government has fallen to making laws related to terrorism, only to incarcerate opposing politicians based on such laws, they restructure legislation to gag communities so that criticism is stifled and the people are denied information, they make rules stealing the right to free speech, travel and the protection of life, limb and property – and then they claim, with a straight face, this ruling coterie, that the government they head, is of the people, for the people by the people; with the only caveat, that the people do not matter.

The protests by the PTI, in search of legal propriety were started and ended without resolution only with the threat to restart again on the 15^th of October. The only demand was reduced to the legal right to meet Imran Khan, the leader of the largest legitimate political party in the country. The government, as usual renegade on their promise and went back on their own word – they conveniently disallowed the meeting to take place in the spirit that it was conceived and let down the people after the protests were called off by a dubious PTI representative in an equally dubious announcement. Now the protests have been scheduled for the 18^th instead, after the SCO Conference is over.

If they do take place or when they take place, will be the test of the dialectic of wills between the people of Pakistan and the Government of the day. Some have thought the objective of these protests is the suspension of the anti-floor crossing law, 63A and the CJ Qazi Isa’s extended tenure as a result of it. However, it appears that it is more than that and is more about the famous Roman, saying in Latin, “Tollenda causa, tollitur effectus”, Remove the cause and the effect is removed. One can safely conclude; it means the removal of this government. Why is the removal of this Government now become a national obligation, need and necessity? Its because a substantial people of this country feel that this government being a product of illegal manipulations, unconstitutional practices etc, is in no position to undertake legislation of any kind. One must record some of the glaring reasons for rejecting this Government or Kakistocracy, is is are stipulated below.

a. Legitimacy

It is now common knowledge that this Government is a product of manipulated The facts as we know it, are that the sitting Government has been totally facilitated by a biased and partial Election Commission (EC). The EC having done its damnedest continues to do its worst even now. Under any other regime, following an iota of the rule of law, the EC, would be severely accused of being held in contempt of court, if not in contempt of the general public at large.
The Government is represented by non-elected individuals in critical posts, i.e. The Minister of Interior and the Finance Minister. Both have been juxtaposed by external influences and have nothing to do with the choice of the Just as senators who have been bequeathed seats in the senate at the behest of hidden hands by foul means and vested arrangements.
Individuals who were in the caretaker government were rewarded for their perfidy by either being adjusted in the senate or in the provincial governments. A total violation of the Constitution and a highly unacceptable act. A violation that everyone is conveniently silent
The Government usurped authority to violate established procedures, rules and regulations in promoting and positioning people on the basis of self-serving Then granting extensions in service to these illegal appointments in key government positions, thus totally politicising and corrupting the institutions that they choose to bless with their generosity.
Managed to amend NAB laws and influence judicial process in their own cases thus quietly resolving their blatant in-your-face incidents of unprecedented corruption, money laundering and theft,
Having destroyed the economy, now publically celebrating the acquisition of loans as a great achievement. Broad casting false figures and ignoring the 6% growth in 2022 which now they hope to ‘bring up’ to 2.5 % next year – if they are still in chair. They single handily destroyed the agri-community, caused massive shut downs of major manufacturing units and mismanaged trade, tourism and markets with the closure of the Utility Stores as an There is suspicion that they bartered away National Sovereignty to acquire loans and one may see compromises made related to National assets/positions in time to come.
The horrible situation as far as the law and order is concerned that has deteriorated immensely to the extent that National Security is The murder of the Chinese workers outside the Karachi airport stands as a telling indictment of this ineffective government. Terrorism is being politicised instead of being dealt with as it should. Charges of terrorism used against political rivals, has weakened the credibility of the charge against actual terrorists as well. Resorting to false-flag operations such as 9^th May 2023 so as to discredit the opposition at the cost of National Institutions and assets. Covering up the molestation a girl-student in one of the colleges and trying to palm it of as a false crisis created by the opposition to destabilise the government, is another illustration of moral bankruptcy.
The artificial regime situated in Islamabad has gone out of the way to hide the facts from the They have taken unprecedented measures to block the social media and gag the press. The Government has muted the fourth pillar of state by making it just another dependent employee, awaiting orders and fulfilling the bidding of the Government. People are being denied access to information and rumours are rife. Fake news and false propaganda is now perpetuated by the Government itself in an unsuccessful bid to shape opinions – after all, for how long can one call a rat a lion, and still expect people to believe them?

b. The Constitutional Amendment

The Government’s childish bid to acquire a 2/3^rd majority through trickery; to undertake vested and self-serving Constitutional Amendments in Parliament when they do not have such numbers in their favour despite the prejudiced blessings of the To show an artificial 2/3^rd majority by hook or crook using unsavoury tactics that are more like the practices of a mafia on Viagra. Now having managed to infiltrate into political relevancy, supported by the State apparatus, the sitting Government, in total indifference to the preferences of the people, strong arm their way into forced relevancy – calling the shots.
Their unconstitutional influence over the EC and the CJ, making both partisan and lacking in They, the EC and the CJ, have sold their conscience with the allure of extended services and material gain, that promises them the moon. Using the protection of a law distorted unlawfully, have incarcerated hundreds of people, intimidated others and blackmailed even more, only to see things the way the Government wishes them to see them – my way or the highway.
The Government displays an undisguised and unprecedented desire to undertake Constitutional Amendments as a trade-off to remain in power at any cost for as long as possible. This includes restricting the fundamental rights of the people, facilitating the trials of civilians by military courts and empowering themselves to select and appoint the CJs of their own By doing so, violating the universal principle of establishing the dichotomy of power between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. In other words, illegally empowering themselves to be the judge, jury and executioner.

c. The Judiciary

Never before in the history of our judiciary have we, the people witnessed such blatant travesty of justice. Considering the past poor reputation of our judiciary and its low international ranking in propriety, the system has managed to even further tarnish its reputation in a shameless display of duplicity and A singular charge that stands out for which the current CJ alone must take responsibility for. The inconsistencies are amazing, where one judgement is contradicted by another and arguments are reduced to a one-way monologue to arrive at a pre-determined verdict. Reason, rational, logic or legal norms are violated to accommodate self-serving judgements at the cost of the Constitution, established practices, conventional wisdom, propriety, or moral standing.
The process of selective judgement where one is more equal than the While some have their cases resolved in short order, yet others wallow in prison, as already accused, without bail or conviction. Trials are conducted in Jails and behind closed doors in violation of all norms of justice. Politically motivated sentences are passed on in quick succession, one after the other, only to incarcerate the selected few in obviously illegal accusations, charges and verdicts. These charges once, being set aside, bail being blatantly denied due to frivolous justifications, with a view to victimise women and men, in an endeavour to force such people into submission.
To first argue in favour of a ‘Practice and Procedures Committee’, with intent, stated righteously, to limit the capacity of the Chief Justice’s unilateral jurisdiction in structuring benches to undertake numerous supreme court cases. And then later, when being elevated to the chair of the Chief Justice oneself, seeking a presidential ordinance to modify the structure of the same Committee so as to re- empower the A result, the three members, that now constitute the Committee comprise, the senior most judge of the SC and any other judge of the SC chosen by the CJ. This makes the whole exercise, one in futility, since the CJ will always have majority and can select committee members of his choice, acquiring exclusive powers for CJ, as it always was in the past. This makes the ‘Practice and Procedures Committee’ a meaningless body without purpose. After this manipulation, structuring a bench to review a settled matter of 63 A, in great haste. Doing so, in violation of the matter being time-barred. Establishing the bench illegally with a two-member committee of the Practice and Procedures Committee since the senior most judge refused to be part of an illegal Presidential Ordinance. Nonetheless, bulldozing one’s way through any procedural lacuna by a blatant misuse of authority. In a display of partial and prejudiced judgement, not going to the full bench, to settle the matter of the Presidential Ordinance and pressing on in indecent haste despite the plea of the lawyers and the sitting judges of the Supreme Court. That the 63 A Case, was related to prevent frivolous floor crossing for the explicit purpose of facilitating a Constitutional Amendment through intimidation, bribery or promises and which was now being condoned through an illegal verdict passed after the lapse of a time-barred case, through an illegal bench. A bench constituted through an improper procedure. This had a direct bearing on the service tenure of the CJ making it glaring case of a ‘conflict of interest’, but which the CJ, with a stout heart, ignored – without a qualm or an iota of conscience, restraining his conduct.

Blatantly empowering the EC to nominate the heads of the election tribunals in violation of precedence where the power rests with the judiciary. Doing so after a judgement had already been passed by the High Court. The CJ decided to suspend that verdict, and promoted the presiding Judge of the High Court to the SC to get him ‘out of the way’. Now, after 9 months, polling bags will be re-opened by a partisan EC who will through fraud, fiddle with the votes, discarding some and accepting others; amounting to fresh votes behind closed doors. The sole purpose of the exercise would be to remove sitting elected PTI MNAs and MPAs in favour of the Government, thus facilitating a false majority with a view to furthering the passing of an unconstitutional amendment through a constitutional procedure –i.e. going through the motions to argue that a procedure was followed.

d. The People

The populace is fed With growing unemployment, heavy inflation, stagnant economy and an oppressive regime, they are looking for a change. The masses are likely to come out in multitude in search of that change and are willing to confront the regime and this huge volume of humanity spans a full spectrum, the rich and the poor, hapless and the well to do. They all want the same thing – their fundamental rights, freedom of choice and a Government that represents them and not one that suppresses them and their desires. Finding no recourse through the legal system, by reason or rational, through any moral equation or by any administrative method, the people are left with no choice but to wrest the power that truly belongs to them, to delegate to who they choose, and remove these pretenders who are nothing more than shameless usurpers and do not have the courage to make a single public appearance amongst the people on the street anywhere in Pakistan or, for that matter, anywhere in the world.

e. The Opposition

The opposition is mainly made up of the PTI. It is riding on the crest of popular sentiment that is not as much a product of the love for PTI as much as it is the hatred for the sitting regime. PTI is in the fortunate position of being the only alternative to a highly unacceptable It was not too long when the PTI was in government (2022) and its own popularity was at the time being questioned on account of its poor choices and bad governance. Nevertheless, the PTI could never be accused of being anti the people. Yet, this current Government as it went about its business, managed to cultivate an unprecedented revulsion against itself for the things they were doing and the values that they stood for. Their resorting to arbitrary arrests of common people, raiding homes and houses, violating the privacy of families, their children and women, frivolous cases politically motivated, manipulation of the judiciary, their involvement in destroying businesses of people who opposed them and misusing the State apparatus in their own interests, was an obvious cause in the ruination of their reputation, credibility and capacity.

It simply cannot get any better for the PTI. On the other hand, the incarcerated leader, Imran Khan, proved to be made up of much sterner stuff that many could only dream of being so. He was accused of being a drug addict. But sustained prison life for well beyond a year, he was thought to be soft and not used to the rigours of incarceration but once again, faulted such a belief by weathering the misery of hard imprisonment. He remains in stark contrast to the PMLn and PPP leadership, that always looked for deals, compromised or stated poor health to get out of jail. His long and illegal incarceration will be the story of many books and documentaries in the future. He shall probably be recognised as a symbol of moral commitment to his followers, the nation and the State. Imran Khan’s status has grown in leaps and bounds and he shall be seen as a statesman, a leader and a fighter. Nevertheless, where the country stands today, with the irreversible damage it has suffered, the point of no-return has arrived.

The complete annihilation of the economy, the collapse of every State institution, break-down in education system, the demolishing of the agricultural structure and the complete dismantling of the manufacturing sector, we are now at a place where recovery will have to be through extraordinary means and unconventional wisdom. The standard routine recipes will not get Pakistan out of trouble. The PTI, despite its popularity and its sincerity, will not be in a position to deliver. The Parliamentary System simply does not allow the actions that need to be taken; it is built on compromises, deals and mutual benefits and can never deliver in these extreme circumstances. The country will have to go through reforms in almost every field and to PTIs credit, they have the clout to makeup numerous reforms committees and function on parallel lines, i.e. routine governance and day to day administration through parliament and reforms through reforms committees.

f. The Armed Forces

While narrating this saga describing the labyrinth of misery that we have managed to work ourselves into and yet, to not make mention of one of the lead players and stakeholders, the Armed Forces in general and Army in particular, would be a big anomaly and may even constitute criminal silence. The Army is a lead player in the events of the nation because it carries the weight, the clout and the influence to be central to almost all decision-making in the This has given it the status of being the centre of gravity, more or less by default rather than by design. This position is one of default because of it being invited into every crisis management, natural disaster, every conflict resolution, or any other aspect of governance including the foreign and the economic policies. (The moot point is, whether the government needed the Army’s input in every matter or that the Army took it upon itself, to proffer its advice.) Thus, the Army gradually acquired a de facto veto power on anything the government planned to do.

Over the years, the Army was very popular with the people in general and though there were times when its reputation took a hit for one reason or the other, yet, it generally was looked upon by the people, by and large, with respect. I understand that many would have varying opinions on this but this paper does not allow the space to handle such a vast subject, since the Army can be conveniently blamed for everything that passed in this country. Nevertheless, what is important is that the obtaining environment at the time must be studied to justify or accuse the Army of whatever it had done or not done. I would be glad to partake in any engagement on this matter in the future if there is a general consensus or a desire to do so. However, today, the Army has fallen to unprecedented depths with its reputation torn to shreds. It is of course responsible for such a turn of events itself and cannot blame anyone else. Having, having served for 38 years in the Army, in what I consider to be one of the finest institutions of the country, this huge fall from grace hurts me as it would any other citizen of this country.

The need to discover the cause for such a fall has become necessary and vital. I understand, the general and widespread criticism of the Armed Forces always interfering in the political sphere and fouling up routine functioning of the Government but such accusations also need to be examined for ‘cause and effect’. Not wanting to go as far back as the Ayub era, being irrelevant to the moment, it would suffice to relate to the Zia Regime from where the rot really started. Zia, was a general, handpicked to be appointed as the COAS, in violation of all basic norms, the constitution, the legal system and the Army Act, which is one thing. However, superseding 10 generals, only so as to get one who was the most politically suitable/pliant to do one’s bidding, is another matter. To kidnap, General Gul Hasan, the acting COAS, drive him to Lahore at gunpoint by a dubious Mustafa Khar, is once again another illustration of political high-handedness.

For a prime minister to declare himself a civilian martial law administrator and then order the Army in Lahore to shoot at protesters, in 1977, where 3 brigadiers refused and preferred to resign instead, is another piece of history that cannot be ignored. For an Army Chief to be offered a BMW as a bribe, amongst other temptations, leading to his unfortunate but controversial death while in office, having refused the blatant attempts at bribery, is matter of serious concern. Forcing another Army Chief to resign because he proffered a paper on the National Security Council, which was seen as interference in political autonomy but then later adopting the same concept that remains in place to date, defines the thinking of our political leadership. Then again, later a PM, stages the hijacking of an aircraft with the Army Chief, endangering and 198 civilians on board, is an incident, that is, probably one of a kind.

These examples amongst many others, are listed to illustrate how the politicians, over time have always wanted to commandeer the Army, making it an extension of their political agenda, to be at their beck and call. The Army has always resisted politicisation and the practical manifestation of such resistance led to take-overs, coups, interferences etc. with which the Army is widely accused of. But the Army strongly resisted tried not to give into being politicised, maintaining a decorum of being free of political influence, with a genuine desire to be simply allowed to do its own work. However, now the last three Chiefs, their appointments, their extensions and the direction that they chose to take, have been the direct consequence of political decisions, meddling and fidgeting with the convention. The institutional position was always set aside and ignored, to find a politically suitable person, not necessarily the best one, but one who would be willing to do what the government wanted. It gradually evolved into a mutually beneficial exercise and now we have a government fighting for an unconstitutional amendment to the Constitution, where extensions to key military personal, the CJ, the EC etc. would be possible through an Act of Government.

Now all those affected would go out of their way to support the Government in this endeavour and resort to whatever it may take to do it – fraud and deceit, failing which, force and tyranny. You can never have a finer illustration of the Army being on the same page as the politicians, doing whatever the Government wants done, subordinated and obedient to political demands!! Thus, now we have the Army where the politicians have always wanted them to be; cynically, one can now turn around and say – ‘so you have what you always wanted – an Army subordinated to the political powers that be’. Just as the Government has lost all credibility at this time, similarly, the Army, guilty by association, has destroyed its own image as well.

When a Government has such a powerful tool, in the Army, available to it, to go about business as it is, implementing matters by misuse of power and force, then it’s no wonder that the Army will be blamed for all that goes in the name of governance – and what stands to be a universal accusation in those prophetic words, ‘something is rotten in the State of Denmark’. If the Army withdraws its support to this illegal, artificial government, this government would not be able to stand for more than a day. Since there is no recourse for the people – legal, political, administrative or moral – to right the wrong that this Government is subjecting the State to, it will lead to a physical conflict, sooner or later. Unfortunately, this conflict will be between the Army and the people, which must never happen. The simplest method to addressing this madness, is for the Army to withdraw from all political activity forthwith and distance itself from this fake pretence of a false government – there is no other road to resolution under the prevailing circumstances.

We have finally come to the cross roads, where the people and Government will confront one another to establish who has sovereign rights over the State. The duration of this conflict is likely to end with the retirement of Qazi Isa, a blight inflicted upon this nation, and the appointment Justice Mansoor Ali Shah as the new CJ as per convention based on the principle of seniority. Until that moment arrives, the conflict will not go away. If the people do not come out in numbers, with resolve and determination then the government will prevail and will force its way. If that were to happen, then seeing the present state of how affairs are being run, national cohesion will come into question.

For the State to remain intact with stirrings of rebellion in the KP Province, Baluchistan caught up in a web of grievances, an angry Azad Kashmir and a GB that questions its status within the the State of Pakistan, then matters can always go way down South. These issues leading to polarisation and God forbid, the truncation of the State, are further aggravated by the protests of the Colleges in Punjab, the dacoits of Kacha, TTP, animosity with Afghanistan and India liberated to do its worst while no one is minding the shop. It is time for the powers that be, to see the writing on the wall and address this fluid situation that can snow-ball into a nation-wide resistance against an illegitimate government with terrible ramifications.