Beware the Ides of March, Pakistan

Truth has been buried, the Constitution often trampled, sham democracy in tatters and justice murdered many a times, over the chequered past of a beleaguered nation. Pakistan’s history reminds one of the famous quote by an American social reformer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass – “Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.”

The day may not be far away when peaceful protests are replaced by violence and bloodbaths and sins of the past will come to haunt the so-called elites. And then the nation may reach a point of no return with everything falling apart. Beware the Ides of March, Pakistan.

Unfortunately, the truth was buried deep the day father of the nation Muhammad Ali Jinnah passed away. Since Jinnah’s death in 1948, Pakistan’s history has been a sad and unfortunate story of continued self-inflicted wounds or rather 75 deep cuts to its body politic over 75 years of its miserable existence. Pakistan’s body is deeply wounded and its soul utterly exhausted. But that has not stopped its elite tearing at its flesh and drinking its blood. The past 16 months are only a glaring example of how the rotten system of status quo is fighting tooth and nail to retain its control. It is not just a battle but a war for Pakistan’s soul and its continuity as a federation and a nation state. Whether Pakistan will regain and replenish its soul and stand tall as a nation in the coming years still seems a distant dream.

For those who think that this is a battle between Imran Khan’s PTI and the PDM or the system of status quo are grossly mistaken. They need to realize that this really is a war between people of Pakistan for their rights against the system of status quo represented by elites of all sorts. This war has been ongoing since the formation of Pakistan when foreign colonialists left and local colonialists took over. Ever since then Pakistan has been wavering between democracy and dictatorship which has been made all the more complicated by its international relations and geopolitics.

Beware the Ides of March! But why? In the ancient Roman calendar, the Ides of March was equivalent to 15 March and is famously mentioned in William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar where a soothsayer warns Caesar of his impending assassination. However, ancient Romans actually considered this day a deadline for settling debts. Rest assured that in Pakistan, ultimately all debts will be settled by the people in one way or the other, whether it takes seven months or seven years. Nation states cannot survive for long when there is no rule of law or where any person or institution is above the law.

There is always a tipping point beyond which injustices and economic disparities in a society lead to unimaginable outcomes.  Pakistan will never achieve long term sustainable economic growth and development or truly be a nation state until there is supremacy of the constitution, rule of law and political stability

Unlike Egypt or Turkey where you have Egyptians and Turks that have an identity that goes back many centuries, Pakistan and Pakistanis have a shared history dating back to only 75 years. These 75 years are also filled with continued upheavals and tragic events. There seems to be neither any foresight or insight demonstrated by the powers of status quo represented by PDM and the establishment. Pakistan has no real future without rule of law and democracy – even if there is one, then it will be that of unfulfilled potential and broken dreams. One cannot separate authority or power from accountability and responsibility. And that has been Pakistan’s achilles’heel where so called elected governments have the responsibility and are held accountable but do not have any real authority or power. 

For status quo powers, it may be easier to deal with Imran Khan and PTI who still are operating within the framework of constitution and legality rather than a much younger firebrand popular charismatic leader to emerge in later years who may not believe in peaceful agitation or activism. With Pakistan’s population explosion and demographics, fundamentalism, lack of tolerance and education, increasing access to social media and technology and an economy that is in shambles, things are only likely to get worse. Collective wisdom needs to prevail or else Pakistan will move from the so-called category of a failing state to a failed state.

A number of potential disastrous outcomes can only be averted if (i) free and fair elections are held without marginalizing any political party or person, (ii) rule of law is implemented both in letter and spirit and (iii) all institutions strictly remain within their original mandate and as per the Constitution.

The continuous experimentation and meddling by the establishment have never helped in the past nor will it help in the future. Direct and indirect military rule will only breed more and more discontent and discord given Pakistan’s history even though short-term stability may be achieved temporarily by thwarting the Constitution and suppressing sections of the population. 

Blame also lies with the politicians who never really united and stood together for upholding the rule of law and Constitution. Divide and rule strategy of colonialism will continue until politicians develop a degree of maturity and wisdom and stand together as a united force for the right reasons. There will surely come a time when the state will be unable to use any force and terror to enforce its agenda. 

There is always a tipping point beyond which injustices and economic disparities in a society lead to unimaginable outcomes.  Pakistan will never achieve long term sustainable economic growth and development or truly be a nation state until there is supremacy of the constitution, rule of law and political stability.