Finally, after 75 years, there is a realization that the state structure in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has serious faults. It has badly failed to serve the people. While the world has progressed, Pakistan has regressed. In San Francisco the Lombard Street is considered to be the world’s most crooked thoroughfare. Then in Victoria Island in British Columbia there is a ‘Crooked Garden’ where nothing is straight, but the Leaning Tower of Pisa is unmatchable in its tilt. It is still considered to be a wonder of the world. Historians are not sure whether it was by design or accident that the imperfection took place.
Engineers now struggle to save it from a fall. Millions are spent to save the historic monument from collapse. There is a folklore that it was built to highlight the decline of the times, and some other structures around are also tilted. When I went there for the first time in 1979, tourists were allowed to climb the tower. The sloped balconies were very scary as one had to climb slowly and carefully. The walk around was not easy.
Unfortunately, the state of structure in Pakistan has insurmountable slopes for the public to climb. The fault lines are serious. Like the Leaning Tower, billions are spent to support and preserve the inbuilt crookedness of the system. In Rawalpindi the Badmash (Ruffians) are called Dinga (Crooked). And they are required to walk in a certain way to prove their Dinga-ness.
Ever since the seat of power has moved to the ‘Dinga land’ the walk around has become increasingly difficult for the public at large. While the few insiders flourish the majority outside suffers. Such a system is bound to collapse; no engineering can save it. The founding fathers were aware of this crookedness of the system and tried to straighten it but the inertia of status-quo prevailed. The Punjabi saying; ” Khoti Rahe Borh Thalay ” (The donkey remained in the shade) aptly describes the prevailing situation.
The USA won freedom from the British colonizer over two centuries ago. It was a great military victory. The ragtag Militia force led by George Washington defeated the Royal Army. As President he led his country for two terms (eight years) and then went home, leaving behind a constitutional democracy that has risen to be the sole superpower. The entire state structure left behind by the colonial masters was totally dismantled. Anything British was considered unfriendly, anti-people, and was rejected.
Even in Test Cricket draws are a thing of the past, and most tests result in victory or loss with very few in betweens. After 75 years of suffering, it is time to straighten the state structure. Climbing the slopes of the balconies of the Leaning Tower of Pisa left a lasting impression on me. It was an unforgettable experience that made movement very difficult and scary.Â
They even decided to drive on the opposite side of the road (right hand). Spellings were also simplified (color, program). Today the system in the oldest constitutional democracy of the world has no negative energy. The state is meant to serve not rule. No one can dare to go against the constitution. Donald Trump, the sitting President, could not stall the count of the Electoral College to replace him. Richard Nixon as Commander-in-Chief was advised by his Chief of Staff General Alexander Haig to declare emergency and sack the Congress before his impeachment as President. Instead he decided to resign and go home. Rule of law prevailed over individual power and interests.
Bangladesh also won its freedom about half a century ago after the surrender of the troops led by Lt Gen A.A.K. Niazi. Compared to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has marched forward in leaps and bounds. Their target for exports in 2024 is $72 billion. They have even succeeded in controlling their population growth rate.
In the 1956 constitution of united Pakistan they conceded their majority, today we are a downtrodden majority. The freedom movement was started by them with the formation of the All-India Muslim League in 1906 at Decca. Yet they decided to move on and drop anything that was Pakistani. The legendary Allama Inayat ullah Khan Mashriqi founded his Khaksar Movement to snatch freedom for India and restore Muslim rule. The Khaksars were also a militia force that marched with their weapon of peaceful protest and defence, the spade. They were also called the ‘Bailcha (Spade) Party’.
After finishing his Tripos from Cambridge University in Mathematics, Allama Mashriqi travelled to Germany to study the Nazi Party while Jinnah and Gandhi came to India as Barristers to practise law. Gandhi started his movement for Peaceful Protest for freedom of India, Jinnah advoctaed a seprate homeland for the Muslims. After the partition of the Sub-continent Allama Mashriqi was sidelined. He lies buried on Zaildar Road Ichra where he lived and died with his beliefs and conviction. Hiltler’s gift of a Renault car is also showcased there in a dilapidated state.
It is indeed interesting that the man who bartered our freedom, the first usurper, titled his autobiography; ” Friends not Masters “. When he was being sidelined his thoughts changed, in his own words; ” No one gives you freedom you have to fight for it, no one fights for your freedom you have to fight for your own freedom “. Yes indeed real freedom has to be won. In a war one side has to lose and surrender there can be no draw.
Even in Test Cricket draws are a thing of the past, and most tests result in victory or loss with very few in betweens. After 75 years of suffering, it is time to straighten the state structure. Climbing the slopes of the balconies of the Leaning Tower of Pisa left a lasting impression on me. It was an unforgettable experience that made movement very difficult and scary. Lombard Street is short which carries tourist interest only, the same holds true for the Crooked Garden of Victoria, but dealing every day with a crooked state structure is an unbearable torture which must end. Only Crooks can navigate through ‘Crookedness’, like the Sharifs of Gawalmandi or the Zardaris of Nawabshah. Their rise coincides with the fall of Pakistan which must be reversed to end the suffering of the masses and move the country forward like our brothers in Bangladesh who now chant ‘ Sonar Bangla ‘ (Bangla the beautiful)
Words of the US national anthem say; “Land of the brave and home of the free “. Hafeez Jullandari wrote; Quwatey Akhuwatey Awam (Power of the unity of the people), little did know he that the third usurper, Zia Jullandari, wanted to remove these words. After defacing the constitution he wanted a new tarana (anthem). In the words of Habib Jalib; Yai Us Ka Pakistan Jo Sadar-e-Pakistan Hai (The President owns the country). Can it get more crooked than that?
