Talk Of Revolution !!!
Talk of revolution
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
With revolution in process across parts of the Arab world, talk of a similar set of events to those currently convulsing Egypt and Tunisia occurring in Pakistan has surfaced. Over the last weekend the leader of the MQM speaking from London once again raised the revolutionary flag, calling on security forces to join a revolution as has already begun to happen in Egypt and in Lahore a march against any revision of the blasphemy laws saw the R word get an airing as well. Although both events were well-attended by supporters of the respective causes, there was no sense that these meetings were in any way revolutionary as they are in Cairo and Alexandria and Suez. There is no unity or cohesion among the disparate political and religious groupings here. Unity of purpose is the catalyst and driving force in Egypt and Tunisia. The only flag being waved at any of the many demonstrations is that of Egypt. All are united under the national flag.
There is a burning hunger for change within the people of Pakistan too. Unsurprisingly, Prime Minister Gilani, like the rest of his government, has failed to see this. Speaking to the media in Multan he has asserted that institutions and democracy are working well in the country. He has also argued that while the national economy is under pressure it is not in crisis. There are many who would beg to differ with this rather rosy depiction. It is true, on paper at least, that Pakistan is a democracy when compared to the autocratic governments in Tunisia and Egypt. But for people this has only limited relevance when many of the elements that are feeding revolt elsewhere are present here. Dynastic politics has ossified our political systems, locked them into a self-serving and self-regenerating circus. Corruption has galloped across the land like the fifth horseman of the Apocalypse and now sits in every corner of daily life for all of us. Inflation and unemployment are as dominant a feature of life here as they are in the troubled towns of Egypt. Poverty is everywhere, the physical poverty of joblessness and homelessness, and the poverty of thought and deed that could provide a template for us to move out of this corrosive circle. Taken together it might be assumed that these are sufficient reason to rise up against this or any similar government. Yet what seems to be lacking at the moment is spontaneity, a self-generated sense of anger that spreads across social classes and political or religious groups and translates into action. Instead we have the ersatz revolt whipped up by charismatics with no other agenda but their own advancement, and the advancement of those who can be persuaded to be like-minded. These are the bussed in revolutionaries, the rent-a-crowd which can be assembled any time any place in Pakistan.
But inspiration and ideas do arise from events such those taking place in Egypt and Tunisia. The street action in Tunisia had a direct impact on what happened in Egypt. Until there develops the same unity of purpose and the same willingness to march under the banner of one cause, revolution is not on the agenda. A descent into anarchy, however, is entirely possible. Pakistans leaders need to be wary. But they should also look at what is wrong. Institutions are not functioning as smoothly as the PM claims and the economy is in a shambles and we see everywhere people in great despair. Their plight needs to be eased if the talk of revolution or the very real possibility of anarchy is to fade away.
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http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=28857&Cat=8)
