Thanks: Sohni Dhurti

“The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life.” Albert Einstein.

One of the best lessons Islam teaches us and the one that most of us hardly care about, is the sense of balance. It is Pakistan’s misfortune that despite having some great personalities with tremendous potential, the lack of equilibrium in their approach has made our nation vulnerable. Sadly, no one has learned any lesson from history.

Only a while ago, media, lawyers and civil society, together with the masses, won the revolutionary battle for restoration of independent judiciary in the country. It seemed Pakistan was changing, paving way for the stereotype mindset to be replaced. The whole nation stood firmly behind the Lawyers’ Movement and applauded the media for their role and sacrifices. For two long years, the Judiciary “Freedom Fighter” resolutely refused to bow to the pressure and the battle continued until won.

We won the battle but lost the equilibrium, the lawyers, the media and everyone in general seem to live in delusions ever since.

Ever since the Supreme Court’s short verdict on NRO came, everyone who disliked Zardari has tried to interpret the short order according to his/her own likes and dislikes. It is understandable and perhaps insignificant if the general public takes it the way they like it but the media, some prominent lawyers and other high profile personalities, in their bias, have gone over the board to misinterpret, and misguide those who know nothing about law. This is not only malicious and devious but also serves no purpose other than throwing the already fragile country into further chaos.

The media especially has crossed all limits to ridicule Zardari and co. The media men have reduced their credentials from freedom fighters to Personal Zardari Fighters. The current situation reminds me of the amusing and one of the most famous Muppet shows of yester years “Kaliyaan”. The current “Kaliyaan” however, is a reality show with real life “Muppets”. The main characters here are: Uncle Sargam (Irfan Siddiqui), Masi Museebatey (Shaheen Sehbai), Mr. Hayga (Ansar Abbasi) and Nooni Paa (Dr. Shahid Masood). This reality show unfortunately has lost its charm and flavour for it only brings the same dragged and out of date arguments over and over again, and which have lost credibility.

We have been condemning and loathing the wrong-doings of Zardari, for the past more than two decades. What is it that the media is enlightening the public about?

There is hardly any doubt left that the current campaign is only targeting a certain person. This is not journalism, this is personal rancour. Dr. Shahid Masood comes across as a highly biased person. This so called “honest and truthful”, Shahid Masood accepted the chairmanship of PTV, an incredibly lucrative post, given to him by none other than the same corrupt person Zardari. Zardari’s past was as tainted then as now. Shahid Masood had no problems with Zardari’s ineligibility then is a big question mark on his self-proclaimed credibility.

Accountability is a necessity, black sheep must be exposed to flush the system but it should be transparent and even-handed. What about media’s accountability? Who will hold them accountable? Why doesn’t Geo show their owner’s dubious activities in Dubai? How one of their owners beat up his wife black and blue is not even known to public. Why doesn’t ARY tell us about the spite of their owner who married an actress from Karachi but abandoned her after a week and forced her to stay quiet about this? Where is media’s sincerity when it comes to their own homes? This is nothing but hypocrisy.

We know how biased our media is, most journalists are lifafa journalists. Have they ever tried to expose the black sheep within them? Almost 100% or say 99.99% of the journalists have taken plots from different governments on control rate, or at time free of charge. Isn’t this a form of bribe and corruption?

The short order on NRO did not automatically disqualify Zardari or asked for his removal. It simply states that NRO is invalid and thus all actions under it are invalid. The Swiss cases are to be open because the then Attorney General had no authority to close them. The constitutional amnesty given to the president of Pakistan was not even mentioned in the short or detailed verdict. Whether or not Zardari enjoys amnesty, should be decided by the constitutional experts and lawyers, and in the court of law not on Shahid Masood’s show. However, it is quite dubious that the Honourable Supreme Court ordered NAB to re-open the cases of Swiss money laundering. How can a government start proceeding in another country against a sitting president? It’s not about Zardari it is about the office of President of Pakistan. It’s a matter of the country’s integrity, besides the international law does not describe if a sitting President can be subject to laws of another country. Are we fine with allowing other countries to try our citizens under their laws? If that is so then why such a hue and cry over Dr. Afiya or other missing Pakistanis? Let them try our citizens the way they want to. Why the same people who are asking the SC to kick Zardari out, are not asking the parliament to initiate the impeachment process in accordance with the constitution, despite having enough people representing them in both houses?

Will Mr. Irfan Siddiqui shed some light on credit card thefts, rape cases, demolition of illegal plazas of others but not Rana Sanaullah, and the ‘Hit and run’ case of Col. Ikram, who lost his life because he was hit by Chief Secretary’s over speeding car and was left on the road to bleed to death? Where is accountability and humanity when the party in question is PML-N?

There is absolutely no doubt that Zardari has plunged this country into further chaos because of his conceit and non-political way of governance. Zardari’s failure to implement Charter of Democracy was his biggest mistake. He is a corrupt man whose sanity is questionable. The friendly opposition is letting him rob the country in all possible ways, perhaps to pave their way for a landslide victory in next elections but at what cost? At the cost of our country where the masses are deprived of even basic necessities? The opposition’s claim to strengthen democracy sounds like a poor joke; their failure to hold him accountable in the parliament is much more criminal than Zardari himself. This style of opposition is sending a very dangerous message to the masses. It suggests that parliament is not supreme, it is the agitation, julao ghairao, strikes and protests and long marches that can force the change. Haven’t we just witness how shamelessly the police in Quetta barged into the CM and Governor’s houses to protest? Thanks to the lawyers goonda gardi that has taken the whole nation hostage. This is alarming and points towards turmoil and anarchy, both of which this nation can hardly afford.

Overnight changes don’t happen and if they do, we don’t have the kind of stuff to suggest that revolutionary change. History has proved that from our soil only chaos rises so be practical and let sanity prevail. Do not look forward to the hidden hands and ‘angels’ to bring change only because you hate Zardari.

The government should be allowed time to take action on SC’s order. Mr. Zardari enjoys constitutional immunity or not, on these particular allegations, let it be SC’s discretion and avoid making it a ‘choon choon ka murabba’ by commenting and interpreting the constitutional clauses according to our personal likes and dislikes. The nation cannot afford another ethnical and provincial division after losing East Pakistan. So please take a chill pill and let the experts decided on this sensitive issue.

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