Many people in Pakistan remember Shakespeare’s famous lines from Julius Caesar – ‘et tu brute?’ – spoken by the astonished Caesar, as he is about to die due to numerous stabs. In Plutarch it is said after seeing Brutus, Caesar was so heart broken that he stopped struggling and veiled his face with toga. The most hurtful it seems to Caesar is by his own trusted friend, Brutus. After killing Caesar, Brutus along with rest of assassins, were first exiled, and then declared murderers.

Another story about distrust I recall is a Sindhi fable of ‘soorath ayee ria dihaj’ (Apologies if there are any mistakes, since I don’t have the book to cross check)

This is the story of Raja Ria Dihaj, who ruled over a land in ancient Sindh. His sister was told by an Soothsayer that her first born son would kill her brother, the King. Having to choose between the two, the Sister quickly disposed of her son to the river. Child was found by an old couple in a rival Kingdom. He was named Soorath and he grows up to be a great musician. The rival King is jealous of Ria Dihaj, and he orchestrates a plan whereby he commissions Soorath to Murder Ria Dihaj. Soorath goes to King’s palace and plays, when Ria Dihaj hears him he calls him to court and asks him to play. He does so. So pleased is Ria Dihaj that he asks Soorath to seek anything in world and he would be provided it. Soorath asks Ria Dihaj for his head, and Ria Dihaj assents gracefully. When Soorath goes back to rival King with the head, he is shunned by the rival king for murdering such a great leader.

There is another Story on similar lines that I recall. It is of a Sardar Leghari, who was made the President of his country through support of his party under Benazir of Larkana. Though he and his ancestors had many acres of land, despite of land reforms and his adherence to leftist manifesto. His ancestors enjoyed great patronage of the British Raj, because of their supplication. Being made the Head of State, however, was highest honour anyone in his family had been bestowed or will attain in future. Sardar soon began to believe he had earned this position. He soon turned on the very political party that supported him. He used his position to oust them and let hounds loose on them. But then some charges were never followed, others never proven. The new party, led by Sharifs of Raiwand, in power was wary of him, and cut him down to size by withdrawing his powers. When he tried to flex his muscle, didn’t have any. He was quickly disposed. Now in solitude, he tried in vain to propagate himself with new leaders, but apart from getting his son some state ministry through his political manoeuvres, he never amounted to much. Finally he died, uncelebrated and remembered in history only as a synonym for betrayal and back-stabbing.

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