| A
secluded person can only imagine the noise of praise and congratulations
at the houses of victorious members of national and provincial
assemblies. Huge and fragrant garlands, costly gifts and expensive
high-quality sweets besides high praises, love, affection
and assurance of all-out cooperation from various quarters,
is the post-election scenario. This has been happening for
decades. Some unscrupulous people consider rule and power
as their god whom they worship. They have no concern with
the office-bearer, rather, they love the office and seat.
With the change of person in authority, they change their
loyalty. They really worship the rising sun and never look
at the sun setting in.
You must have heard the name of Ahmad Dawood. He was the person
on whose recommendations and orders Imam Ahmad bin Hambal
(radhiallahu `anhu) was subjected to severe torture. He witnessed
the reign of three kings one after the other. All three kings
enjoyed extraordinary rise and their courts were always seen
full of courtiers. There were a number of courtiers who never
got tired of calling these kings with the highest ranks ‘Your
Highness’. The kings used to think what these flattering
courtier would do the kingdom comes to an end or they die.
How would they live after them. But Ahmad Dawood used to say
that the death of all these three kings was a lesson and admonition
for the people. How other people could get the lesson from
their death while Ahmad Dawood himself did not learn any lesson.
Like other courtiers he also used to sing the praises of kings.
Ahmad Dawood said he saw the dead body of Khalifa Al Mamoon.
After a few years he saw the dead body of Al Motasam. And
after another few years he saw Al Wasiq dead. On the death
of each Caliph, he said, he saw extraordinary activities at
their palaces. Forgetting the dead ruler, everybody was seen
looking at the successor.
Besides general public, our newspapers are also following
such a course as they criticise those who leave the power
lobby and praise those who are coming into power. Those who
are leaving the power slot are seen with high suspicion and
their personality is considered full of corruption while those
who are coming into power are paid due respect and considered
the most pious people on the earth. Those who are being declared
ill-mannered and uneducated today, may appear on the screen
of power tomorrow and then they may be considered highly qualified,
intelligent and well-mannered people.
It is said that when the Britishers defeated renowned victorious
General, Napoleon Bonaparte and later imprisoned him in an
island, the pro-French king newspapers carried news reports
against him and expressed joy. Later when Napoleon escaped
from the captivity and re-organised a big military and attacked
France to recapture it, the newspapers published lead stories
stating that a wild beast had escaped from jail. When Napoleon
reached near the borders of France then newspapers wrote that
the killer was heading towards France. When he crossed the
border and entered France then newspapers published news items
that Napoleon is in France now. And in the end when Napoleon
reached near Paris, the newspapers published news reports
stating that His Highness the King of France is honouring
Paris with his arrival. The summersaults that French journalists
took, we have been witnessing since long ago in our country’s
capital, Islamabad. We know a number of columnists who used
to term Mian Nawaz Sharif a symbol of courage and a kind-hearted
man. They wrote about Nawaz Sharif the king of politics and
an insightful ruler. When Mian Sahib was deposed, the same
columnists wrote that Nawaz Sharif was a coward, flatterer
and shortsighted person.
In the recent past. the minister of religious affairs has
put his best efforts to prove General Musharraf as Ameer-ul-Mu'mineen.
On some occasions he challenged the country's `Ulama to have
an open debate on the matter. The `Ulama-e-Keram showed their
wisdom and did not react adversely.
After the Election 2002, various political parties and groups
are busy manoeuvring to get into the power lobby. Those who
were at each other's throats until yesterday are now putting
efforts to clarify their past position by saying that whatever
was their criticism in the past was just a joke and their
abusive talk was just a fun. In the present scenario the traditional
opportunists are in great confusion as they are unable how
to prove their loyalty with the victorious enemies. Those
living in the liberal environment are highly confused. They
are unable to digest the victory of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal
(MMA). A few of them are terming MMA’s victory as the
outcome of agencies’ support. Many of them are purturbed
by the thought that the ruler would be in the hands of those
people wearing national dress, having long beards and having
a turban on their heads. They will prefer to speak the national
language to speaking the language of non-Muslims. They would
have plain drinking water at their dinning table instead of
liquor.
Westernised people are thinking that the rule will be in the
hands of those who would prefer taking a foreign country tour
only to Saudi Arabia and not to London and America.
Pro-West people are confused for their children would be admitted
to the Madrasah or religious school instead of a convent.
The religious men would be answerable to Almighty Allah only
and not to George Bush or Tony Blair. People are wondering
what will happen to the Film Industry. People who think their
personality incomplete if they don’t wear T-Shirt or
three-piece suit, what will happen if pure Pakistani leadership
takes over. What will happen if women folk will not be seen
in bazaars, parks and other public places? What will happen
to the economy of the country if true religious people will
come into power? What will happen if every man will be compelled
to have beard and wear national dress?
This imagination sends a wave of thrill to the masses who
are heavily under the influence of West. At this stage our
columnists are artfully painting the grim picture of that
unseen scenario. Under the prevailing circumstance, Muttahida
Majlis-e-Amal will have to be extra cautious. They should
not make tall claims that become difficult to prove and they
should not make promises that are too difficult to keep.
People are expecting that these assembly members would promote
education, do away with the open society system and eject
the foreign forces out of the country. People have given them
vote to express their strongest hatred against America and
its policies. It is feared that they might forget their motto
and slogan amid the noise of praises. If this happened then
the trust that people have reposed in these assembly members
would be damaged and it would take another 56 years to restore
it.
|
