Pakistan: Tragedy and Hope

There is natural law in the mountains. My civility has made me adopt that law. To respect each other existence. When I move into the mountains, the formidable wildlife respects my existence (coexistence) and I respect theirs. For there are consequence to both when the natural law is violated.

Pakistan to “transcend [from] tragic circumstances and forge their own sense of hope.”

Last night in the mountains was fairly cold. I had to mildly turn on the heat to adapt. In the mountain my life is consumed with maintaining homestead. One of the activities is inspecting my exquisite chicken coop. I take measures against breach by wildlife. Pakistan must also take steps within your means to stop the breach (injustice) that is happened in their society.

Yesterday, my mind in the midst of running my electric tools would sweep me into moments of thinking about the tragedy that has unfolded upon Pakistan. Under the watchful eyes of the army chief, women are allegedly getting raped in a government assisted crackdown on Imran Khan’s party.

Rain is not letting go of my thoughts. It has been raining since morning. When it is raining, outdoor life turns to a screeching halt – Reverence for nature’s power; interconnectedness and interdependence allowing me my retrospection.

 On the Pakistan’s news front I heard the interior minister’s preemptive news conference aired at midnight. Quite pressing. The Interior Minister, Rana Sanaullah previously involved in the alleged killing of Model Town in Lahore informs and connect rapes to a sinister plot to unfold. Rana alleges, Imran Khan’s party PTI is plotting to stage rapes and then pin it on the government to help create international awareness, consequences and sensation.

The international community may not be aware, the government’s torture modus operandi is to share the audios of screams of those under torture with the subject’s relatives to create fear and extract compliance. The third-degree torture is undertaken to capsize the struggle for democracy—Haqiki Azada (Actual Independence.) Apparently, to document torture, there is also a video of a rape in progress. This is what is discussed on social media. No one on the social media as far as I know has seen this video.  

Documentary evidence is compounding towards scrutiny and towards international awareness. To extract obedience from political opponents and those on social media, the unfolding tragedy in Pakistan is the extrajudicial killings, the third degree torture and the abduction of children. The latest, a 12 year old girl raped—reddit link here. Soon all to unfold for the international community to take notice.

For the much aware Pakistanis, yesterday’s news becomes of a furthest distance because a new day expose people to the unconstitutional leadership’s breaking new immoral barriers to suppress people. The unconstitutional leadership has speedily adopted brutality, barbarous and draconian ways in attempts to subdue the population.

With this preamble, the purpose of this article is to revisit the previously asked questions and to share my thoughts. My purpose is to bring clarity as how I see it, and to show hope in tragedy. Lastly, to assuage the people’s sorrow and how to cope with and end this menace.

I address the one salient question of the Pakistani tragedy. On the question of why the army leadership has committed to and has brought this tragedy onto people? This one person on the social media always jumps to a solution is the army reforms; is not the intrinsic answer. The facts are quite obvious. The current societal cleansing of their courage that asks for freedom stands in violation of their dignities from the continuation of measures that resulted from insubordination, treachery and sedition committed by Bajwa.

The immediate reforms to treachery are within the society and not in the army. The army leadership is facing Article-6; alternatively the noose around their necks. That explains no elections and the minus Imran Khan formula in sabotaging democracy. It follows suppression of Pakistanis to avoid the noose, is a no brainer. Thus far, conceivable.

What has given the Pakistani society the pause, is the type of tragedy—the dramatic genre of profound painful aspects of emotional release vs  the control of their fate and free will. From the genre of control, by the character of the Punjabi clique and the tragic events the majority society’s purification has come into question.

The self-assured Punjabi hubris is shaken to see the Punjabi clique (the army included) has fallen below all levels of dignity. Hence the axiom, the stark difference between the Punjab Police and the KPK police. Reforms to the majority Punjabi army is not the intrinsic solution.

The problem at hand is how to stop the army from committing crimes against humanity. Yes, the army and not just the army high command. Let’s bust this myth, it is one individual. What does it mean duty to country and true to profession? Does one individual not derive his power from his men in uniform—Corps commanders and men under them? Why Asim Munir statement made in Sialkot aims to fix the ex-service men? If the ex-service men are true to country then the serving ones must not to true to country and duty? They are trained not to ask questions? Some training when treachery is on hand and fortified.

If making livelihood is the question. The fundamental test for the army is, if Pakistani’s pool Zakat money and are able to sustain some 600,000 thousand men and women in uniform, would they quit serving the Joint Criminal Enterprise? The tragedy will end immediately if Asim Munir lose his support of army and the police. What role these men in unform have in Tragedy and Hope in the making?

Removing support from a fascist regime requires a strategy and Gharat (way of life to exist.) From KPK, the ex-Minister Taimoor Ghagra has put IG Police and others on notice. There are consequences if their women are touched. The consequences clearly mirrors with expunging their existence in totality.

Taking the first step from a home grown underground organization can emerge. Recently, on social media a video of police breaking into an older gentleman’s home was headed off by neighbors coming out at night in protest. They made videos. The police left the premise.

Document and expose brutality and sexual violence. Increase public condemnation. Strengthen local judiciary. Collaborate with local and international organizations that specialize in trauma counseling. Be imaginative.

 From tragedy you raise questions about your existence and what you aim to do about ethics in the totality of existence. In the depts of tragedy, there is hope. Hope is an Islamic Institution. 

There are no limitations to existence. “Individual agency” (independently acting from ethical and moral considerations to change life)  has “the potential for finding meaning and purpose in spite of these existential challenges.”

From Jean-Paul and Albert Camus body of work, “Through acts of courage, authenticity, and the creation of personal values, individuals can transcend tragic circumstances and forge their own sense of hope.”

From the ashes of tragedy, new beginnings can emerge, as societies and individuals find the strength to recover, learn from the past, and strive for a better future.

Bio: Mian Hameed is the author of his latest book: MANIPULATION OF THE MIND: Our Children and Our Policy at Peril. One of the aspects discussed in the book is to raise the K-12 scholastic level to impact policy.  He blogs at mianhameed.com on policy concerns in the South Asia and the United States.