The Thinkable Has Happened!
Understanding Pakistan Project Team November 5th, 2007
Reporting from the site of London Protest.
This 2:53 pm UK Time. I am sitting right now in front of the Pakistani Embassy in where the protest is going on. There are about 200+ people here. A while back a gentleman was singing a very beautiful “nazm” “Aisay dustoor ko mein nahin ma’anta” and the rest of the crowd was chanting with him. Local leaders are addressing the gathering. There is great sense of excitement. However, I am also thinking that somehow this is inadequate. We need to do more. When we talk about the people of Pakistan and on behalf of people of Pakistan, I keep on thinking as to where those people are? The majority of 160 million or so Pakistanis are still silent, as always.
No matter what we do here, and what we say, Pakistan will not get democracy unles Pakistanis–a vast majority of us–demand democracy. Where are the people???
As the imformation blockade continues in Pakistan, thoughts are racing through my mind at the speed of light. I will try to pen more of my thoughts on this blog in the coming days. Ahmad Faraz poker play moneypoker torneos gratistexas holdem estrategiastrip poker online gratis,poker online gratis,juegos online gratis pokerpoker online sinjugar a poker gratisjuego de poker pcpoquer com esfree poker playing online,free online poker,free online poker fake moneyfree texas hold em gamebest internet pokeronline poker gamblingкомпютри втора употребаtexas hold em gameonline texas holdem tournament,freeroll texas holdem tournament,texas holdem tournamentpoker software developeronline poker for funonline poker tourfree texas holdem poker download,free texas holdem poker,free texas holdem poker game7 card stud hands7 card stud oddsplay poker online,play poker,how to play three card pokeronline poker no downloadfree video poker game7 card stud hi lowonline poker softwarepoker game downloadpoker rule,5 card draw poker rule,strip poker ruleonline video pokeronline poker strategyinternet poker gameinternet poker softwareedfafree online poker tightpoker7 card stud softwaredraw pokerplay free poker onlinevideo poker softwarecrazy game of pokerplay video poker7 card stud gamesfree video pokerfree texas holdem poker playonline poker sitefree texas hold em pokerpoker casino gamefun game home play pokeronline poker freefree on line pokerbad credit card,approval bad card credit credit instant,bad card credit credit people ukcredit card consolidation loan,card consolidation credit interest loan low,card consolidation credit debt debt loancard compare credit uk has written the following about my country…
Meri bustee say paray bhi meray dushmun hongay (There might be my enemies away from my land…)
Per yahan kub koi aghyaar ka lushkar utra (But when did a foreign army invade here….)
A’ashna haath hi aksur meri janab lupkay (It always familiar hands that attacked me…)
Meray seenay mein humaisha mera khunjar utra… (It was always my own knife that tore through my chest…)
I leave you with Faiz’s famous poem “Hum Daikhain Gay” and its video depiction adopted from Adil Najam’s All Things Pakistan that comes to mind as a very apt representation of the present circumstances…
Signing off Now.
Athar Osama
P.S. I have a confession to make to UPP audience. I’ve been kept away from UPP for the last month or so because of some domestic issues. I intend to return to our Story of Pakistan as soon as I can–hopefully within a week or so. The battle for constitutional rights of Pakistanis must go on and is never ending. Our country needs us today more than ever before.
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I am glad to learn that you are continuing with this project. I have enjoyed reading the articles and have found them to be enormously informative.
With regard to your question about the apparent apathy of the people of Pakistan, I think it is unlikely that you will see the general population protesting the Emergency Rule. I believe that the masses have more immediate problems of trying to secure the basic necessities of life - food, water, shelter. They are in a constant state of negotiation with the government for these basics and will not jeopardize their position by taking on the Establishment. By and large their lot does not change with the change of government.
I think the struggle for democracy in Pakistan will be fought by the educated middle class and will always remain a ‘fringe’ activity.
Glad to see you back Athar. For the past four days, I was watching online transmission of AAJ and DawnNews , thinking if there would be a mass protest in Pakistan or any where else around the globe on this newly imposed ‘ Martial Law’. Unfortunately, I have not seen anyone protesting except Lawyers and a few human rights activists in Pakistan. All private TV channels transmissions have been banned by the government for more than 48 hours but the only reaction which I have seen from Pakistani media is today : which is they have refused to cover any of the government’s event. The most absurd response is from the political parties, where are they; I don’t know, they are not yet over with their petty issues. I have asked this question from every of my friend in Pakistan ‘ Why are you sitting in your offices rather than protesting ‘. And I am not getting any answer except ‘ take it easy, we are use to it and nothing will change if we protest’. This is really frustrating. We tried mobilizing Pakistani students in Melbourne and the only response we get was of ‘e-protest - lets sign this petition and exercise our right to express’ which I think is not enough. I was thinking that why as a nation we are so dead?? I am not getting any answer? How could we let it happen with us again and again and again?