Sitting alone sipping away coffee having a late lunch far away from home and family was asking one and only one question of myself that what is next for myself , for my loved ones , for my community and my nation. My heart tells me to keep my feelings to myself. Same thing my wife, my friends and many more tell me or have been telling me for the last few years. “This constitution is a worthless book and nothing more . Keep the article pertaining to your Freedom of Expression to yourself” were the lines which sometime echo in my ears were related by a head of Human Resources of a renowned Company that I chose to work with. But perhaps the truth is the first casualty and I am sure would not be the last as the same company asked me to leave for speaking the Truth , for my people , for myself, for my country. For many days I thought that this is how it should be. But then my mind kept on telling me . Do anything but only say the Truth . Isn’t that simple ?

Simple it is perhaps if you say what the national narrative of that time is driven by some uniformed men sitting in the North of the country. They want that their narrative is what defines a true patriot but nothing more. If you challenge it , you question it than it you are definitely a Traitor . So the constitution, the character and the truth is of no essence but only to fall in line with what you are told to do so via various channels they adopt. A few anchors, TV shows , analysts, politicians and now bloggers etc etc . They define and keep on refining this national narrative. If someone dares to challenge it . He or she becomes a RAW agent in the beginning and a certified Traitor subsequently .

“We love our nation and we will die for it” most of them say. Yes, we respect it . But then again they are trained and paid to defend and if needed to die for it. Whilst we the lesser beings are supposed to build the same nation with our blood , sweat and knowledge imparted. Isn’t it more to defend for if the nation booms and economics prosperity to everyone and I mean including those who ridicule us. Anyways I think no National Defence University can teach economics in a few weeks . As a soldier is a soldier and we respect that and I am sure they are doing a good job when defending the borders of the country but when it comes to domestic policy they have been a failure as the whole nation is in strife not due to politicians only but sorry to say due to those who were never meant to do politics but just wear the uniform and ensure that the orders are followed given by those who represent the state and the constitution of Pakistan. Instead of telling that the Code is more important than the Constitution ; they must hold it supreme as let’s not forget they have taken an oath to it. Let those who are responsible to do their job. 

They say that democracy has failed Pakistan. Yes, it has I must say but are the politicians only responsible ? Yes, there are corrupt politicians who loot and plunder the nation but then again are there only politicians doing so? So who does execute the order and shoot the gun and execute those who try to speak the truth and bring to notice the facts under which Pakistan was formed? The same who wear uniform . Why can’t they remember their oath when pulling the trigger ? 

They say that it were the politicians who were responsible for the fall of Dhaka. Really! Was Gen Ayub a politician ? unless he acted more like one . Was Gen Yahya one too ? Was Gen Niazi a politician too ? Yes, Bhutto was one but then he was the blue eyed boy of the same uniformed lot following orders to salvage a face for those in uniform like Imran Khan is being used now a days and perhaps Nawaz Sharif used in the past. But the result have been the same and would be the same. First they use you and then they dump you like toilet paper. They used Bhutto to fight the political and diplomatic case for them and then once recovered hung him , branded him as Traitor , later killed his two sons and the daughter. A good servant shown the door along with his family . Now a day’s Nawaz Sharif goes through the same drill and I am sure Imran would go through the same in the future though I feel that it will be easier for them to handle Imran if the status quo and I mean “IF” remains intact. 

So formula of Patriotism is very simple in Pakistan . Your loyalty towards the Uniformed narrative is more important than the constitution of the country. It’s more important than the oath you take as a Pakistani and then there are executioners of their narrative. Media anchors, Politicians, Officers both small and big and even HR managers and CEO’s in some cases. As they show their loyalty more to those sitting in Aabpara or Pindi than the oath they take as a Pakistani or what we took off our Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah . Anything else is Traitorism . 

A few days later is our 70th Independence Day . Question to ask that if due to this national narrative how many in the population of 200 Million or so are celebrating it ? If not ask why ? The question to ask where in a nation the uniformed men ruled the country for more than half of its life and I don’t say all of them were bad for the various reasons. Can we blame the politicians only for all the worse things which has happened to our nation ? 

Is this the same Pakistan of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah built as half of its gone, half of it is burning and the remaining half under Nawaz Sharif may do the same as well though I have serious doubts for Punjab to come out against this establishment as they are the biggest benefactors of this system too for the last many years at least their elite if not the poor. So what do we celebrate? That we still survive???

A few days ago few more of our soldiers were martyred fighting the T’s as they call them. More young men dead . But I get confused as their political arm are organizing such elements into politics; their representatives being eulogized on TV . The apathy continues as these men sacrifice. Is this what we celebrate a never ending conflict not due to the courage of our men but due to hypocrisy of the few in state .

Killing and persecution of Muhajirs in Karachi and Sindh continues, still hundreds of thousands are missing, open political activity of true Muahjir representation has been impeded , their leadership either in exile , in hiding or forced to show their patriotism to Gate 4 and their leader branded as a Traitor and his workers as RAW agents etc etc …. So what do we celebrate ? That perhaps the state has given us a Nationality not our rights though our ancestors fought hard for this and today like Bengalis struggle to win back which is our basic right?

Every now and then politicians come out and challenge the state . The only one’s missing all these years were Punjabi leadership in this . Though Mustafa Khar a few decades ago threatened to come on top of Indian Tanks. But I am sure no one will call them a Traitor like Achakzai , like Sindhi leaders and football loving Talibans. This favor is only destined for Muhajirs only. A few days ago I heard Dr. Asim Hussein repeating the sentiment , a few years earlier Dr. Qadeer Khan stating the same. Perhaps if I was a Punjabi too ; my HR manager and my company would have spared my daring challenge of the narrative and here I am sitting alone somewhere still worried about the same hypocrite Pakistanis and their future. 

Altaf Hussein said it and have been repeatedly saying it for many years that it’s not the state but who have hijacked the helm of the state ; the same lot whose ancestors were subservient to the British Raj today continue to rule the same who won freedom of British Raj at that time and they instead are the true patriots and the sons of the founders are Traitors. Dr. Asim’s grandfather was the founding member of Muslim League the same party who got us Pakistan. Altaf Hussein’s family left everything and came to Pakistan. The families of thousands of martyrs or missing workers of Muhajir workers did the same including my family. But the result is that today all of them are trying to declare their patriotism to those who were against the formation of Pakistan in the first place and broke it into two in the 71. 

This blog is not against our brave fighting men , not the state , not those who love Pakistan. Our struggle is against those hypocrites who have hijacked Pakistan to achieve their own personal agendas and call it patriotism . Yes Pakistan was formed to represent Muslims of India ; those who didn’t want to remain under Hindu Raj after partition but it was not defined which class or sect or ethnicity of Muslims. Today, certain sects , ethnicity and classes are superior. Do you still want me to cherish this hegemony? 

Yes, maybe I sometimes feel the pain for paying the price for speaking the truth and siding with the truth but nevertheless I sleep peacefully each night . I sometimes try to read and understand the Holy Quran and life of my Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) . I only learn one thing that without sacrifice nothing is achievable. Even prophets went into exile only to return glorious as they stood by the truth. This is what Quran teaches us ; to stand against hegemony and this is what my Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) teaches me. So no regrets. 

So Pakistan celebrate the 70th Independence Day without forgetting that your oath is with the republic, its founders and its constitution not with those in uniform and otherwise. My struggle and like me many others struggle will continue against those elements in the state who are ripping it off its true essence. Perhaps for them I may be a Traitor and for me they are the same. The fight of righteousness will go on.. enjoy the 70th . Pakistan Zindabad! 
Note : This Pakistan Zindabad is under no choice or coercion and by choice without dictation because this nation is equally mine like anyone in Uniform or without it.