Meenah, a reader, cries out to all Pakistanis to stand up for justice. She quotes Faiz’s poetry to reflect upon the current dismal state of affairs and to point towards an eventual solution. She urges us to stand up for our rights and for justice. Ghafoor’s rejoinder to a question posed by Meenah is posted below. He looks at, ‘When will we finally wake up?’
Justice, anyone?
Justice is said to be blind. Unfortunately, when we’re talking about Pakistan, it also happens to be deaf, dumb, and slightly retarded.
Perhaps that is why, over the decades, we ourselves have become our worst enemy. A long time back, Faiz Ahmed Faiz penned a beautiful piece of poetry: “Hum dekhein ge” {We will watch}. He talked about Indian occupied Kashmir and how he hoped we would watch it liberated one day. On Friday, the 16th of March 2007, this rallying cry rang out over the radio, as our press was attacked by our very own “saviors”, the Punjab Police.
Sab Taj uch’halay jaein ge, sab takht giraey jaein ge,
Hum dekhein ge…{All kings will be dethroned, all rulers ousted; We will watch…}
Haven’t we remained silent long enough? We slept through the war in Wana; we slept through the American “operation” in Bejaur; and we slept through Bugti’s murder. We even slept as our “agencies” kidnapped our own people and gave no explanation. When will we finally wake up?
Now, even our freedom of expression and freedom of press is threatened. The common man has no rights, for any minister, or a minister’s family member, might fanicfully humiliate or assault him publicly while he performs his duties (case in point: Federal Law Minister who beat up a waiter at Marriot, Islamabad and his son beat up a fellow passenger on a PIA flight). And why talk about the common man anyway when the country’s chief justice has no protection, no standing?
It is time to stop waiting for someone else to take charge. It’s time to take a stand for what is right. It is time to bring a revolution in our own lives; to think like a nation, rather then individuals. It is time to fight for Justice.
Aur raj karay gi khalq-e Khuda, jo main bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho
Hum dekhein ge…{And the men of God shall rule, for you are one, and I am too; We shall see…}
Ghafoor’s rejoinder:
Meenah, I really enjoyed reading your post. It poses a thought-provoking question:
When will we finally wake up?
That is a question, I feel, we all have to ask ourselves. Those who are literate, educated, and aware of the real situation in Pakistan are the ones who can actually make a difference. They must first bring about a change within themselves before they can try and bring about a change within the country.
This does not imply that everyone under this category is apathetic or indifferent to the situation. It does, however, suggest modifying one’s mindset genuinely and absolutely. Earning a decent income, raising a family etc. - these are desires that are understandable for all to have and pursue. The problem arises when these desires within society become self-oriented, to the point, that we stop caring about what happens around us, as long as it doesn’t affect us directly. Ironically, we complain about increasing food, electric, and gas prices yet majority of the people have no idea how all institutions are at some level interconnected. We must give up this essence of self and embrace divine unity (One of the themes on which Sufism is based, if I am correct).
True change can only be brought about, if everyone starts thinking more for the nation and as a nation. It doesn’t stop there. A movement is essential to begin this change and only people can bring about this movement. One generation alone cannot achieve this objective. Every generation must contribute and must be bred into this movement. Every great movement that made some significant effect in it’s time in the world began with a school of thought.
Some might say that this all just peachy but unrealistic. Well let me pull up a fitting and a rather ironic example from the pages of history.
In Jerusalem there is a famous hilltop called Mount Herzl, named after Theodor Herzl. Who was Mr. Herzl and why was the hilltop named after him? He was a journalist and just so happened to also be the founder of Zionism. His famous writing “The Jewish State” published in 1896, called for an independent state for Jews to avoid anti-Semitism. Now there were a few personalities before him that put forward a similar proposal but Zionism was established and truly propelled after the appearance of Herzel and his book. Soon after there were four major ‘Aliyahs‘ or mass Jewish immigrations to Israel and the rest is history.
The purpose of the historical reference was to show the possibility of change, the power of a single individual and more importantly, the power behind ideas. Keeping in mind that the Jewish Diaspora was persecuted over most parts of Europe and a few million even migrated all the way from Russia, there is a common phrase used by the Jews in reference to The Holocaust: ‘Never Again‘. Whatever one might say about Israel and its people, you cannot question their determination or deny the fact that they took that phrase pretty seriously.
With a fading ideology and no sign of national harmony, Pakistan needs to be revived and it can only be done when a movement, born from a strong school of thought, is adamant and nationally accepted.
I couldn’t agree with you more, we have been and still are, our own worst enemy. We envy each other’s success, we gossip, we sell ourselves easily and above all we have for the most part, become primitive human beings. We rely more on pure emotion and desire than rational thought and reasoning. We tax the future generations with our own problems and that by itself shows just how much we have been willing to sacrifice our desires and our Self till now.
No matter how great the task or how long it would take to be achieved, change can be brought about and the masses can be moved. They are waiting for us and if we do not heed their call, I fear they will start something without us.
A revolution is coming, I can assure you of that because it is inevitable. Pakistan has never really had a revolution and I’m pretty sure she’s screaming for one at the moment. Unfortunately, when we use such words as revolution, change, difference etc. they all in some way involve sacrifice. Even though, we are currently making sacrifices (human rights, freedom etc.), most of us are not fully aware of it or feel there is no alternative. There is an alternative, there always has been; we just need to wake up and smell the coffee.
I would like to thank you for your post, which I hope will encourage others to follow suit.
First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left
to speak up for me.
- Niemöller
(Before we start another argument here; there is a certain level of controversy as to the exact words of this poem [see wikipedia] but the message I attempt to convey is the same)
Brilliant poem! Perfectly conveys the message of this post in four simple stanzas.
“There is an alternative, there always has been”
Too true. We always have a choice. The times when we doubt that, the choice just happens to be a difficult one. But it’s still there.
Today, we have a choice. We either bow low and let ourselves be walked all over, as has been happening for decades. Or we finally take a stand and speak up.
I know that every time I try discussing things, there’s always someone who says “oh forget it, not like we can do anything…who cares what’s happening else where, khush raho yaar…”
That’s what’s destroying us.
You say a revolution is coming. Well, there have always been rebels. But what are we rebelling against. And when will we take it to the next level?
I’m all for action. I know, faith has three levels: to KNOW what is right; to SAY what is right; and to DO something to make something right.
We know what needs to be done. And we’re speaking up. We discuss, we argue, we debate. When do we act, and how?
I want to go out and protest. Sure, it probably will achieve nothing. But I’ll have done my bit. Everytime I say that out loud, people around me go “are you NUTS? You’ll get beaten up and thrown into jail!!”
A cause always demands sacrifice. But if today, we sit at home just talking about it, what will we have to say for ourselves tommorrow, when history demands answers?
Somehow, anything I read by Faiz nowdays brings me back to this depressing situation. I tried translating it, but it just loses it’s flavour that way:
Darbar-e watan main jab ik din sab janay walay jaein ge
Kuch apni saza ko pohanchein ge, kuch apni jaza le jaein ge
Aey khak nasheenon uth baitho, woh waqt kareeb aa pohancha hai
Jab taj uch’halay jaein ge, jab takht giraey jaein ge
Ab toot girein gi zanjeerein, ab zindan’on ki khair nahin
Jo darya jhoom k utha hai, tinkon se na ta’llay jaein ge
Kat’tay bhi chalo, barhtay bhi chalo: bazoo bhi bohat hain, sar bhi bohat
Chaltay bhi chalo, k ab d’air’ay manzil pe hi da’lay jaein ge
Aey zulm k maro, lab kholo, chup rehnay walon chup kab tak?
Kuch hash’r to’ un se uthay ga, kuch do’or to’ na’lay jaein ge
Yes, that poem is truely fitting. Fatima Bhutto used it in an article of hers on the 17th of March, and it sums up everything very nicely.
I am deeply touched by the feelings and loving thoughts of the writer regarding Meenah’s cries to stand up for justice. The way the writer is arousing the nation to be action-oriented, on the cries of Meenah, reminds me Muhammad Bin Qasim (who, in C. 712, conquered Sindh and Punjab by defeating Raja Dahir on the cries of a female pilgrimage). I, all of a sudden, feel over-optimistic about the future of Pakistan. The cries of Meenah seem to me a prelude to a Revolution predicted by the writer. However, I am jolted hardly by my conscience with doubts about writer’s audacity. Shall the writer be 21st century’s Qasim or a hollow hoodwinker?
sorry pilgrim not pilgrimage
“Young birds know very well when there is no longer room for them in the eggs. … A man who has outgrown the State can no more be coerced into submission to its laws, than can the fledgling be made [the bird] to re-enter its shell.”- wrote Leo Tolstoy in the Kingdom of God is Within You.
I don’t know how long this course of indifference will continue but surely soon we will outgrow our shells because 60 years is a long time for coercive submission.
Yes! I found the poetry “wonderful”. May work as “Energizer” for deprived & humilliated people
Darbar-e watan main jab ik din sab janay walay jaein ge
Kuch apni saza ko pohanchein ge, kuch apni jaza le jaein ge
Aey khak nasheenon uth baitho, woh waqt kareeb aa pohancha hai
Jab taj uch’halay jaein ge, jab takht giraey jaein ge
Ab toot girein gi zanjeerein, ab zindan’on ki khair nahin
Jo darya jhoom k utha hai, tinkon se na ta’llay jaein ge
Kat’tay bhi chalo, barhtay bhi chalo: bazoo bhi bohat hain, sar bhi bohat
Chaltay bhi chalo, k ab d’air’ay manzil pe hi da’lay jaeinge
Aey zulm k maro, lab kholo, chup rehnay walon chup kab tak?
Kuch hash’r to’ un se uthay ga, kuch do’or to’ na’lay jaein ge
Wah! Subhan Allah
As a tribute to those who laid their life in this era of coarsion (Year 2000 onwards - Espacially the Ulama-e- Islam, for whom no sincere efforts were done to catch the killers)
Quba-e-Noor say Saj kar Lahoo say ba Vozoo ho kar
Wo pohnchay bargahay Haq main kitnay surkhuroo ho kar
Farishtay Aasman say un kay istiqbal ko pohnchay
chalay unkay Jiloa main “ba Adab” “Ba Abroo” ho kar
Jahan-e-Rang-o-boo say ma wara hai manzil-e-Janan
ga’ay wo is jahan say bay niaz-e-rang-o-boo ho kar