The Rise of Third Force

What awaits in store for Syria?

The US seems all the more determined to launch an attack on Syrian regime of Bashr al Assad that is reported to have used chemical weapon against the rebel, who happen to be its citizens nevertheless. One cannot simply overlook the vested interests of US and its Allies in the removal of Assad’s regime as its existence entails the possibility of expansion of Iranian influence. In a move to checkmate Iran’s allies, US must have felt flabbergasted when its long term war ally Britain decided to sit this one out.

Nevertheless, US never really had shortage of allies. It had them at its command whenever it required them to be. France has committed to the use of “limited force” against Syrian ruling leadership. US has not made it clear what kind of force would be employed under the banner of “limited force”, yet there would not be a full scale war.

This is not assuring either as the “no boots on the ground” approach does not necessarily prohibit US and its allies from supplying sophisticated weaponry to the rebels. Western news media has been screaming on top of its voice that arming the rebels may well be playing right into the hands of terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda. If any attention is paid to the history, then US must remain wary of any such move. For it will not only tilt the balance of power in the favor of “rebels”. They may project themselves as the freedom fighters, yet these rebels do not represent the wishes of majority. Terrorists can constitute a major part of this rebel force who want to install a puppet government after the ouster of that very regime of Bashr al Assad. Upon these grounds, the rejection of proposal of helping the rebels by Beijing and Moscow becomes understandable.

The reason foreign powers seem so concerned about Syria because what happens in Syria affects its neighbors. On its southeast border lies war-wrecked Iraq. Iraq already faces severe sectarian violence. The collapse of Syrian law and order would perforate its borders for sectarian war to seep through. On its west lies Lebanon where Hezbollah remains the arch-rival of Israel that forms the southwest of Syria. Finally in the north of Syria is Turkey. Turkey has already battled skirmishes with Syrian rebels who tried to missile the mutual borders of Turkey and Syria. If Assad is replaced by an extremist regime backed by Al-Qaeda, then the ensuing damage cannot be quantified as it directly puts Israel in existential threat. Threat to Israel would naturally involve US. Turkey shares its border with Europe. Turkey can act as a buffer zone. There is no telling the peril the world may be in if extremists taste the power in Syria.

Whatever the solution may be devised for Syria, it must not only go in tune with the wishes of the people, but it should prolong the peace in the region. It has been much too long since Middle East could feel peace within and without. The efforts of the world must not be specious. These must not elongate personal interests. Otherwise history would only bring opprobrium to those who would prefer their peace over other’s war. Can the world afford such criminality in times that seem so desperate? The heart and mind both respond with a definitive no. 

Path to Definite Peace

The recent ferocious exchange of fire at LoC and the near abandonment of yet nascent peace process as the result is telling: it takes only handful of people to sabotage the desperately needed peace between the two populations amassing population of more than a billion.

It also highlights how quick the rulers of both countries are to shut out any possibility of maintaining peace with their neighbors. Cursed with myopic visions, political leadership of both countries efforts reluctantly, almost condescendingly, to allow guns to cool down and let the sanity prevail. They never miss an opportunity to malign the other country for its “sinister motives” yet they somehow forget to produce evidence to concretize their claims. But then, electoral point scoring must be kept in mind at all times.

Their fault lies in the belief that peace will make them weak. It will land them right into the trap webbed by the enemy. Animosity, on the other hand, will keep their “enemy” at bay, they believe. For all these years, India and Pakistan have gained nothing but each other’s ire and the slow indifference of the people to what could have been the era of mutual economic progress, political expediency, purposeful harmony and exchange of similar cultures.

Nothing could be farther from truth in this belief of clinging on to the aggressive stance. Reality is different, bitter, and must be told to the people. Pakistan’s need for peace is clear: it wants to engage at the more brutal battlefront with TTP. It can only concentrate its resources to the leviathan of TTP if its east border is ensured of safety.

India should realize this need for peace. India may be blossoming into another economic giant of Asia, rivalling China, yet it will be almost always at the mortal peril if its neighbor does not act as the buffer zone to any threats of radicals from Afghanistan and Central Asia. By only helping Pakistan in defying the ghost of radicalization that haunts its existence, can India be truly safe. Constant bickering at the borders and crescendo of “all-out war” is tantamount to playing right into the hands of terrorists. Terrorists march forward with the objective of establishing an Islamic State of Pakistan where the word “Islamic” would be interpreted by them. Owing to sporadic support afforded to TTP’s ideology, it seems a far cry that TTP will ever get the chance of ruling Pakistan. Yet it is the ferociousness of their attacks and the precision with which they execute their operations leads one but to think that it is only a matter of time when even the nukes would no longer be safe. Even if a part of this becomes reality then India, along with US, naturally become one of the primary targets. How can India fail to consider that it is only by the concerted efforts at regional and global level to efface the surfeit threat of terrorism?

In the case of countries having definite geological boundaries, choosing a neighbor is not much of a choice: one has to work with whatever one has got. Hence Pakistan and India can choose to live in a perpetual state of war or they can breathe a sigh of relief by allowing peace to prevail. The month of August, every year, brings new set of promises of prosperity and hope. It is high time that definite peace with neighbors based on respect, honesty and understanding should be listed amongst the most important agendas.

Education! Where Art Thou?!

States, all around the world, characterize their civilians in order to bring their thought patterns in line with the state narrative. States promote uniformity of thought, singleness of objective and a general coherence about identity by twisting a few facts and presents them in a light which offers more favorable story. In a way, this is how states control the minds of its subjects in order to banish rebellious thinking and outcasts those who challenge the state’s perspective.

In the modern world where there is abundance of information, statistics and only seldom things can escape the scrutiny of experts, this is no big a secret. States do employ such means and, perhaps, for the good of society: every individual is not capable of handling the truth; and for them, illusions become their oxygen. Modern states, with an art of subtlety, through education and press weaves the thought fabric of its citizens. Very few amongst us can actually lay bare this tactic of the state and trace the truth.

Pakistan’s bureaucratic narrative can be one of the finest examples for that matter. States do twist the narrative, but here we have the whole history being written in order not to offend handful personages. From sweeping under the rug the shady motives of coup to muddling up the personal life of the founder, we have it all. Generals, who can never represent nation at large, are never charged with treason in text books. Hardly it is ever mentioned that these greedy officers committed treason by abrogating the constitution and were punishable by death for doing so. Not even once it is imparted to the impressionable minds that why military coups dent a nation so injuriously that it takes nearly a decade to heal the implications. In a way, bureaucracy, that had its own axe to grind in coups, considers coups a part of political process where one person takes over from another and that’s that.

Pakistan’s education system hardly ever promotes free thinking. Imagination is not allowed to break free for the fear of rebellion. Wings of spirit are clipped so that its flight may not rouse the other spirits. One major reason why public and private education are so various in what they have to offer is primarily because public education is still stuck where it was a few decades ago, while private sector tutors its students using the up-to-date courses. Consider the computer course of matric and intermediate level of public sector. Even today, when the world has done away with floppy disks, students are still asked to not only describe what a floppy drive is and how it looks like, but they are asked to mention its price as well. The tests seem to promote the career of keeping a shop than to challenge the conceptual learnings of students. Students are still taught nearly obsolete MS-DOS and COBOL languages that has little use in practical world.

Another dilemma of such courses is their lack of relevance to the practical world. Students easily detect that the syllabi they are being taught is applicable, if applicable that is, only in the West. Inability of syllabi designers to indigenize the course is anathema to any innovation students can bring to their field of study. Finding books of little help in the real world spreads the notion of the uselessness of books and extensive study. If this notion is developed and clung onto at a young age, then the age long abhorrence for books is developed. Efforts should be made by teachers and the administration to teach students in a way that the fact of usefulness of books is presented in a broad day light. 

Education is a sensitive matter in the age of nation; it must be handled by those who honestly believe and fully understand the power of education and the implications if not imparted in correct manner. Instead of contorting the truths to suit the bureaucratic needs, nationalism must be promoted. This nationalism should not find its roots in chauvinism and the hatred of other nations, rather in tolerance and pluralism. It must promote democracy, not only as a political process but as a way of life where people, and their rulers, believe in the equality of opportunity. Along with these, if education cannot produce free-thinkers who seriously understand the wounded nation of Pakistan, then it confirms the defects of our educational system. Now is a time, not of despair, but of active engagement. 

Malala et al.

We do not hate Malala Yousafzai. Well, not all of us. For us, Malala does not personify any phenomenon of bravery and fortitude. To us, she happens to be one of those thousands who refused to do bidding of TTP and were hence blown to pieces or riddled with bullets. To us, she does not become the starting point of revolt against TTP’s version of state control for she happens to one of hundreds and thousands who have firm faith in democracy, justice and freedom. Then, why only Malala? She was discovered by BBC and her blogs were telecasted to the world which granted her world-wide recognition for her bravery. To Western media, she, perhaps, embodies the spirit of Anne Frank who used to keep a diary during WWII. Both of these have one thing in common at least: their tormentors were anti-Allies and anti-West. 

Nobody is taking away Malala’s courage away from her for it takes a certain amount of daring attitude in order stand tall to the person who is holding the gun barrel at your face. But her promotion as the manifestation of people of Pakistan who prefer education over extremism and pens over bullets is certainly misleading. An overwhelming majority of Pakistan utterly rejects that version of Islam which TTP preach. Malala is not the only one who challenged TTP’s authority.

Her brought by the Western media serves their interests as well. This war is also being fought at the ideological front. Whosoever speaks of an ideology which falls perfectly in line with the machinations of West must be taken on board. Yes, education for all is a noble dream. But why UN doesnt call up any surviving child of Palestine and have him commenting on the atrocities he has had to face just because he was born in Palestine. 

UN must take things in balance. But at the moment, it seems nothing but wishful thinking.

Well played Mr. Cameron!

The recent video release of British Prime Minister wishing Muslims of the world Ramadan greetings is laudable gesture. The five minute video shows David Cameron highlighting the spirit of Islamic faith and the essence of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. He asks British people to cooperate with Muslims in this month and, by taking inspiration from the Islamic message behind fasting, take measures to eradicate hunger from this planet. The idea of video message does not seem extraordinary for head of the governments do extend their warm regards toward the events of minorities. But the significance of this video message becomes quite considerable in today’s world where Muslims are seen with suspicion, where stares of hatred and blame follow them everywhere around the world. Mr. Camron’s precise understanding of the essence of Ramadan and his gentle plead to the people of Britain to eradicate hunger not only promotes a soft image of Islam, but it marks the understanding of Muslim culture and Islamic faith by the British. West may fiercely deny that it has no problem with Islam, but the orthodox Islamists who are too literal in the interpretation of Quranic text and extremist in its execution. Due to these handful of extremists, the image of Muslim Ummah is dented. West must differenciate between good Muslim and a bad Muslim. Muslims make up decent percentage in Europe and America. Almost all of these Muslims living in Europe and USA have no link whatsoever with the extremist Muslims residing in Afghanistan, Central Asia and Pakistan. Hence it is in the interest of European countries and USA to understand this difference if it wants to win the ideological war. As for Mr. Cameron, owing to his correct understanding of Islam and fasting month of Ramadan, he may just have won the hearts of countless Muslims.

Those Hands

I remember those hands. The moment when they lifted me into the air when I was nothing more than a piece of meat wrapped in a white cloth. Those hands, when gently caressed my forehead, declared themselves to be my guardian. Whenever I have been in trouble, those hands were ordained by God to hold me firm and not catch me irresolute and short of faith. I was carried in those hands to the shoulders and up in the air until i giggled. My giggle was the most desired sound that those hands longed for. 

As i grew stronger in my limbs and more mature in my thoughts, those hands receded just enough to let the lark of my life learn to fly away from the nest. I dont know if the lark flew or not but i can positively and affirmatively declare that those hands are of my father’s.

The End of GCU

the feeling is strange: the feeling of being a failure. The knowledge of it is undesirable. We build around ourselves the walls of mirrors. These walls not only stop you from seeing what is the rest of the world is made of; but they are more dangerous in the sense that these mirrors only show you what you throw at them. The editorship of the Ravi was something i had craved all my life. i felt that it was something that would have validated my stay of 6 years at GCU. I thought that finally i would be able to fulfill my desire with which i entered the gates of Government College six years back: the desire to make a name for myself here, so that my coming generations can look back with a sense of pride. 

When my eyes could not detect my name on that list, i felt my dreams being trampled upon. I had hardly ever given a thought that i would not be selected as the editor of The Ravi. I would not say that i was too proud to think of anyone much worthy. It was just that i seemed an automatic choice. But i guess it was one of those mirror walls that tricked me into believing that. 

How can they assess by an interview of merely two minutes that a person can work or not. Did they not know that the person who was sitting next to them had worked for a whole one year? How could they forget that this was that very person who would edit all the articles to the best of his abilities and tried never to let his editor down? How could they judge my work in a matter of a few seconds? Should i not feel betrayed? Should i not feel wanting? When they tell me that i was poor at the interview, then does it mean that a person has to be good at the interviews only and not at the actual work? It’s not that one should be bad at the interview, but the point that i am trying to focus here is that i had worked and worked damn too hard for this post! Danyal gets the editorship of Gazette by not editing even a single article of The Ravi. Hammad gets the editorship of The Ravi by being the blue-eyed boy. People in the department knew him. And the one who did most of the work last year gets to know that just because he could not ‘impress’ somebody in a few seconds gets nothing. 

I wish i could cry. I wish i could let the tears come down my face. I wish that my heart could feel lighter. I wish for all of this. But they dont seem to be coming. I dont know what is stopping them. I wish that these tears would just stream down and i could feel better. I feel all grumpy.

So, is this the end? Of GCU, it is. I never thought my roller-coaster life of GCU would meet such a tragic ending. It’s like standing in the long line of the awaiting people and only after standing for two hours you get to know that you are just not what they want you to be. I know that I could have managed Ravi and would have done it well. But it doesnt matter, not anymore at least. The damage is done and there is nothing one can do about it. What i have to do is to concentrate hard on my studies. I have to clear CSS if i stand a better chance of marrying hira. She is so much depending upon me to do something. i hope i do not disappoint her. 

I hope Hammad finds all the more difficult in running The Ravi. Do you really want him to suffer? Yes. It would vindicate my regrets and soothe the hurt. Revenge, though inhumane, is only natural.

The vileness of ingratitude.

When Brutus stabbed Caesar, it was not only the instance where indifference was at its climax, but another emotion was also rising up like a tide, albeit a silent one i.e. ingratitude. The ingratitude of trust and faith which Caesar had in Brutus. The ingratitude of all those moments when Caesar thought of Brutus as a “noble man”. Ingratitude is a curse. Once it seeds itself in the habit and faculty of a person, seldom things can counter its growth. Like a dark shadow that silently creeps from under the door, ingratitude makes its way into the daily dealings of a person in a most subtle way. Perhaps it was the slow culmination of this poison that eventually budge the hand of Brutus, which was holding the dagger, to push through the crowd and aim at the heart of Caesar.

Today, we live in an amazing century where mankind is at its pinnacle of new discoveries and rapid scientific growth. The technological growth has saved man’s countless hours of strenuous work. But there is other, and rather grim side of the picture: man is all the more dependent on machines. It has made man increasingly lazy and easily irritable. Tolerance has vanished as this user of an efficient machine expects the same efficiency from the human beings that surround him. Naturally he fails in such pursuit and hence he feels disgruntled and annoyed. 

Even if some person does show a little, unexpected spark of that “required” efficiency, then the one who required this efficiency is hardly moved by this act. He demands more and more to an insatiable fill. This gives birth to Ingratitude. The inability to appreciate; the incapacity to give hope’ the disability to see an optimistic future. Ingratitude entails not only pessimism, but applies brakes to the very drive of achieving something significant.

People can be cured of this terrible disease only if the state wills it so. But if that state becomes one of the patients of Ingratitude, then little can be done. It is a charge leveled against Pakistanis that they have a knack of forgetting the services of their national heroes. One cannot deny it. It is almost self-evident with a store full of examples. But has the state, in 64 years, done anything to commemorate such heroes? In the Western world, there are statues, museums, special sessions of television broadcasts which indoctrinate, if that’s the right word, the love for their national heroes and their deeds. In our part of the world, we hardly find any statue of any personality. I have not seen even a single statue of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Iqbal or Sir Syed Ahmed Khan for that matter. People show little enthusiasm to go to the nearest museum and learn the deeds of their past leaders and popular figures. Due to this general ingratitude in the masses, television channels, that are largely profit making firms, little care for the nationalistic fervor and only show “what people want to see” and not what they need to see.

Kant once said that “Ingratitude is the source of vileness.” It almost seems that he said this when he had a nation like the Pakistanis in his mind. The sense of ingratitude towards our forefathers who had to bear the brunt of the Partition, the lack of thankfulness for those who have served their whole lives for their community, society or this country and not feeling the pride of our skin, color and race has led us to feel ashamed of ourselves. Hence we have become stagnant in a way that we are going nowhere while the world around us prepares to re-create the scenes of Big Bang. We remain tangled in our domestic issues pertaining to identity while forgetting those very people who let their bodies to become heap of ashes so that they can give us an identity. And what do we do? We conveniently forget them. Oh! the shame.  

he finds his pu…

he finds his pulse numbing,

fading with every tick passing,

stop him for he doesn’t have to go,

leaving the dust, this soul forlorn.

he is making a bride,

widow already.

She dreams about the things yet undreamed,

Preparing to suffer for being sinless.

he cares for none, as he passes by,

and unsings the song once memorized.

Her mind wanders to regain her Eden,

wandering aimlessly, only to repeat the pattern. 

feel his pain that makes him unnatural,

nay, hold his hand and sense it

in your bones, the withering hopes.

There she stands, the wretched skin,

with shattered myths, and dreams unfulfilled,

An owl hoots, for here breathes a bird of ill.