The Shame of a Nation.
knicq posted in Knicqisms on November 16th, 2007
Imran Khan. The only time I saw him play was in the World Cup 1992, and we won that World Cup, the only time we ever did. Until we win the next world cup (Sigh!), as in when we next win it, for me Pakistan’s moment of cricketing glory will always be that picture of Imran Khan lifting the World Cup aloft.
On what was one from a succession of the saddest days in our history, Imran Khan arrived at the Punjab University, the oldest cradle of learning in the city of “Zinda-dilan”, to lead a protest of students against the imposition of emergency. Imran is in his mid-50s, and can scarcely lay a claim to being one of those students - but if generation after generation of Pakistani youth ever had an icon, it was Imran Khan. Mobilizing the student body is the surest way of de-stablilizing a dictator - hark back to Ayub’s 60s - and Imran is thus the nation’s best shot. He rules hearts. He may not be the greatest thing that ever happened to the political scene, arguable as even that may be, he is head and shoulders above the lot of them politicians all. Upon his arrival, he was whisked away by the goons of IJT (Islami Jamiat Talaba - the student wing of Jamat-e-Islami that party of bigots and ignorants who enjoy no popular support but lay claim to all matters of National importance in the name of Islam whilst their actions are summarily in contradiction to all tenets of Islam), who manhandled him, locked him up, according to some reports even beat him up with some assistance from the Government goons in plain clothes, and then handed him over to the police force, who are filing anti-terrorism charges against him for inciting trouble.
As someone who has seen Jamiat’s ghundagardi first hand, albeit at a negligible scale comparatively speaking, I have never had any love lost for these rascals - but this time they went too far, way too far. Whether one agrees with Imran or not, nothing changes the fact that he is a National Hero, one of the VERY few we have, and this episode of him being manhandled by goons masquerading as students is outrageous and shameful.
Not that we need indicators to tell us how quickly we are spiraling downhill, but if we ever needed one, this is it. It is ironic that we should be losing an ODI series in India after almost a quarter of century, and lets remember ODIs came along a little over a quarter of a century ago, pretty much about the time we were disgracing ourselves manhandling the man who was called a tiger (should be called a Lion now), earned us the image of fighting tigers who may be down but never out, and won us the ODI World Cup. It is not about Cricket, and that is saying a lot, since it is always about Cricket, just this once it is not, but this just isn’t Cricket - if you know what I mean.
One hopes this will mark the beginning of the end for Jamiat + Jamaat (and Musharraf too, not to mention the MQMs, Chaudharies, Benazirs et al) … one hopes, and prays ever so fervently.
I salute each of these students who has come out to protest this despicable transgression. May Allah see us through these turbulent times. Ameen.
November 17th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
I am ashamed of being an old student of Punjab University.
Did you see that clown representative of Jamiat during that few seconds clip when he was accusing Imran of highjacking the cause. That clown in not worthy of hiring to clean toilet in my home or office and yet there he is representing a student union and that too in University.
I have seen these student leaders and many of them who become lecturers in the same university afterwards. I dont even have the words to describe them and I wonder what kind of education they would be giving to students now.
I am ashamed today that I was a student of Punjab University, I am ashamed today at the situation in my country but I cant stop loving my country PAKISTAN and my alma mater the Punjab University. I have spent some best years of my life there. All my good memories are there.
Oh Allah! Give us all the strength, courage and wisdom to change the situation in our country and in all the learning places that they become the places to learn only.
November 21st, 2007 at 1:12 pm
erm…i could not read any further than the first para…”lifting the WC aloft”…something’s the matter in it…
and in any case i’ve decided not to worry about matters that i have no control over…as per S. Covey, if my Circle of Influence is enclosed within my Circle of Concern, i’d have a contented life and can actually be more effective…and God alone knows how effective and influential i have to be to get things done MY way at home…so i’m saving my concerns for very homely matters…works for me…so far.
November 21st, 2007 at 1:13 pm
P.S: You want to rile Z up? tell him that you have it on reliable sources that students of the IER @ PU beat up Imran Khan.
November 22nd, 2007 at 10:14 pm
A: I would have loved to rile him up tonight - had you guys turned up for the badminton tourny at VGA’s
For a minute you had me wondering if I had actually typed in “Lifting the WC aloft”… something’s certainly the matter in it…. and I hate the imagery it conjures up. I think you have it the other way - one would think life would be easier if one’s circle of concern were enclosed within one’s circle of influence. That way one could continue to expand the circle of influence and along with that the circle of concern - and life would still be beautiful. You gotta love Imran though for edging his circle of concern way past his circle of influence, which is saying a lot since his circle of influence ain’t short on diameter.
Here’s another pertinent opinion on chowk: http://www.chowk.com/articles/13004
November 26th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
wow. that’s upsetting. i’ve always heard ‘jamiat’ used in a good context, since my cousins were part of it long long time ago. guess not anymore. isn’t there anyone we can trust without reservations?
my dad hasn’t slept properly in weeks. always on the net or watching news via satellite, his heart bleeds for the country he fought to build. i don’t have the bullet wounds that he has or the passion that you write with, but the land of the pure is part of my identity, and it’s in my duas.
btw.. i don’t agree with A, lack of control is not an excuse for disinterest. technically you don’t have control even over your heartbeat, yet you desire to live. as far as influence, don’t discount prayer.
ps. thanks for your comment bro. =) the bba was yeaaars ago, just dusting it off cuz it may come in handy. hehe. and being linked should give you motivation to write more. among other things, your blog provides me with a point of view i can’t get anywhere else. so thanks now and in advance for (frequent) future entries. =P
November 28th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Noodles: “that’s upsetting. i’ve always heard ‘jamiat’ used in a good context, since my cousins were part of it long long time ago. guess not anymore. ”
Perhaps. But we should also consider the possibility that a few bad apples do not necessarily define a whole institution or ideology. Just as the fanatical murderers who act in the name of Islam do not define our religion, similarly, some goons and hoodlums acting in the name of Jama’t-e-Islami do not define the Jama’t. The condemnation of the actions of these thugs by the Jama’t hierarchy was swift, unequivocal and as far as an outsider could tell, sincere.
Excellent comment btw. =)
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Noodles: Jamiat mentioned in good context? In my 31 years, that has happened only once - in a Political Science class, when discussing the structure of political parties in Pakistan: “What is the one party which fulfills the definition of a political party in terms of structure in Pakistan?” When the Professor himself gave us the answer, “Jamiat”, it just summed up the pathetic state of the political scene of our country for me. If Jamiat gets mentioned as the lesser evil, we know what we are dealing with…
May Allah bless your father and the so many architects of this country. We need their kind more than ever before today with the worst looming over our heads, and the very fundamentals of our country’s creation challenged from within as well as without. The power of prayer, the mercy of Allah are all the hope one has in these times.
Thanks very much for the motivation… and for the kind words. Trust me I am working *real* hard at frequent posts… one is a good start, isn’t it?
Anon: I am afraid I differ from any opinion that looks at Jamiat favorably. IJT, at least within the Punjab University, is collectively looked at as a goon and meddlesome organization. Its the nose that is found poked into every matter. I have had the misfortune of being present in PU when Qazi Hussain had addressed a gathering, and I remember how students were rounded up to lend that majma volume, and I also remember being incredulous when Qazi had announced besieging the capital because the Government was not the people’s choice (Or some such shpeel). Now here’s the interesting part: This happened when Nawaz Sharrif had assumed office as the PM after landslide victories across the country…
The condemnation in this particular incident was nothing but damage control, and very appropriately it was deemed as too little too late. The apparent sincerity with which these statements come out have fooled us for long enough.
The Jama’t-e-Islami has every right to stay the political party it is, but it has no business in the corridors of the Universities. The IJT, and any such parties in other institutions - whether they lay claim to being Islamic or not, must be bundled out. The academic institutions belong to academics and students - not to political thugs.
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Oh and did I mention that the promised besieging did come over the next few weeks; it was one of the very few days when the “jamatias” were seen talking nicely to all and sundry because they needed people to fill up their EMPTY buses. The next day’s papers carried pictures of 7 students who lost their lives when police first baton charged and then opened fire on the unruly protestors.
Qazi sahab went home content after that. He had elicited his khiraj.
I make little effort to mask the disdain I hold the jamatias in… it is best exemplified in the first two lines of a post that was meant to introduce JB: http://www.knicq.com/archives/introducing-jalali-baba-1/
December 20th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Eid Mubarak to you and yours, Bhaijan!
December 21st, 2007 at 6:18 am
السلام علیکم بھائی
دلی عید مبارک آپ سب کو
January 29th, 2008 at 1:45 am
Bhaijan I see your frequency of posting is heading towards binje-esque proportions… Blogistan needs good writers like urself to keep it going…
Still reeling from that mental image of a WC being lifted aloft!
February 12th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
And so it looks like the death of another blog- if not death, then life support, certainly.
not that it matters to me that you stop writing- but it used to be an enlightening 5 minutes away from work.
March 31st, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Saadat and Sh_guf: Belated khair eid mubarak
TUS: We seem to be competing with each other in whose frequency of updates stays low…er. Trust me, chotey bhai, I have tried to let you win - but it seems beyond my capabilities. No hard feelings eh?
LOL @ the WC lifted aloft. Stop with the reeling - the image might just spill stuff!!!
Sonia: Welcome to knicqland…
I am sorry you caught us at a wrong time - we had issues, my tech support, my updating acumen and I did. We are working at it - don’t give up on us yet!