Daily Times

Mufasa is dead, Scar and the hyenas have taken over the Pride Lands, there is no food and water, the once lush and glorious Savannah has turned into wasteland and the herds have migrated to prosperous climates. Simba, the crown prince, has been forced by Scar to flee, held responsible for Mufasa’s death, and the pride has been told he is dead. Oppressed by Scar and the scavengers’ rule, no one knows the rightful Lion King still lives.

As tensions build up, Pakistan prepares to vote tomorrow. I know there is one person I am rooting for, I do not know her, but I hope she wins. She is Veeru Kohli, a Pakistani citizen, belonging to the Hindu community, contesting elections for a provincial assembly seat, from PS-50 Hyderabad. I salute her courage; win or lose, she has risen, breaking the shackles.

As millions watched, an exhausted King Khan, flanked by two bodyguards on his right, was being raised on a fork-lifter, towards a 20-feet tall container, converted into a stage. Within seconds, an over-zealous third bodyguard, possibly in order to cover the King, who was exposed from the front, climbs up precariously, on the visibly wobbly lifter. Triumphantly, he stands up and unbalances the entire lot. Horror ensued, hearts stopped, as Khan, along with his loyal guards, catapulted, head down, onto the ground. Images of a bleeding Khan, with gashes on his head, being picked up, and taken to the hospital created havoc, in his political supporters and normal, decent human beings alike.

The Punjab police good to its past record, instantly held Khan’s bodyguard responsible; the only thing that our illustrious police overlooked was that in order to constitute a criminal offence, mens rea — criminal intent — has to be present. A look at the footage reveals that the third body guard, when he climbed up onto the fork lifter had Khan’s consent; he was not stopped by anyone, and the mere fact that harm, not obviously intended, was caused by it does not turn it into a criminal offence. It was a negligent act at best, as was the arrangement of the fork lifter to shuttle people up and down, an obvious lack of foresight by the management. It is sad that the media did not give any updates about the injured guards, as if they were not worthy enough for the public to know the fate of those who risked their lives for Khan. But, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital sent emails and updates of all three; that is humanity.

In an interview to a TV channel Khan said: “I have done all I could do…now you have to decide whether you want to make a new Pakistan… ‘Verily Allah does not change the condition of a people unless they change it themselves’…you have to come out for your rights on 11 May.”

My first introduction to Khan was when I was 12 years old, travelling in the school bus; I failed to understand why the ‘bajis’ of Class X went ‘gaga’ over, what in my opinion then, was not a very good looking cricketer! In 1982, Pakistan’s cricket team came to London, England; this was when Mohsin Khan scored a double century at Lords. Pakistan’s embassy in London hosted a reception in the team’s honour to which the diplomats and their families were invited. My friends and I were excited participants of the event, armed with our cameras and ‘gaga-looks’; this was the first time in my life that cricket interested me but not Khan! Dissenters of Khan think that women are siding with him because of their past crushes on him, but while that may be possible, could it also be because of what he comes across as: sincere, passionate, committed — all the qualities women love? Could his philanthropy also play a role?

A supporter of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) recently said to me that the PPP was the only liberal political party in Pakistan, its one and only flaw being corruption. Liberal generally means open to new behaviour or opinions and willing to discard traditional values; so if that is the case, why were the blasphemy laws not amended, why were the domestic violence and child protection laws not passed, why are the hudood laws still on the statute book, why were provisions that allow impeachment of a woman’s character in rape cases not repealed, why did violence against women rise in the past years? Corruption, on the other hand, promotes inequality, injustice and is a severe violation of human rights. Should corruption be accepted in lieu of liberalism?

Responding to Khan’s injury, Mian Nawaz Sharif announced cancellation of all rallies to be held the next day, so then what was going on in Kamalia and Dera Ghazi Khan? If an announcement had been made to suspend the election campaign, maybe the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz should have honoured it? As I write, I am greatly amused by the ticker running on my television; the caretaker Prime Minister has announced a new dress code for government officials. Starting from next week, men will be required to wear lace-less shoes while women have to wear sandals. I am overwhelmed by the stupidity of this; why can I not wear shoes if I want, am I doomed to wear ‘sandals only’ because I am a woman? And, does the ‘temporary PM’ have nothing better to do with his time than to issue dress codes or maybe, the choice of shoes now mandated is to facilitate swift removal from feet in case of a ‘terror’ threat?

Hakuna Matata! The match between the tiger, the arrow and the bat, reminds me of a game children play to settle disputes: rock, paper and scissors. Let us see who trumps which tomorrow. As his friends tell Simba, bad things happen in life but it is not your responsibility, not your worry; when the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world, and two words will solve all your problems: ‘Hakuna Matata’! What a wonderful phrase, Hakuna Matata! Ain’t no passing craze, it means no worries for the rest of your days, it’s our problem-free philosophy, Hakuna Matata! Unfortunately, we, the Pakistani nation, do not have the luxury of saying Hakuna Matata; our children are bombed, ransomed and trafficked; we have no food, water, electricity; we are neck deep in endemic corruption and injustice; we lack basic education and healthcare for all our citizens; we suffer the loss of institutions and direction. We need to vote for someone who can promote the independence of an uncorrupt judiciary, remind the bureaucrats they are ‘civil servants’ and be more than a rubber-stamp legislature, and maybe also for someone who will allow men and women to wear dress shoes!

Rafiki, the wise old mandrill, tells Simba that Mufasa is alive because he lives within him. We, like Simba, must take our place back in the circle of life because it ‘looks like the winds are changing — change is good but it is not easy…we can either run from the past or learn from it…out of the ashes of this tragedy, we shall rise — the dawning of a new era’. Say ‘no’ to Hakuna Matata, and rise tomorrow; reclaim Pride Lands, for Mufasa lives in the Pakistani nation, the rightful Lion King!

The writer is an advocate of the High Court