Daily Times

The Chaudhries of Gujrat have been prominent in politics for three generations. I have known all three of them. Their patriarch was Chaudhry Zahur Ellahi emerged onto the national scene from rural Gujrat during Ayub Khan’s regime. He was a close associate of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in the National Assembly at the start of Bhutto’s rule. They had a falling out and Chaudhry Zahur Ellahi joined the opposition’s ranks.

Those of us who have faced the wrath of Bhutto would understand the ferocity of his repressive measures. I had completed my term as President of PUSU and gotten involved in politics. I worked closely with political stalwarts like Zahur Ellahi, Malik Ghulam Jillani (Asma Jillani’s dad), Malik Qasim, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, the Baluchi Sardars, Mengals, Marri and Bizengo, Maulana Noorani, Wali Khan and Pir sahib Pagara.

It was a great learning experience for me to see all these heavyweights morph into a joint opposition. Chaudhry Zahur Ellahi was the fulcrum that pulled them all together and hence became enemy number one for Bhutto. Always under deep scrutiny, he was at the receiving end of Bhutto’s ire; several attempts were made to arrest Chaudhry sb.

Alerted by informants from within, I recollect driving at midnight with his old faithful Driver Nasim and right-hand man Seth Ashraf, from Lahore to safer grounds to avoid arrest. Subsequently, Chaudhry sb and Malik Jillani were arrested at Lahore airport as we were travelling to Karachi. I escaped while Malik sb was detained and Chaudhry sb was carted off to Kohlu in Baluchistan. Despite Bhutto’s venom, certain social norms and traditional barriers were not broken. The sanctity of private residence was never violated.

Legal issues needing resolution for holding elections as dictated by the Constitution have come to a head in the Supreme Court.

Fast forward to the present; the recent invasion of Chaudhry Pervez Ellahi’s residence broke all barriers of decency, cultural traditions and respect. Bulldozing of the main entrance by an armoured vehicle, a scene captured by cameras, conveys the ultimate degradation by this gang of robbers presently ruling Pakistan. This was a repetition of the demolition of Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence a few weeks earlier. The females in our homes are no longer safe from these depraved goons masquerading as politicians.

It seems like a never-ending saga. Credit goes to Haider Mehdi, Maj Adil Raja, Moeed Pirzada, Imran Riaz Khan and Sabir Shakir for exposing this heinous scheme hatched to arrest or eliminate IK in Islamabad High Court. The message was spread by the fearless crusaders on social media which gave PTI time to prepare and prevent yet another brutal, mindless attempt. Amin Gandapur is being spun like a top all over the country. Murad Saeed is being ruthlessly pursued.

What is going on with this lawless jungle regime? We are not a democracy, no one has declared martial law; we are really under a “ghunda raj”. It has three clear components: Brute force and false cases, bogus propaganda and ruthless attacks on judiciary and opponents; and a shameless violation and manipulation of laws and the Constitution.

The parliament has become a circus where Constitution is being torn to shreds. The shameless exploitation of the privilege of free speech on the floor is being abused to attack Honorable Judges. Parliamentary Resolutions of no value are being passed in an attempt to mutilate the Constitution and divide the judiciary. This outrage is escalated by the fire-breathing she-dragon, Maryam and her moronic bunch. Audios and videos collected by intelligence agencies are sent to infamous media cells to be doctored and released. Their value is no more than the 15th re-run of the film that flopped at its original launch. The worst part is the abusive and ruthless behaviour of the police.

We have to analyze not just the actions but also the causes behind it. Every politician knows that at some point they have to face the electorate. They keep an eye on the pulse and perception of their acts. The bureaucrats as they climb up the totem pole go an extra mile to not burn bridges with either side to safeguard their careers. At this point, neither of them gives a damn about the consequences of their actions.

Where is this confidence or craziness emanating from? Have they been guaranteed that come what may, there will be no elections and Ghunda Raaj will continue indefinitely? Only those who wield the stick can do it. The army chief has pronounced that the “will of the people is supreme”. Is it the cadres below him, the remnants of Bajwa tenure who are conducting this ruthless campaign? Sooner than later the Chief has to walk his talk to replenish the well running dry as masses lose faith in their armed forces.

Legal issues needing resolution for holding elections as dictated by the Constitution have come to a head in the Supreme Court. Should the Nation prepare itself for the biggest jilt of the century or will they get relief from Ghunda Raaj? It is up to the Honorable Judges to safeguard the Constitution. Their April 4th Judgment is a silver lining in this dark night. Their resolute comments in Court are heartening. This is their opportunity to indelibly etch their names as saviours of democracy in Pakistan. It will be revered by generations to come. The nation needs to express its solidarity with the Supreme Court on Saturday heeding IK’s call. It is crucial to enforce that everyone dwells within their realm of law as defined by the Constitution.

The writer is the director of CERF, a non-profit, charitable organisation in Canada.The weiter can be followed on twitter at following id: @HafeezKhanPU