Daily Times

In some shape or form an ‘invisible’ layer has their hand behind running the serous business of the country, covering up the truth, disguise one’s intentions and acting as a dictator. This is how I see today’s Pakistan and it hurts! A beautiful country with nice people who liberated from British rule and India, but what we achieved instead, I ask myself now?

Speaking of dictators, one immediately pictures Adolf Hitler, Gaddafi, Saddam or Military rulers of Pakistan, however, today it is unseen, invisible and disguised.

After World War II, which would end all wars, there have been almost 200 coups, wars and ‘peace missions’ in the world. It’s time ‘our’ leaders leave the stage to end a long dark age.

The definition of a dictator regime is, absolute, imperious, or overbearing power or control. There must be many more examples you can give. Isn’t it time WE start dictating freedom, love and peace?

Worst political re-engineering is currently taking place all over Pakistan but obvious in Urban Sindh, one example is that local bodies elected representatives are summoned in barracks and given ‘friendly’ advise to shift their allegiance. They are told to seal their lips but news travels faster than light these days and the plan was unfolded from Arabian sea to North Pole in split seconds. There goes our reputation of a democracy.

Pakistan is a democracy where a leader of 70 million is sidelined from politics with a single decision of a high court, all this with the hope to create an alternate bogus front man to spearhead these 70 million “thoughtless” voters in which ever direction they may want to. Elections or any electoral process without inclusion of true representation will be discredited by entire world and independent bodies of International community and observers of media. Is that we want as our standing in todays’ world community?

Having said that, we proudly are a nation with two consecutive civil democracies who successfully completed their terms without any visible coup. Why take blame when things are doable without any obvious uniformed take over like a banana republic of Africa. After all Pakistan is a responsible nation and member of United Nation, signatory of its treaties and can’t afford to lose this stature. Could this be an issue with upcoming Financial Action Task Force. Can Pakistan afford any further uprising North to South? One must think carefully before any new doctrine of their own.

Fascism creeps in slowly and steadily, until it consumes the whole system

It’s clear now that under the pretext of a true democracy, so called doctrine and dictatorships are functioning behind the scenes. The masses who cannot perceive this are visionless to their own good. What appears to be fair democratic elections are a ruse for the people to believe they have a choice when in fact most do not. What’s worse is the ‘democratic’ notion is used as a lever to start economic, religious and political wars. Aren’t we witnessing these in our land of pure?

Question is that who is our real ruler, tune out the latest attempts to distract, divert and befuddle us and tune into what’s really going on in this country, and you’ll run headlong into an unmistakable, unpalatable truth: the moneyed elite who rule us view us as expendable resources to be used, abused and discarded. The love-affairs and honeymoon period is only from announcing new elections to the election night. Rulers start enjoying a fairy tale life and public start having nightmares for next many years.

Narrative of Pakistan clearly lies in Saudi led Wahabi Islam not in soft, moderate and peaceful Sufi version of Islam that once we used to be. Fanatics led parties are encouraged and modest forces are kept away to participate in the electoral process, what more can be obvious than this example?

Soon we are going to see elections in Pakistan and yet again the news media will continue to cover the entertainment and political trivia. Consent of the governed, however, will no longer apply. ‘Invisible’ hand will continue to have the actual control and power will finally be passed to the oligarchic elite controlling the government behind the scenes.

Are you still wondering how is it achieved? Very simple, just, trick is that by creating the illusion that it preserves democratic traditions, fascism creeps slowly until it consumes the political system. Unseen will secure their victory one more time, with civil front men and we will live happily ever after till next elections.

“Ask yourself, who are the worst dictators? The one’s everyone can see from a distance or the one’s disguised as democrats?” — Henk Mutsaers

The writer is a social and civil right activist and vocal on Human Right violations across the globe. He works as Host/Producer (Current Affairs) at a leading news channel of North America. He can be reached at anisfarooqui@gmail.com and tweets @anis_farooqui

Published in Daily Times, April 26^th 2018.