Peering into 2010-12, Arab spring or sometimes “Arab Spring and winter” was a collection of pro-democracy protests and demonstration, which began on December 18, 2010.
The massive protests had commenced following Mohammad Bouazizi’s self-immolation. Bouazizi was a vendor and his trolley was confiscated. He was then humiliated by police and authorities. He could not brave this humiliation in return to his request for his fruit trolley to be freed. After his immolation, the Middle East and North Africa were sparked with massive protests. The self-immolation overthrew at least four governments. Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Morroco and Sudan were the most sunk countries; engulfed in massive protests.
Also, there were violent and non-violent protests in Mauritania, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Western Sahara and Palestine. By the end of 2012, four rulers were debarred from power, and one was even killed with sheer cruelty for mismanagement and corruption. Zin El Abidine (Tunisian President) fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14; leaving behind his power to escape from prosecution. Hosni Mubarak, the former president of Egypt, had resigned on February 11, 2011, after a 30-years presidency. The most violent incident is of Muammar Gaddafi, who was overthrown on August 23, 2011, and overtly killed after the assumption of control of the National Transitional Council (NTC) on Bab-al-Azizia. In Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh signed a power transfer deal to get immunity from prosecution.
During this wave of protests, many leaders announced they would not seek re-election. Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir did the same as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, whose term was impending to end in 2014 while new elections were to take place in 2015.
Hindrances can be noticed in projects, performances and inclines of educational, political and infrastructural development of the country
Protests in Jordan happened to sack governments by King Abdullah. Also, in Kuwait, Prime Minister Nasser Mohammad and his cabinet had to resign because of protests over corruption. In the Middle East and North Africa, the slogan, “People want to bring down the government,” was being chanted.
History always repeats itself. Every action has an equal reaction. None can get an exception from one’s penalties and punishments. Those who are looting people in this era of 2019 in any country will face the music by one mean or another. Gnarly-emerged countries have hardly brought up people who are foolproof against corrupt and wrongdoers. Wherever may stash corruption, one day will be dug deeper into the earth or put behind the bars.
If we look into recent years in Pakistan, progress is noticeable by current Khan’s government. The economy is found to be growing and matters are being solved. But black sheep are still abundant in government, cabinet and system. Hindrances can be noticed in projects, performances and inclines of educational, political and infrastructural development of the country.
Crystal clear, the reason for historical citation is obvious. May it be PTI or PMLN or PPP, anyone who fleeces Pakistan of anything will face the same music, Muammar Gaddafi had faced. In my sojourn before a year to Lahore, something like this, “Nuksaan usi ko hota hai jo galat hota hai,” was written on the back wall of a school.
For more clarification, none should take our beloved Pakistan as just a ground where people can be played by looting, maligning or mud-slinging. MQM’s intentions for the division of Sindh are unacceptable as they will cause mismanagement in Pakistan. Instead of saying rubbish about any party, one should do what one can for Pakistan.
Pakistan is a land of Muslims where they are born free and none in this world can make them jump in the fire from the frying pan. As political instability lingers in the country, avoiding mishmashes would be great for the country and its people. Pakistan Zindabad!
The writer is a member of the central body, Human Rights Development Organization Sindh