It used to be fascinating to listen to stories from our elders about their experiences at the time of partition. I recollect all the cousins huddling around a fire pit, fixated on every word uttered by our grandmother narrating details of widespread violence and mayhem in Hoshiarpur. Muslims had co-existed with Sikhs and Hindus for generations as neighbours and friends. Suddenly, they were enemies going at each others’ throats. The social fibre had broken down, and fire of vengeance had spread everywhere; fed by tales of horror from both sides. Homes were being invaded and set on fire, killing inhabitants and robbing their possessions. Women were subjected to brutal torture, and robbed of their dignity and kids were impaled by thrusting swords through their chests.
Survival became the biggest ordeal. My father was away in Berkeley, California, completing his PhD, and my mother and two elder sisters were the wards of my maternal grandfather. That is when our uncle Ghulam Haider Khan Niazi, an army lieutenant accompanied by some soldiers, commandeered a truck and arrived at our dera where everyone had taken shelter. He was able to evacuate the whole family packed as sardines across the border to safety. Uncle Niazi was always looked up to in our family as a guardian angel and saviour. The prevalent fear, insecurity and total insanity experienced at that time became embedded into the psyche of Pakistanis for generations.
The British rulers, while withdrawing, left behind unresolved issues like Kashmir, which has estranged relations between India and Pakistan for seventy-five years.
The British rulers, while withdrawing, left behind unresolved issues like Kashmir, which has estranged relations between India and Pakistan for seventy-five years. Three wars have been fought over it without any results. Being a much smaller country than India, the fear of an invasion has always been a threat to Pakistanis. This insecurity allowed the ambitious General Ayub Khan to take control of the levers of power from behind the scenes since 1954. In 1958, he felt emboldened enough to grab power, enforced martial law and discredited the politicians. The evolution towards a civilian setup, a national constitution and a system of political governance was entirely derailed.
Since this first army intervention, it has been repeated multiple times through subsequent martial law. The last direct military rule ended upon the removal of General Musharraf from power in 2008. However, between 1958 and 2008, the grip of the army increased immensely over all the power centres. The politicians of consequence in the remaining Pakistan were born and nurtured by Army dictators; Bhutto by General Ayub and Nawaz Sharif by General Zia.
Bhutto was his own man who refused to submit to General Zia, so he was executed through manipulated judges. His daughter Benazir attempted to carry forward the PPP baton but fell afoul with power brokers. She was eliminated and her party was taken over by Zardari, a compromised politician with no principles, driven by greed and hunger for power. The other major contenders were the Sharif family. With a business background, they were out to make money by any means. Nawaz occasionally grew a spine, which ended his aspirations to become a 4th time Prime Minister.
Titanic has hit an iceberg in the shape of Imran Khan. Despite all the brutal coercion and intimidation, IK has penetrated the hearts and minds of a huge majority of Pakistanis.
The ongoing open defiance, coupled with the formation of an opposition alliance ready to launch a nationwide protest, is a huge breach. It will open floodgates of resistance. Social media continues to be the nemesis. All these developments are positive for the long torturous journey of Pakistanis towards a democratic Pakistan where law reigns supreme.
The writer is the director of CERF, a non-profit, charitable organisation in Canada.The writer can be followed on twitter @HafeezKhanPU