A Political Drama In Foolish Countries
Photo by Akhil Chandran on Unsplash
In the neighboring country of India, elections have taken place, and Modi's popularity has significantly diminished. Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party is pleased that his party has made a comeback. Social media in India did not allow Modi to even cross the number three, let alone four, although he was claiming everywhere that his seats would exceed four hundred. Modi made extensive arrangements, aligning with every possible institution, and spent money to completely control both print and electronic media. However, "the curse" of social media shattered Modi's dreams. Modi might be wondering why social media in Pakistan is referred to as "satanic media." Despite all arrangements, they couldn't control social media. Perhaps to control this "satanic media," they will need to employ supernatural means, as it pops up from somewhere or the other.
Looking at the Indian elections, there was no sign of interference; no one was deprived of their symbols, no violence occurred, and no candidate's nomination papers were snatched away. Moreover, the journey from Form 45 to Form 47 did not alter the fate of the results. By our standards, the elections in India were quite dull. All parties waved their flags, held rallies, and everyone could run their campaigns freely. There were no disruptions, no women were abducted, no young men were taken, and no children were harassed. The most amusing part is that there wasn't even a single press conference in which someone declared, "I am quitting politics."
On the other hand, the situation in Pakistan is quite peculiar. Two days ago, the release order for the "most dangerous terrorist," Sanam Javed, was issued. However, to prevent further threats, a heavy police force from Gujranwala was sent to Sargodha jail to transfer the girl who works against "national security" to another prison. Kudos to this "terrorist" girl who says, "Whether you keep me in Sargodha jail, Faisalabad, Mianwali, or Gujranwala jail, it doesn't matter; my resolve will remain high."
This is one side of the story. On the other hand, the Election Commission has remained silent under the guise of tribunals, despite the fact that an ordinance has been issued by Yusuf Raza Gilani of the obedient Gilani family. But what can be done about the three seats in Islamabad? There, the judge says, "Whoever lies will go straight inside." In our highest judiciary, the debate on specific seats is as intense as it was in Baghdad over passing angels through the eye of a needle. Young politician Abdullah Wains often mentions Daharanwala, highlighting the widespread impact of political turmoil. To understand this, one must look at the case of Huzaifa Khalid.
Huzaifa Khalid, from Daharanwala, Tehsil Chishtian, District Bahawalnagar, had just obtained his identity card when he came to Islamabad in search of employment. This young man started working as a cameraman for a channel, performing his duties until March 18, 2023, when he was sent to cover the proceedings at Islamabad Judicial Complex where Imran Khan was to appear. Before Khan's arrival, a raid occurred, and hundreds of political workers were thrown into prisoner vans, including Huzaifa Khalid, along with his camera. Consequently, this young cameraman ended up in Adiala Jail. Our "compassionate" police filed a case against this child, imposing eleven severe charges and adding seven petrol bombs to the media-related young "terrorist."
During his time in Adiala, his mother endured great agony, making numerous calls to the channel, saying, "My child was just doing his job; what is his fault?" Who could explain to Huzaifa Khalid's mother about the plight of Usman Dar's mother? Some days later, Huzaifa Khalid was released, but the "little terrorist" still has to attend court hearings, sometimes facing absence of the judge, sometimes of the public prosecutor. It's astonishing what kind of arrangement this is, where mothers are harassed along with their children.
