Bulldozers and Builders

Blatant gerrymandering in political province is not without reprisal. After bulldozing rivals’ outposts, you can’t claim to be a well-intended builder. No one will allow you to do constructive work in peaceful atmosphere. No, the parked bulldozer is not a chopper for cheaper transport in your backyard. Your rivals are sure to find it and hit you hard, often below the belt, as you did. This is an eye for an eye. You should deem yourself lucky if you get fair crack of the whip. But normally it is harder. Politically wise minds are those who are able to find some stake to cushion the blow. Will you?

Pakistani politics is like New York… a city which never sleeps

In many ways, Pakistani politics is like New York… a city which never sleeps. The sting of our politics is not just in the fang. It is everywhere, from head to tail. Our business, education, entertainment, literature, music and even faith are not without political push-button. Our high-ups, our officers, our journalists, our men of esteem and men in the street, all are politicking day in and day out. There is no respite.

Oh, where is Rose?

Mushroom growth of private TV channels is like reproduction of paramecia – asexual through binary fission. When a business swells up to multi-billion account, it labors a TV channel. TV Talk Shows have grown much grass on the pitch. Political debate is like fast bowling of 1980s – six bouncers in an over, with little defensive gear. Jeff Thomson vs Richards: a treat to watch. All eyes are glued to the screens, rising mercury jazzes up the masses. We are thrilled like a string of the lyre or prospects of first love or old faith. Each morning sees us rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic. Oh, where is Rose? We sift the channels.

Elections take place after five years. Why does their season never leave us awhile?

Here we are! Busy without doing anything. We try to climb on vertical cliffs without rope, cursing conspiracy and denouncing evil forces of Jupiter. We gallop without going anywhere. Our national tempo is fast and furious; vigorous and vivacious. It is full of beans; it is alive and kicking. But we don’t move an inch.

Shouldn’t we behave like normal nations of the world? Why are we a special one? Elections take place after five years. Why does their season never leave us awhile? New government must be given a chance to do something. Our economy is in dire straits, we are placed in grey list of FATF (Financial Action Task Force). We need to come out of it to avoid its ramifications. Overpopulation is eating up our already shrinking resources. We need to control it. Radicalism, fanaticism and extremism are multi-headed dragons. Their one-tenth manifestation is terrorism. And we are fighting only terrorism. Other nine parts are far more lethal. We have to combat them all. Our education system is like a cart hitched before a horse. It needs to be properly harnessed. Our youth needs quality education. Time is ticking away.

‘Lord is with thee’

So, let the builder do the work. Incumbent government has come with a hope; it shouldn’t falter due to political mire. Now, it is our government, we need to stand by it. Let the bulldozer be parked in a corner and rust. Come up builder, ‘Lord is with thee’.