If freedom fails

The challenges faced in 1947 are still there

“For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail? ” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I read this quotation for the first time which was inscribed on the Statue of Liberty at Ellis Island just outside the city of New York. Good governance yes, but not without freedom. It is widely believed that the system ran very efficiently under the ‘Gora Sahib’, the so called freedom has not helped. There has been a constant decline in service to the people, the term ‘Zawal’ (decline) is extensively used to describe the grave situation the common man encounters today.

After driving out the ‘Colonists’ in the 18th century, Americans were able to build the most developed country on the globe while we have failed despite achieving the same in the last millenium. While their march to freedom was well defined and then defended, ours was not. On 14 August 1947, 27Ramazan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah announced on Radio Pakistan “You are Free”

It was not ‘Freedom’, even the boundaries of the new land were confused. There was a mass exodus of people together with riots and bloodshed. Rehabilitation of the refugees became a big challenge. Instead of major reforms of the colonial establishment, the focus shifted to basic survival. My late father Nazir Ahmed Malik, the Tehreek-e-Pakistan Gold Medal list and a worker of the Freedom Movement, wrote a detailed account of his personal experiences in migrating from Ludhiana East Punjab to Lahore, leaving a flourishing watch business behind to start life all over again. It was a life of struggle and sacrifice in the land which was pure only in name, where honesty and integrity was not revered. Where attempts to curtail ‘Freedom’ started very early.

As the first free-born generation of the republic though we considered ourselves blessed, yet we did not fully comprehend the challenges of liberty.

It was Patrick Henry who said “Give me liberty or give me death”. The Amercians took up arms and drove out the colonists from their land to take complete control of what rightly belonged to the people.

Perhaps, finally a new dawn awaits us. IK may prove to be the right man for this herculean task. Our journey as the first free-born genration of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan may end up in glory and jubilation without ventilators and beggary, enabling us to rest in peace for a job well done. May ‘God bless the republic’ as envisioned by the founding fathers, a Progressive Welfare State that seeks friendship of all with the slavery of none.

The entire system of governance was first pulled down and then redefined There was total disconnect with the past. A new nation emerged with a fresh start: a new phrase was coined; ‘ Land of the free and home of the brave’. Individual freedom was guaranteed by the constitution. Rights of the citizens were clearly defined and then defended by every leader and state institution. Free people think freely, there is no negative energy in the system, no one to pull you down. A level playing field is ensured for everyone, and there is no concept of more than equal

There are around 20 articles covering fundamental human rights in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, yet none of them has ever been provided or even discussed in Parliament. Constitutional clauses are only invoked for narrow personal interests. Even the courts open at midnight for selective justice, reminding one of a famous Sultan Rahi line, “When crime is committed all the time, why do the courts only operate during the day time?”

These daylight courts have failed to dispense justice for the common man. Growing under the tutelage of a freedom worker was not easy. He had to fight the system all the way for an upright existence worthy of real freedom. It was a valiant struggle which at times turned violent but he kept going. When his health failed he resorted to filing cases in the court of law. After his passing away, I inherited about 20 civil suits waiting to be adjudged. His journey of life ended before he could get relief from a non-functional system where executive abuse has been the norm.

In the USA the citizens have a right to bear arms. Despite cases of mass shooting resulting in casualties, the right has not been taken away. In the land of the pure where individual freedom is blatantly curbed, there is a debate to allow bearing of arms for speedy relief. I have the experience of interacting with the bureaucracy in all the four provinces. Undoubtedly Punjab comes at the bottom where relief to the public is blatantly ignored. The slave menatlity exists even after over seven decades of independence.

During my tenure as Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation (2002 to 2005), I offered to help government departments in building ISO 9000 based Quality Management Systems (QMS). The registrar of the Lahore High Court wanted to know more. On my explanation that it improved the customer interface, he replied that LHC had no customers, only litigants. In other words they were beneficiaries who did not matter. Unfortunately the LHC continues to uphold this tradition till today.

After partition in August 1947, the first major blow to our ‘freedom’ was the murder of the first Prime Minister Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan in the Garrison city of Rawalpindi in 1951, where the GHQ (General Headquarters) was under the command of Gen Ayub Khan (PA 10). Ayub Khan was promoted against the principle of seniority and merit, a tradition that has continued till today in the selection of the Sipah-e-Salar (COAS/C-in-C).

The second onslaught against our ‘ Freedom ‘ took place in 1979 when another real PM Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was eliminated through judicial murder. ZAB committed the same mistake of promoting Zia-ul-Haq against seniority/merit. I have had the chance of meeting both Zia and General Muhammad Sharif, who was bypassed to lead the Army, and there was no comparison. ZAB himself called Zia, ‘ Monkey General ‘ yet he was promoted.

Now after about four decades, Imran Khan, the Ex-PM, is leading the charge for our freedom. He has the support of the people while the establishment is pitted against him. Despite heavy odds, he continues with his crusade, though history is not on his side.

The enemies are both internal and external which now stand fully exposed. Battle lines have been clearly drawn. On one side there is mention of Ventilators and Beggars while on the other integrity and freedom are being pursued. For long term gains, short term sacrifices have to be made. If IK prevails, we will be free at last, the cost will be worth the pain that we may have to endure as a nation. Despite being a nuclear power with the world’s most battle-hardened Army, I fail to understand why we are repeatedly threatened with being pushed to the ‘Stone Age’. It is time to stand up for our freedom and be counted as free people under a Constitution and genuinely elected credible leadership, it is the only time tested approach towards emancipation followed by real development and growth.

Perhaps, finally a new dawn awaits us. IK may prove to be the right man for this herculean task. Our journey as the first free-born genration of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan may end up in glory and jubilation without ventilators and beggary, enabling us to rest in peace for a job well done. May ‘God bless the republic’ as envisioned by the founding fathers, a Progressive Welfare State that seeks friendship of all with the slavery of none.

Dr Farid A Malik
Dr Farid A Malikhttps://www.pakistantoday.com.pk
The writer is ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation. He can be contacted at: [email protected].

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