Rising political temperature ahead of the by-elections was often frightening. Both sides will fight tooth and nail on the election day, which happens to be today. Both sides will try to win come what may because both believe that it is a case of now or never. Both have been blaming each other in rather strong language and it only got worse as the day came closer. By the looks of it, the trend will continue well past the day itself.
One silly move, statement or intentional action by any one will be disastrous. It will be much worse than Sri Lanka where 95 per cent of the population is educated and people behaved even during agitation. They burned the luxury cars and palaces of the corrupt, but no killing or destruction of public property was reported. Even an international cricket match was played according to schedule at the Gale International Stadium during the political upheaval.
Can we expect such a ‘disciplined’ protest? We may actually see rampant looting and killings in Punjab and beyond, I am afraid. We all saw what happened in Sindh after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.
In a largely feudal Punjab and Pakistan as a whole, with less than 40pc literacy rate, lawlessness is frequent. We all know this. Unlike Sri Lanka, we have the potential to make things worse and push them towards disaster.
We have not learned from the debacle of East Pakistan. Our politicians, bureaucrats, people with power, and the masses are still sleeping. They either could not care less or have no idea of what may happen. Ostriches?
I wish some sane politicians, educated people, the so-called establishment and those who know the importance of the motherland may sit together and find out a solution based on merit, justice and honesty. India and the West want us to fight among ourselves. Should we fall in that trap? I hope some sanity might still prevail.
PROF SERAJUDDAULA SYED
KARACHI
