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Waiting for revolution!

Every vendor of revolution is promising the people a bed of roses

Many TV channels in Pakistan are currently presenting shows on how to cook best meals for hungry stomachs, but none of them ever thought of dishing out stuff to feed those who can be satiated only by a revolution. “Most of these ‘modern Che Guevaras’ think that only a full-blown revolution can bring changes needed for the nation’s good health,” Mr Right said switching off the TV.

“Did you listen to this self-styled saviour of the nation?” he asked. “He thinks he has the magic wand to turn the world upside down.”

“Well, I don’t think he is the only person who claims to have a recipe for the revolution,” I said. “Almost every other party and every other political practitioner these days is supporting his own version of revolution that can be put together in no time like a do-it-yourself piece of furniture.”

“The problem is that they have seen only the home-made versions launched by dictators from Ayub Khan to Musharraf,” Mr Right said. “Even Zia didn’t want to turn into a vampire. But Z.A.Bhutto was too dangerous an enemy to be left alone. Poor Zia had no choice. His midnight coup was basically toothless. ”

“I agree, the revolutions witnessed by us so far were fake. They only attempted to introduce reforms, but the word reform has now lost its effect,” I said. “Revolution is fashionable and sounds more relevant.”

“But every vendor of revolution in our country at present is promising the people a bed of roses,” Mr Right said. “Here I am reminded of Mao Tse Tung who says the revolution is not a dinner party but an act of violence by which one class overthrows the other.”

“In today’s Pakistan, different meanings of revolution are being floated by different people,” I said.

“Dr Tahirul Qadri’s revolution simply means a guarantee under the existing constitution to allow him to stage a grand sit-in in Islamabad and set an example of good governance,” Mr Right observed.

“Imran khan, however, thinks good governance could not be guaranteed in the country unless votes are verified in all the constituencies where his party had lost in the previous elections,” I said. “He wants honest election machinery first; other things can wait until the advent of true democracy.”

“And true democracy can be ensured only by honestly electing corrupt leaders as the custom is,” Mr Right taunted.

“The fact is that most of the supporters of the revolution are interested only in displaying street power,” I pointed out. “They are keen to stage protest marches and rallies to make their presence felt.”

“Imran’s party has already announced a plan to take a tsunami rally to Islamabad from Lahore to mark the Independence Day,” Mr Right said. “Instead of promoting a good cause, the demo will bring into focus one of the disadvantages of making road travel easy between cities. Motorways are not always helpful in keeping law and order.”

“Are you suggesting that the Nawaz Sharif government itself is facilitating the march of revolution?” I asked.

“I think so,” Mr Right said. “First the government created a motorway and now it is trying to resurrect the Pakistan Railways to help Shaikh Rashid to launch his train march.”

“Although I don’t believe that revolutions can be transported on motor vehicles and trains, I am against projects that can be used to trigger street chaos. I am worried that the proposed motorway project to link Karachi with Lahore might also inspire some other ‘revolutionaries’ to stage an inter-provincial rally in support of honest elections,” I said.

“Well, administrators of Lahore and Islamabad don’t like these rallies because protest marches might damage roads and buildings in those beautiful cities,” Mr Right said. “But these rallies pose no threat to Karachi as all important buildings and roads here are already in such a bad shape that there is very little room for any further destruction.”

“If this is the case, don’t you think Karachi offers the best opportunity to the revolution-seekers to launch their ‘change the world’ drive,” I said.

“Yes of course,” Mr Right said. “Target killings, gang wars, traffic chaos and mess created by political parties — Karachi has everything that is needed for a good recipe for a bloody revolution.”

Najmul Hasan Rizvi is a former assistant editor of Khaleej Times