Another Precipice Ahead

JANUARY 2001 - Travelling on the Highway of Flashing Lights, for what else can you call the road that connects the Chief Executive’s residence in Rawalpindi to his secretariat in Islamabad, we were summarily shoved off the road as two vehicles, lights flashing, sirens screaming swept past us. Inside the first one, a pickup, the twin cabin variety, sat four men, decorated with a profusion of arms. How many wore army-style fatigues and how many were policemen on duty or personal guards, was hard to tell. It’s always hard to spot details when the vehicle is clocking speed in excess of 120 kph.

However, the open back of the twin cab had another six men. All wore fatigues, laced up boots and carried threatening looking guns, the kind that Arnold Schwarzennger uses in Terminator 2. In addition, they wore black facemasks and the hooded eyes were menacing. This sight alone gave us the heebie jeebies. The sight of men who clearly demonstrate they have no intention of revealing their identity, is chilling even if the highway is the VIP route and even if the sun is shining and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. Who was inside the twin cab? Not a minister for sure, not a general or an air marshal or an admiral. It was not a politico either, but my guess is that this was a religious figure, not necessarily religious if you understand, but someone who obviously draws his power since he speaks the word of God – which incidentally most of us do with equal reverence. This was not a religio-VIP out with his goon squad since it was a sunny day. The twin cab even flaunted a flag post except that this morning it was sheathed. Used to flutter the national flag? Doubtful. Personal coat of arms? More likely. After all if you are allowed your personal army without any problem, why shouldn’t you also exhibit your personal coat of arms, your livery and soon enough, your kingdom, even if it may lie in some remote hamlet in Chakwal. The outing was official, because behind the cab sped a police car, equally loaded with some half a dozen big guys, guns on the ready slung out of the rolled down windows. Mercifully, the Punjab Police has not taken to masking their faces, not so far that is.

Much as we tried to catch up with the fast cavalcade, it was useless since 120 kph on the Highway of Flashing Lights is dangerous unless you are the CE or a larger than life VIP, which despicable breed is not dead as we were all given to understand on 12th October last year. In fact the breed is alive, kicking, snorting and up to its usual money-wasting excesses. Last night, another huge cavalcade of Mercs and assorted limos swung out of Lahore’s Governor House (what a shame that it houses one retired general; what a mockery of proclaimed austerity) and it was the usual sight. Traffic stopped, citizens waiting like sheep as his highness along with scurrying courtiers, sirens wailing swept majestically towards the airport. For all that it mattered, this could have been Mian Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto, General Zia ul Haq or a million other rogues who have destroyed our country.

At the turn off to Murree, the two vehicles disappeared from sight and it was a relief not to witness that eyesore. Whoever it was and whatever it was, good riddance. Actually, as we all know, there is no good riddance but a continuation. A friend who commutes to work daily between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, was pushed off the road by a posse of police and security laden vehicles and given a verbal bashing by a sergeant who made no effort to hide the vulgarity of his words. Her fault? She hadn’t been able to pull off fast enough as the approaching procession of His Majesty swept on. A little later, her act of vile disobedience having been duly noted, she was stopped and interrogated. Her crime? She had “annoyed” the VIP whose car might have had to slow down a kilometer or two as she ducked out of the imperial way. The VIP? His Highness, the President, which in case you have forgotten, has vowed with his hand over his heart, to serve the people.

Our succeeding generations and we will always remember with gratitude the late General Zia ul Haq who introduced the culture of guns which is now a permanent feature of public life here. While we played the role usually assigned to idiots, in the US-Russian chess game with the miserable Afghans as the pieces, the arms continued to pour in. Now they are beyond anyone’s control and Moin Haider’s thundering oratory will not sweep them away. Public display of arms is banned but who gives an S for that? The rallies of the nation’s mini-sized public figures (since they are sometimes seen in public) are not complete without gunmen in various regalia. The idea seems to be to look murderous and frighten the living daylights of the people so that awe and respect, which good politicians earn, serving their supporters year after year, are claimed by the show of brute force. Pictures of Qazi Hussain surrounded by more guns than the owner of an ammunition shop, are regular features in the papers. Others, even lesser known, follow suit. The minister claims that display of arms is over, but this claim is just as valid as the silly one regarding drug smugglers who, as we all know, are regularly beheaded in Saudi Arabia and not here – hence we are drug free! When the Muslim League louts claimed that old house on Davis Road, Lahore, the photo published had gunmen swarming like flies on the rooftop. The people noticed this with dismay; their rulers remained blind, since they can’t do anything about it.

There is little doubt that we are lurching into more violence as almost a couple of dozen religio-militant groups struggle for power and dominance using holy wars as the excuse to further arm themselves. Apparently, there is no shortage of funds and therefore, twin cabs and AK 47s are as easy to procure as a packet of chips. This is cheerful news.