Another Solidarity Day

FEBRUARY 2002 - So, we have successfully observed another Kashmir Solidarity Day and undoubtedly this has given the freedom struggle just the kind of incentive that’s required. We held an impressive amount of rallies, public meetings and demonstrations. We burnt effigies and the Indian flag. We formed human chains and between renting the air with deep-throated slogans, even managed a minute’s silence. The public came out in great numbers in places like Charsada, Buner, Swabi and Dera Ismail Khan in the north, and just about everywhere else in the south, east and west.

You might be interested to learn that Maulana Abdullah, Malik Jaleel and Syed Lal Shah made stirring speeches in Haripur, while Maulana Shamsur Rahman and a dozen others spoke passionately at another gathering in Lahore. The hookah man declared, between puffs I assume, that the foreign policy was a total failure – so what’s new Nawab sahib one might ask, and former Chief Justice Dr Nasim Hasan Shah squeezed time out from his busy schedule and joined Arshad Lodhi, Akhtar Rasool, Mehnaz Rafi and a dozen others, in condemning Indian atrocities, and pledging our political and moral support for the forces of freedom battling it out in held Kashmir. Even Mian Nawaz Sharif, between mouthfuls of fried camel meat, managed to call for freedom of occupied Kashmir and declared before the sweet dishes were served, that he was impatiently waiting for the day when the valley is liberated. Having spoken thus, he reportedly retired for the afternoon for a well-deserved nap till dinnertime.

All across the country, hundreds spent the day making speeches to thousands who had gathered to hear them. Even Pakistan Television Corporation, which is rumoured to be in some ill health, economically speaking, threw caution to the winds (I confess I have no idea how that is done) and blew Rs 4.5 million on telecasting the solidarity show. How they plan to ‘recover’ that money is a closely guarded secret at this time and we can all rest assured we wouldn’t hear about it for some years to come. Elsewhere in the country, people had a lazy breakfast, sat in the sun and called on friends. It was a nice sunny day in most parts of the country and there was a day long battle between the sun and fleecy clouds, which made it a good day to have oranges, fly kites and drink loads of tea.

Right, that’s more or less how we observed another Solidarity Day and without doubt, drove another large spike into India’s bleeding side. While all the above went on, schools, colleges, offices, commercial establishments, shops, banks - name whatever you fancy, were closed for a public holiday. There was no work done as such, unless you consider making speeches, burning effigies and holding hands as work – I suppose it is, but if it adds to the nation’s depleted coffers, it must be another closely guarded secret, just about as mysterious as the one signed by the Mian family and the current government which allowed Mian Sahib and his suitcases-infested entourage to jet out of Islamabad on a nice morning many moons ago. Solidarity Day is big time activity here – no doubt about that but whether it severely dents the Indian stance on Kashmir and hurts their international credibility is a big question mark. Of course you will find hardly anyone who will not support the long list of activities that mark all the Kashmir Solidarity Days we have held, but how much of it hurts India and helps our cause, is studiously avoided. Certainly we have not heard of Indian delegates collapsing with shame and remorse when confronted with footage of our support rallies nor has there been a change of heart in New Delhi following another mammoth Solidarity Day. The organizers, and this list includes the government, are undoubtedly convinced this is the way to go, but that is where the thinking ends and the rhetoric starts.

The cause of the Kashmiri people needs all the support and encouragement it can be given – no two ways about that, but what is this that we do with great fanfare every 5th February? We shut down the country, we close the factories, we make children and young adults miss another day of studies and we stop all business. At the end of the day, when the rallyists have gone home for a well-deserved rest and to watch if they made it on PTV, what have we achieved other than dealt another crippling blow to our national economy? Certainly the Solidarity Day must be observed, but why not in an altogether different manner? Instead of rallies and speeches after speeches, why cannot we extend working hours at all institutions by an hour on 5th February? Why cannot the country’s leaders consider boosting national economy by that extra effort so that instead of what we do, we actually achieve something more long lasting than a burning effigy of something that we are told is Mr.Vajpayee? This country’s economy – some believe it actually has none, but others slightly more charitable think there is still a suspicion that there is one somewhere about, can ill afford the loss but would happily accept the extra output. If young children attend school an hour extra, they will know that their sacrifice is for a cause that deserves their support. A holiday at home is hardly going to inspire them in any way. In fact, over a period of time they will look forward to that ‘extra’ holiday and if that in the long run inculcates patriotism and the right attitude to liberate Kashmir, well strike me down with a vulture’s feather.

Sometimes when one is possessed by high lunacy, one is forced to wonder what would really happen were a nation to take action more inspirational than making speeches, taking out processions and burning effigies. For instance, if the extra hour would entail too much of a sacrifice, could we consider organizing a one rupee nationwide collection contributed voluntarily by whoever can afford it and the funds thus collected be used to build better refugee camps in Azad Kashmir – for starters that is, or is this insane? Could we use the same funds to produce a compelling book on the suffering of the Kashmiris and circulate it all over the world? No? I suppose not. It is easier to chant slogans, lead rallies and have your picture splashed in the newspapers. Our support for causes we believe in has always fallen short of being effective or rooted in reality. We have shown virtually no imagination and stayed firmly on the well-trodden path. Like a friend once said, if you stay in the middle of the road, you will eventually get run down.