By: Asem Mustafa
So much goes on in ‘land of the pure,’ one is left scratching the head as where to start. There are not many government jobs available and those which are available have been booked already owing to an ‘invisible merit’ which operates with ‘connections only’.
They scream at the top of their voices and register their protests in front of parliament house to make the government bigwigs understand their plight.
They are so simple that their screams, for decades, have resulted in nothing and they will have nothing coming out for their welfare in coming decades as well.
If these shouting protestors were heard earlier they wouldn’t be here screaming at the top of their lungs. The bottom line is that they are next to nothing as in the poor masses that are counted as sheep in a flock for votes and when the purpose of befooling them is served, they are forgotten.
How many protestors made it to parliament house and how many have lost their limbs with open skulls and broken bones, is count that no one will share or tell.
The well-kept state secrets which never see the daylight for many a year and in the end they are thrown in bins never to be read, is an established norm for decades.
Parliament house, the august building where representatives from all over the country sit and have their lodges to reside in close by, is the place which is called ‘the sacred house’ while people say it is the ‘slaughter house’ of national dreams.
The dawn of the new era happened a few years ago, when few commoners were able to barge in the place and were demonized for violating the sanctity of the ‘august house’.
The media footage also showed the lush greens lawns where viewers and commoners were left bewildered at the serenity of the place which was like a carving out of heaven.
As regards productivity from the place, as in legislation, it results next to nothing. A few queries if one probe will give the tales from another world.
The common accusations hurled at these parliamentarians include abuse of power which results in money laundering, land grabbing, hoarding, smuggling and many other money minting mechanisms which are banned for commoners and are legalized for the rich elite who serve and work for the poor in the power corridors.
How many parliamentarians are facing NAB inquiries and the list will include stalwarts who are champions of people right.
Coming back to the protestors which have been doctors, clerks, lady health workers, teachers etc; it appears the back bone of the nation has gone on strike and refuse to take the load.
Doctors want a revised pay structure, job security, added facilities and arrears which have been pending since long. How much of it has been met will be clear in the protest that comes next. It is important to note it is the doctors who have played pivot in fighting Corona.
Lady health workers have their own set of demands and they were at the parliament house few days ago. Job security and safety were their prime concerns. The workers play key role in the polio eradication programme and success in containing the disease is because of their efforts. They have done the job at the cost of their lives and faced a high risk situation.
Clerks are the people responsible for running the government and sadly they are also accused of showing the path of corruption to their bosses and have been accused of playing the role of the front man. They are often called ‘clerk badshah’ meaning the ‘clerk king’. Nothing goes unnoticed from his watchful eyes and they are also the ones for complicating matters which result in stressful and time consuming efforts which vanish with the presentation of graft to the ‘right person’.
The teachers who are currently on protest asking resignation from the Higher Education Commission Chairman have their own set of grievances.
So much goes on in ‘land of the pure,’ one is left scratching the head as where to start. There are few facts which are undeniable and can be verified. There are not many government jobs available and those which are available have been booked already owing to an ‘invisible merit’ which operates with ‘connections only’.
A simple example for all these protestors who shout at the top of their lungs to make their presence felt is last week news highlights which details the deplorable state of law and order. The news starts with a child getting molested and later dying in police custody followed by another child who died at their hands on cutting a tree. Motorway rape case is also an eye opener on ‘twisted news and the real news’.
The protestors have been lucky as the long arm of the law hasn’t reached them and they are at present safe. Had It been some time ago the things would have been very different. The blind protestors were man handled and beaten, women workers have been tortured so many lawless things have happened by upholders of law which is enough to put the entire department sent to gallows and guillotine.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised a change, let us wait and see how long does it take for him to bring the change as regards protestors it is to ‘carry on and march on’ and yes the news will be there.
The writer is special correspondent and columnist at the ‘The Dayspring’