February 24, 2008
A Moment of Hope
Mohsin Hamid in Time:
It has been some time since I was as happy as I was on the night after Pakistan's Feb. 18 general election. Mine was perhaps a reckless joy, temporarily distracting me from the very real troubles that Pakistan faces. But as I spoke to friends and acquaintances, both here in London and in my hometown of Lahore, I realized that the sense of euphoria I was feeling was widespread.
Pakistan is sometimes described by the international media as the most dangerous place on the planet. That has always seemed to me to be an irresponsible exaggeration: there are other countries whose citizens are far more likely to die of violent causes. But certainly Pakistan is a troubled land, suffering from illiteracy, poverty, terrorism and the bite of rapidly increasing prices, especially of food. The Feb. 18 election has not solved those problems. Yet Pakistanis are justified in allowing themselves a sigh of relief. Indeed, the entire world should be breathing a little easier now, for Pakistan suddenly looks a lot less frightening than it did.
More here.
Posted by S. Abbas Raza at 11:28 AM | Permalink
Comments
Pakistanis have paid a huge price to finally lay to rest the myth that Pakistan is a land of religiosity. That farcical facade promulgated and promoted by Musharraf; his masters and their peons has been debunked and will continue to be debunked. Pakistan has paid an enormous price to have forced this moment to happen. To talk about happiness is a bitter sweet thing at this moment--Benazir has died to bring us this. But I am so happy to see those creeps who have lied so much about Pakistan destroyed in this election despite the heavy rigging. Yet the machinery that keeps Musharraf and his mythology in place is fighting hard to keep him in place and the myth of jihadis going.
The attached article in the Time Magazine is a solid example of the relentless machinery that keeps marching on to continue to aggressively portray Pakistan in the light of religiosity even though the elections in Pakistan have proven that religious parties do not get votes if and when there is a semblance of a free election.
Finally after years of Musharraf's rule, a situation hard won and sacrificed for was brought about where the major political parties were not banned from participating in the election and the leader of these parties were in the country and not in exile out of the country and not banned. In the past elections under Musharraf only religious parties were allowed to participate and supported by the military apparatus-so a few people voted ie. and that very low turn out at the polling both was declared as a thumping victory for the religious parties by Musharraf.
But inspite of the fact that religious parties have been totally decimated in this election-Time Magazine's article is about religion. The article tells us that this election was for the soul and heart of Islam in Pakistan. What nonsense! And what dangerous rubbish! The election was a resounding referendum against the military; against the extra judicial killings; the killing of Benazir Bhutto; the inflation; the lack of basic food supplies in stores; against the ban of the media; against the imprisonment of the judiciary; against the war being fought by the army in the north of the country. Everywhere people voted against the trumped up religious parties. And yet Time Magazine goes on as usual in fact turns up the dial.
The Times photographers insist in providing images that fit the narrative--and they must have been totally disappointed that they didn't have enough blood and gore during the election to provide the coverage that pleases them so.
Yet here is the usual, presentation of Pakistan as a religious place.
Why? Because too much is invested in the global infrastructure of militarization and security that is predicated on this myth of dangerous places, dangerous people, dangerous religion.
And isn't it just so convenient that the "cartoon" controversy should resurface just now with the elections done in Pakistan. Again images of the "rage boy" all over the place. Please keep in mind that it was Hamas that won the elections last time the cartoons appeared--to helpfully make the case of the dominant narrative of undemocratic raging masses.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1715073,00.html
Posted by: maniza | Feb 24, 2008 12:22:22 PM
It is far too soon to say anything as far as Pakistan is concerned...
Just today, there was a suicide blast in Rawalpindi which has claimed eight lives...
And so we move on...
Posted by: afsa | Feb 25, 2008 12:20:20 PM
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