Loss of freedom

It is said that those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad. The story that has been enacted in Pakistan in the recent past stands out because of its surreal linkage with this old Heathen proverb.

After two years of dismantling Imran Khan's government, and trying every trick transcribed in despotic annals to erase his name from the political space, the frenzied pursuit, from faltering to failure, has gravely impacted the state of the nation’s health. In fact, the existing scenario could be treated as a unique case study by those who may like to discover the causes of such frenetic consumption.

It is generally understood that one attaches little value to what one possesses and sets his eyes on what he does not have. Nothing would describe this strange penchant more accurately than its applicability to the treasure of freedom, something that is in short supply in modern-day Pakistan which could shrink further. Is it that, to deny Imran Khan the political space that is every citizen’s inalienable right, this treasure is also being held back from others who may have any association with him or the ideals that he stands for? Has someone also taken a measure of the grievous consequences it has inflicted upon society?

But accentuation of the use of oppressive and draconian methods to curb dissent has only spurred more courage, resilience and fearlessness. The dream associated with the cherished ideal of freedom has refused to die. In fact, with time, it has assumed unparalleled relevance and the struggle to embed this in the national psyche goes on unabated. This dream is beautifully transcribed in one of Faiz’s poems:

“Hanging by the ropes on the cross/ The singers kept chanting their songs./ Beating the anklets made of shackles/ The dancers flowed with their rhythmic beats./ Neither part of one row,/ Nor the other,/ I stood by the wayside,/ Watching them,/ Feeling proud of them./ And quietly,/ I cried.”

It is also true that, with time, the frequency with which the law of the land has been held hostage, or tampered with, has assumed harrowing proportions. Together with that, the institutions entrusted with the responsibility of guarding the statute book and ensuring the applicability of its contents without discrimination have faltered grievously owing to non-democratic strictures, thus negatively impacting the faith that people should normally nurture in the justness of the law and transparency of the system that implements it. They believe that they don’t figure in the configurations which run the country so much so that they now seem to have lost faith in the possibility of receiving justice from the state.

Looking at the increasingly deteriorating conditions accruing over the last couple of years, an ever-enhancing number of people, from across societal divides, are desperate to leave the country. This exodus has assumed belittling proportions for the state and its future because, after all, it is the ordinary people who provide the engine for national growth and development. This disenchantment has cultivated a loss of faith in the country’s future owing to the ease with which it is hijacked.

This malady is further perpetuated by the assumption that a surfeit of force can impact the minds of the people and make them change their understanding of the way things are taking shape in the country. It is never like that. In fact, the effect is usually to the contrary as has been amply witnessed in the recent past. As Imran Khan remains resolute within the confines of his darkened cell to see a constitutional and democratic Pakistan emerge from the ashes of despotism, his followers have remained equally steadfast in their determination to tread the path their leader has chiselled. In fact, according to all available studies, his popularity has increased phenomenally ever since the dismantling of his government and his subsequent imprisonment due to the registration of fake and fraudulent cases against him.

This speaks of the inherent preference the people nurture for democracy. It comes as no surprise as they have often been victims of autocratic takeovers. Their distaste for it has now generated a new-found resolve to wage a meaningful struggle to uproot the malady from the land and let the light of constitutional and democratic emancipation spread across the expanse of a beleaguered country.

Coming this far has neither been an easy task nor is it going to be moving any further. It is a task against the flow of things of the past when dictatorial parlance would often replace democratic values without resistance. But it is also true that replicating it now is not going to be easy because people have often tasted the bitter aftermath of the demise of democracy. It has generated vigour and passion among people for changing the direction the country should take in the future. This transformation is rooted in constitutional and democratic values which are now associated with the person of Imran Khan as undisputed leader of the phenomenal change that is taking shape.

Despite heavy odds, we have come a long way on the road to salvation which is emblazoned with the sacrifices of countless people. Some of them have paid the ultimate price, but their faith has not wavered. They have remained steadfast with their eyes firmly fixed on the goal of a democratic Pakistan where their rights will be respected and their lives cherished, and where they would not have to suffer the dark of the dungeons for unknown crimes.

Freedom is a treasure and its loss a gruesome tragedy. Its value is known to those who have been stripped of it through different periods of their lives. For them, it is a treasure which is irreplaceable. In countless ways, I continue to live the days of my incarceration which, though relatively short, left indelible marks on my psyche. In no way, I could ever think of bartering it even with the wealth of the whole world.

Freedom is what I would always be beholden to and always fight for: “The dawn of the sorrowful and the stricken/ Does not appear in the skies./ Where we stand, you and I,/ A bright horizon shall emerge from here./ Here shall unfold the sparks of sorrow/ Like an oasis of morning glow./ And here the axes of murderous inflictions,/ Lined up in multiple neat rows,/ Shall become the fiery garlands of light.”

The writer is a political and security strategist and the founder of the Regional Peace Institute. He is a former special assistant to former PM Imran Khan and heads the PTI’s policy think-tank. He tweets @RaoofHasan

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in this piece are the writer's own and don't necessarily reflect Geo.tv's editorial policy.

Originally published in The News