Pakistan is in a terrible situation. The government is bankrupt and the economy is in shambles. Massive protests are being held everywhere against exorbitant electricity bills, and rise in prices of oil, gas and food.
The political situation is dismal, and a reign of terror has been imposed by the army and police, thousands thrown in jail, often after being dragged out of their homes, and many beaten, tortured, killed, or ‘disappeared’. The judiciary, whose duty was to uphold people’s rights under the Constitution, is lying impotent. Minorities, like Shias, Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs, live in fear.
What should Pakistanis do ?
No doubt by their massive ongoing demonstrations they have proved that they are not a bunch of cowards, as was earlier supposed, and will not take things lying low. But that is not enough. Clarity of ideas is now needed, otherwise they will be like blind men or men groping in the dark, and going from the frying pan into the fire.
Since the time of Partition in 1947, and even from before, false ideas were drilled into the heads of Pakistanis e.g. Partition of India and the creation of Pakistan as an Islamic State was correct and justified, since Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations ( the 2 nation theory ), who cannot live together, and Jinnah, the main creator of Pakistan was a great man ( Baba-e-Quom or Father of the Nation ),
Changing the mindsets of people, removing false ideas, and replacing them with truthful ones, is an extremely difficult and long drawn process. It is very painful to the majority who have held such false ideas for long, and would be very reluctant to discard them. And it requires tremendous patience and forbearance in the enlightened minority seeking to educate the majority and persuade them to give up their false ideas. They will have to endure abuses, vilification, and often even physical attacks by the majority.
Historical experience shows that the majority give up false ideas only when there is an economic crisis or war, for then people’s lives are so terribly and adversely affected that they find it impossible to continue living and thinking in the old way.
For instance, the French Revolution of 1789 was caused by the bankruptcy of the government of King Louis 16 and the huge rise in the price of bread.
The Russian Revolution of 1917 was caused by the First World War, and the huge rise in prices of bread in Russia.
The Chinese revolution which culminated in 1949 was caused by the Japanese invasion of China, and rural bankruptcy in China.
Pakistan is currently going through a severe economic crisis, and to survive Pakistanis will now have to rethink over what was dished out to them for over three quarter of a century, and which they had faithfully lapped up.
This will be very painful for most Pakistanis, for they will be questioning what was regarded as gospel truth for long. It will be like Copernicus’ heliocentric theory questioning the Biblical ( and the Greek astronomer Ptolemy’s ) assertion that the sun goes around the earth ( the geocentric theory ), which was believed as the final truth all over Europe for 2000 years.
Moreover, it will also be dangerous because questioning them will not only invite the wrath of the mullahs and religious extremist organisations like the Tehreek-e-Labaik, it is also a crime since section 123A Pakistan Penal Code makes speaking against Partition an offence carrying a sentence of upto 10 years imprisonment.
However, the truth cannot be suppressed forever, even by laws. Supporting Copernicus’ theory was also at one time dangerous as it went against the Bible, and one could be burnt at the stake for that ( Galileo survived by recanting). Yet it spread, and is believed by everyone today.
Since long I have been saying :
(1) Partition was a British swindle, to keep Hindus and Muslims fighting each other, and thus to prevent united india from emerging as a modern industrial giant ( as China is today ) and become a big rival to Western industry.with our cheap labour.
(2) Gandhi and Jinnah were the main agents of the British in this wicked design, which caused untold horrors and sufferings to millions.
https://www.hastakshepnews.com/moeed-pirzadas-inanity-and-mendacity/
(3) Pakistan is a fake, artificial country. It is part of India, and will one day inevitably reunite with India ( along with Bangladesh ) under secular, modern minded, patriotic leaders determined to rapidly industrialise and modernise the country, and give our people a high standard of living and decent lives
Justice Markandey Katju: On Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy’s superficial understanding
Justice Markandey Katju: Indian reunification is an idea whose time has come
(4) The leaders of both India and Pakistan are puppets of Western countries, and will obey their orders. So the way out for the people of both India and Pakistan is to launch a mighty united people’s struggle led by secular, modern minded, patriotic leaders to overthrow the present political systems and create a new one under which united India rapidly industrialises and modernises, and the people get decent lives..
https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/10/04/opinion-india-needs-modern-minded-revolution-to-become-a-first-world-nation.html
https://www.firstpost.com/india/indias-moment-of-turbulent-revolution-has-arrived-and-it-is-going-to-be-a-long-and-bloody-one-writes-justice-markandey-katju-7891541.html
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/satyam-bruyat/a-french-revolution-is-approaching/
As to when this historical struggle will begin, how much time will it take to attain success, how will it be conducted, who will be its leaders, etc it is impossible to predict, since one cannot be rigid about historical forms. The people will have to use their own creativity to figure all this out
