Written and Published March 2007

Justice is said to be blind. Unfortunately, when we’re talking about Pakistan, it also happens to be deaf, dumb, and slightly retarded.

Perhaps that is why, over the decades, we ourselves have become our worst enemy. A long time back, Faiz Ahmed Faiz penned a beautiful piece of poetry: “Hum dekhein ge” {We will watch}. He talked about Indian occupied Kashmir and how he hoped we would watch it liberated one day. On Friday, the 16th of March 2007, this rallying cry rang out over the radio, as our press was attacked by our very own “saviors”, the Punjab Police.

Sab Taj uch’halay jaein ge, sab takht giraey jaein ge,
Hum dekhein ge…

{All kings will be dethroned, all rulers ousted; We will watch…}

Haven’t we remained silent long enough? We slept through the war in Wana; we slept through the American “operation” in Bejaur; and we slept through Bugti’s murder. We even slept as our “agencies” kidnapped our own people and gave no explanation. When will we finally wake up?

Now, even our freedom of expression and freedom of press is threatened. The common man has no rights, for any minister, or a minister’s family member, might fanicfully humiliate or assault him publicly while he performs his duties (case in point: Federal Law Minister who beat up a waiter at Marriot, Islamabad and his son beat up a fellow passenger on a PIA flight). And why talk about the common man anyway when the country’s chief justice has no protection, no standing?

It is time to stop waiting for someone else to take charge. It’s time to take a stand for what is right. It is time to bring a revolution in our own lives; to think like a nation, rather then individuals. It is time to fight for Justice.

Aur raj karay gi khalq-e Khuda, jo main bhi hoon aur tum bhi ho
Hum dekhein ge…

{And the men of God shall rule, for you are one, and I am too; We shall see…}