From bad to worse

I am sure that for those looking in to the politics of Pakistan over the past few weeks, the situation seems to be impoving. I mean, we have had a dictator defeated through democratic means, a coalition formed between two bitter rival parties, and the emergence of not only an expansive coalition, but also the first ever female speaker of parliament in the Muslim world, to be followed by the nomination of a Prime Minister, a man steeped in politics and respected by many (not including this writer).

These are positive developments, and even the news agencies covering these important milestones are having a hard time injecting a dose of reality into these proceedings. It all seems so well planned, so well executed, and most of all so hopeful. So while some (emphasis here) people in Pakistan celebrate, while news agencies are unsure how to interpret the events, and while the world's leaders are just coming to terms with the fact that Pakistan is once again being ruled by a parliament rather than the military, this writer would like to excuse himself from this rosy picture, and indeed, like to parade his pessimism onto the scene.

For those keeping track, Pakistan's new ruling coalition comprises of two party leaders both convicted of fraud and corruption, not to mention they probably trade stories of how they spent their respective times in jail. Both of them also have a few friends in common aside from wardens and jail guards, ie. industrialists that have run Pakistani economics for nearly two decades. Asif Zzardari and Nawaz Sharif both stand at the forefront of Pakistani politics not because of their own good deeds, but due to the allegiance they have shown to the wealthy of Pakistan, people they have supported through shady deals, under the table discounts, and assistance through foreign aid. They have built there careers on such acts, and this recent rise in their fortunes isn't any different. The problem is that the media is unable to report all these incidents, because curiously, all the court cases against these criminals have been dropped, dismissed, or just plain not pursued anymore. Suddenly, these much maligned figures are the saviours of Pakistan, and even scathing articles in the NY Times have failed to shatter the glimmer of hope and goodwill that surrounds them.

So here sits an ordinary Pakistan, unable to decide which criminal to support, hapless at the fact that no one else except another non-party affiliated Pakistani can understand his plight. While world leaders praise the death of a dictatorship, this writer knows that the lesser of two evils has passed, and the real threat has suddenly risen up, not outside Pakistan looking in, rather from within, looking outwards, chomping at the bits at the chance of controlling a nuclear state which a lot depends on over the next few years.

Already the rhetoric from these new leaders is alarming, already they are strategising as to how to get their hands on more money. Most notable is their declaration that they will negotiate with militants. Ha! These militants wish to annhialate you, don't you know? And thats the crux isn't it, they do know, but what they want is more funding from the US, so they have already started posing as if they intend to walk off the path, hoping that America will do what it always does when it comes to Pakistan, throw more money at it.

So while the BBC is trying to come up with a solution as to how on earth to actually show these devils for who they are, these people have quietly taken over. They have posed as the democratic alternative to Musharraf, the dictator. What is a pro-western news agency to do, show the dictator as the better option? What is a democratic govt to do, even if they want to point out that criminals are taking over? Nothing. So the world sits silently by, hapless just as many Pakistanis are, watching as the situation goes from bad to worse.

Three months ago, Musharraf was the worst it could have ever gotten, then came the fateful days after Benazir's death (no, criminals are not assasinated, they just die), and now we have this, two wolves in sheep's clothing, in a partnership of convenience which will last just as long as one of them is sick of splitting their profits.

I usually end with a hopeful sentence, or perhaps even a question that might leave you in thought. But there is no hope here, and there is nothing left to be said. The writing is on the wall. There are only the silent lamentations of every Pakistani I know.. a quietitude in the discussions which are now whispered. Everyone knows this is bad, no one wants to admit that it happened on their watch.

Even the usually attractive newscaster on Geo TV (an Urdu news channel) seems to have the weight of the world on her petite, usually proud shoulders.