Pseudo homage

June 26, 2005


By Amar Jaleel

In our country, a new outlook has been given to dictatorship

THE most convenient way of paying homage to the sages, Sufis and saints is lip service. Do not feel embarrassed or sheepish if a person appears from nowhere, and tells you what you have been doing to express your reverence for the saints, Sufis, and scholars is nothing more than pseudo homage. Brush him aside as a senile, if not deranged, person. I assure you that such lunatics are almost extinct species in Pakistan. In the given times exploitation in the name of religion and politics is a permissive practice. Make the most of the two worlds, the world you have graced with your arrival, and the world hereafter you are preordained to return to.

The Karachi City Administrators recently paid homage to Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani by naming a flyover on the Shahrah-i-Faisal near the Finance and Trade Centre after his revered name. The Multanis have named one of their universities after Bahauddin Zakkaria. The Karachiites couldn’t locate an educational institution, or a seminar/conference hall, an auditorium, or a library to name after Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. Hence, they had no option but to name a flyover after the saint-scholar. We have irresistible urge for urination here and there. Garbage dumps find cosy corners under the flyovers all over the country. City administrators have appointed gunmen to ward off vagabonds from relieving themselves under the flyover. They have made it certain that the people will not spit on the flyover named after Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani.

Adhering to the teachings of the great saint-scholar, Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, is not a trivial pursuit. His teachings are to save your soul from erosion. It calls upon cessation from lust for worldly gains, and man’s immersion in selfless service for emancipation of the ailing humanity. Aren’t the two cannons hard to practice? We just can’t, even for a moment think of abandoning comforts in life. In the wonderful world of today attitudes and behaviours have undergone an absolute change. Does it indicate that we no more hold our mentors and educators in highest esteem? Without altering our day-to-day routines there are a thousand and one ways for expressing reverence to the great masters, saints and Sufis. Naming a flyover after Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani is just one example. One of the godforsaken roads in Islamabad is named after Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai.

When I look at heavily armed commandos standing guard over the congregations offering prayers at the mosques I am reminded of Allama Iqbal’s famous line from a couplet: Teghon kay sai mein hum pul kar jawan huwain hain

[We have grownup under the shadow of the spears.]

Allocation of substantial amount for the purchase of weapons for war in our budgets, in fact, is homage to the great poet’s equally well-known couplet:

Shamsheer-o-sana awal, taus-o-rabab akhir

[Let swords and hymns have preference over musical instruments (in your life).]

No wonder some of the pop singers of Pakistan have given up singing and playing musical instruments. However, they have not picked up swords. They put on mod suits over well-pressed shirts with colourful ties dangling from their neck, and they preach. It gives a softener look to Pakistan.

Pakistan has given a new outlook to dictatorship. It is winsome. It is adorable. Democracy in Pakistan has flourished under military dictators. It is such a noble form of democracy that freedom loving countries all over the world feel elated in our company. Our dictators appear democrats to the democratic world, especially the United States.

A serpent-like road in Islamabad passes through the State Bank, old assembly building, Agricultural Research Council, and the PBC Headquarters, and Radio Pakistan Islamabad. It is the most crooked road in Islamabad. It is befittingly called Shahrah-i-Jamhooriat (democracy road). There couldn’t have been more appropriate name for the road that leaves drivers crazy. It is Islamabad’s homage to democracy. It assures you that you may not have a democratic set-up in the country, but at least you have a crooked road dedicated to democracy.

We have a chain of Bara bazaars throughout the country. They sell stolen and smuggled merchandize, and second-grade and third-grade crockery and electronic goods. You name an item, it will be made available to you. Hustle and bustle at bara markets is common culture of Pakistan. Bara operators have their own distinct ethics. The trading of stolen and smuggled goods at bara markets is suspended four times daily for afternoon, evening, dusk, and late night prayers. They do not mix up religion with their profession.

Bara bazaars function under the very nose of government functionaries. In the NWFP, baras are junctions that provide congenial crisscross to the law administrators and the law breakers. They operate openly hand in glove. After spending a fortune at a bara bazaar as you come out you are hounded by the customs’ hungry hounds. You are obliged to feed them. The wizards at the Central Board of Revenue call it parallel economy. It sustains Pakistan. The banks are the ultimate beneficiaries from such illegal transactions worth billions, daily.

The land mafia after grabbing land construct a mosque first, and then commence the dubious business of allotting the land to the buyers. Most frequent travellers to Saudi Arabia for Umra and Haj are the drug barons, drug pushers, and corrupt bureaucrats.