Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space.
Final call
Imran Khan has asked his supporters to gather in Islamabad on November 24, calling it the “final call” to oppose the government. The question is what happens if this ‘final call’ falls flat? We’ll be back to yet another final fall for a final call? A report in a newspaper has suggested that several key PTI figures are already hesitant about this sudden push, fearing the logistical nightmares and the potential fallout of an underwhelming turnout.
Historically, the PTI’s leadership has struggled to sustain large-scale mobilisations, often fizzling out after initial surges. With Imran Khan’s hold over crowds weakened and the organisers fearing arrests, the fact is that this ‘final call’ appears poorly timed and poorly planned. His call to release of political prisoners is reasonable but not for activists involved in 9th May shameful incidents. The internal divisions and hesitation within the party’s own ranks confused its workers as well. With Imran behind bars and no definitive successor or clear chain of command, the PTI is quickly sliding into a vacuum of leadership.
This march has the makings of a high-stakes spectacle that could backfire and the PTI seems to be risking an embarrassment that could empower the government and dampen the spirits of its supporters and further detention of Party’s chief. If the PTI folds without achieving anything, the ‘final call’ might become its final misstep. Instead of pressuring the government, the party risks exposing its own organisational fragility and the diminishing influence of its jailed leader. Without a clear strategy or realistic demands, the PTI’s march might ultimately serve as little more than a rallying cry into the void, loud, emotional, but ultimately futile.
QAZI JAMSHED SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Letters from Congressmen
In a recent development, Forty Six US Congressmen have signed a letter addressed to US President requesting intervention in Pakistan politics on behalf of Mr. Imran Khan. Before this Sixty US Congressmen had signed a similar letter addressed to Biden administration demanding intervention over election results and release of political prisoners in Pakistan.
Foreign Office’s stance over the issue is that it amounts to interference in internal matters of a sovereign state. However Congressmen are of the view that human rights and democratic procedures should always remain a cornerstone in Pak-US relations forgetting role of US in tumultuous undemocratic decades of 60s and 80s.
The US has been a world power since WW-II. It has played its role in shaping the world as it is today. Pak-US sweet and sour relations first took shape in tenure of Liaquat Ali Khan, mainly due to defence considerations. In Ayub era they reached a climax with huge supplies of military hardware and economic grants landing in Pakistan. After 1965 Indo-Pak War there was a steep decline in Islamabad-Washington relations. Ayub Khan had to write in his book Friends Not Masters, “People in developing countries seek assistance, but on the basis of mutual respect; they want to have friends not masters”. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was much more charismatic, independent and flamboyant than Ayub Khan. On 28 Apr 1977 addressing a joint session of Parliament Bhutto accused US of hatching a conspiracy to depose him. He alleged that since Pakistan supported Arabs against Israel in their conflict and did not support enough the US during Vietnam War hence he was being targeted. Another reason he gave was pursuing the nuclear project which had already brought sanctions from US.
FARRUKH SHAHAB
Lahore
Ragging menace
Even though we have banned ragging, some senior students still enjoy ragging the junior student of their colleges. The same cycle continues every year. Some senior students harass their juniors in the name of personality development.
Despite the best of governmental efforts, the menace of ragging refuses to die down in our country. Though most of the states have anti-ragging laws, the lack of uniformity in the laws in different states is disturbing. The incidents of ragging that are now reported are obviously only the tip of the iceberg. Most ragging incidents are swept under the carpet by colleges to preserve their “reputation and honour.”
More often than not, the students are advised to compromise with their tormentors. Also, some students do not come forward to complain out of fear and are unwilling to put their future at stake. Unfortunately, the dangerous evil of ragging, which was largely confined to medical and engineering colleges, has crept into other professional colleges as well. Recent incidents of ragging reported from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Haryana, Assam and Uttar Pradesh have proved that ragging is here to stay.
JUBEL D’CRUZ
Mumbai, India
