Hobson’s Choice

Mazhar Abbas, a veteran journalist of repute, aptly defines news-sense by saying, “anything that the government does not want to disseminate and hear itself is news, and the rest is advertisement…” That was evident when demolitions were the order of the day in the federal capital, with the government and media looking the other way. Had it not been for social media, the woes and wails of thousands of families would have been buried underneath the debris. There are no listeners for them even now. The men at the helm were busy cordoning off the twin cities as diplomatic euphoria was at its zenith, costing the national exchequer up to a staggering Rs75 billion.

Then came a power-politics twist as residents of the prestigious twin towers of Constitution-One were served with ejection orders. The ‘mighty’ and the ‘aristocrats’ were caught off guard. The media and sympathisers in the corridors of power were instantly seen crying foul against the CDA. The Prime Minister awoke from slumber to appoint a committee to redress “any inconvenience” caused to the patricians. ‘One Country, Two Systems’ was the buzzword. None bothered to console the uprooted residents of 300-year-old vicinities in Bari Imam, Saidpur’s heritage village, and elsewhere in sectors H-9 and G-7. They were perhaps the children of lesser gods!

The Iron Man of the Home Department, nonetheless, was found to be on the legal side as he had the court orders to fix the fox. Known for his discreet silence and recognised for believing in actions, he was playing Goliath. The hybrid system in vogue is at his disposal, as he vowed to flush out the puissant from the twin towers. He is not supposed to listen to anyone, and his word prevailed. From Saqib Nisar to Sarfaraz Dogar, the system strikes an equilibrium as and when needed. The garden city, many say, is primed to become a vertical metropolis on the lines of Manhattan or Shanghai. Not many are sure, though.

Islamabad, having won laurels on brokering mediation between Washington and Tehran, is now gradually getting introspective. It tactfully synergised the goodwill on the first anniversary of the four-day duel with India by calling for turning a new page in bilateralism sans confrontation. The Foreign Office called for a dialogue, saying “…we do not talk of war. …We talk of dialogue and diplomacy”. Luckily, peace constituents in India are reciprocating, and the first few doves are former Indian Army chief Gen. Manoj Naravane and RSS secretary-general Dattatreya Hosabale. They, too, believe in opening a window for dialogue. Good enough.

The power corridors are again simmering with whispers. The proposed 28th amendment is supposedly set to knock down everything. The Federation has run out of patience and wants the provinces to buckle up. The concurrent list is being rewritten, and the federating units will be given a Hobson’s choice: either compromise on their political clout or give up the treasure trove that came their way under the 18th Amendment. The PPP has a lion’s share to lose as its purse will be taken away. The ports and minerals will also be manned by Islamabad. The PML-N is ready to compromise, provided it stays in power.

The mega bargain, however, is too toiling and that is a change of the incumbent in the Presidency. The ‘guru of reconciliation’ is in rough waters. His doctrine of tiring his adversaries is apparently unravelling. Sindh is being influenced, and fissures are popping up. The drug queen-pin alias Pinky performed a catwalk as authorities kept their fingers crossed. For many, it is the déjà vu of Ayaan Ali, the model who carried stashes of dollars without being checked. She was netted for a purpose, and Pinky too. We are infected with dementia. Pinky, too, will be forgotten once the chips are down.

Postscript: The Interior Ministry is in an Ostrich Syndrome. It is refusing to see a draconian societal unrest unfolding before its eyes as thousands are being shunted out of the Emirates. The victimisation is sectarian in essence and has the potential to flare up. There will soon be a remittances crunch too, as Pakistanis are increasingly becoming unwelcome in the UAE. Denial mode will not help. The Iron Man must lead from the front and strike a chord with the Royals in all magnanimity. He is quite capable of doing it and must act before it gets too late.