I have realized that whenever I need ironic humor, I look up Pakistani papers and almost always, there is something that puts a smile on my face. For example, I was looking at Dawn today and read this mind boggling headline: ‘Demand for Pakistani weapons increasing rapidly.’ Imagine, a country like Pakistan that is entirely dependent on foreign aid to survive, a country that is exploding because of population and extremism, a country that is running out of water, electricity and other daily necessities (not to mention non existing flour and sugar) is trying to revive itself with arms sales? It just doesn’t make any sense, not at least to me.
It has been reported before, but it is worth repeating that Pakistan is in the middle of two (internal) wars against the Taliban. The Taliban have been carrying out horrifically successful bomb and suicide across the country, and Pakistan is proud to be an international arms dealer? Once again, it really doesn’t make any sense, no matter how hard one tries.
Ironically, Pakistan is about to become a classic case of colossal failure in every single field and looking at political, social, or economic trends, it is not hard to see the tragic writing on the wall.
Countries are neither made in a day, neither are they destroyed instantly, but it doesn’t take very long for a nation to lose sight of what is important and end up as total disaster. Pakistan, according to a lot of smart people is on a similar course, and sadly, there is no sign of anyone trying to put back Pakistan on the right track.
I am sure a lot of people won’t see anything wrong with Pakistan trying to sell arms to ready and willing buyers, but the problem is not with arms sale. The problem is that it seems there are no grown ups in the country to say enough is enough and start making tough decisions that can pull back Pakistan from the cliff. Nobody has any problem if Pakistan sells arms, but before doing that, the country must put its house in order.
Today’s Pakistan’s totally different from the Pakistan that I left in 1999 and regretfully, it is not different in a good way. It is different in a more crowded, darker, cynical and negative way. People there are angry, law & order situation is awful and oddly, nothing seems to work in the country. Bribes have become the norm even if you have to get a train or bus ticket. Tolerance and the sense of co-existence have become as rare as one can imagine. And, to add fuel to this unfortunate fire, Pakistan is caught up in a fight between militaristic nihilists and the Americans. And, I have not even mentioned the rogue media and viciously patrician and misguided judiciary in the country.
Contemporary Pakistan is like a train wreck in the making. Those who can get out are doing so, but majority of Pakistanis are trapped with no option to escape. These are the people who must take control of their country in order to change their lives and improve their future. Otherwise, it is getting darker in Pakistan, even if Pakistan becomes the dominant forces in arms sales.
