Last night I was sleeping rough on the most famous street of the country, with the eyes of the whole world on us. It was cold and freezing, probably sub-zero temperatures and I was out there with thousands of other people around me. There were no beds, no heaters, no quilts or even enough space for a person to have a lie-in comfortably, but we all were there.
There was only one thing holding us there, keeping us warm and providing us with light in the darkest of hours. Hope, there was hope that we all are in here to achieve the elusive ‘change’ that has evaded my country for so long. Waiting for a new dawn, a new era of freedom, peace, harmony and liberty which my land has so dearly missed. We all were united there for a purpose, a reason and a vision of future, a shared dream of millions to see Pakistan in a new light.
We waited, waited to hear from a person who stayed few feet away from us all in a fortified container. We all knew he had bedding, toilet and warm quilts in that container, we knew he was planets away from the ordinary man. But for us the person was not an issue, it was the ‘purpose’ that brought us there with him.
The morning came with a heavy shower, cold, unforgiving water drained down on us. People sheltered themselves for protection but no one was ready to leave their spots, we were steadfast that we do need that ‘change’ in our country that our generations have dreamed of.
A group of men from the Government came down after a deadline was given by our container bound leadership. Spirits were high, we believed that the person who has brought us out in the cold here for four days will negotiate everything that we wanted for ourselves, the destination was in front of our eyes.
And then after hours of negotiations we heard that a deal has been reached, the mood was jubilant. People were dancing, laughing, crying, thanking the almighty. There was belief that all the hardships and sufferings will end for us, that was it. For once in the history of our country we had achieved our goals without bloodshed, without any violence. There was a sense of pride that we are growing mature as a nation.
The deal was read out, congratulations bestowed all across and everyone happily started their journey back in a new world.
BUT?
I woke up and looked for the TV to see that change, or was there any?
President, still Asif Ali Zardari; check. Prime Minister, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf; check. National Assembly; intact. Senate; not a member disqualified. Judiciary; same as 24 hours before. Media; the same stories from 24 hours ago?
I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, I thought there was a mistake, something was wrong. I decided to take a walk outside on the outskirts of Islamabad, outside the beautifully crafted city and high rising buildings. Towards the slums, kacchi abadis where more humans dwell than the whole of concrete jungle of Islamabad.
There was quiet in the atmosphere, due to the cold only few people were awake. Calm and serene with plumes of smoke rising from few of the early morning risers. Nothing had changed!
I looked at myself in disbelief, once more, not for the first time anymore, I had been fooled! The mirage that generations after generations of my country had been after has once again proved us to be incompetent. Immature, childish, looking back I don’t know how a person blackmailed, tricked, fooled a whole nation within 40 days.
There were children playing outside the houses in a dirt patch, jumping with joy and freedom that only childhood can bring. Their bright faces unaware of the treachery that had been done with the generation of their parents. Oblivious to the looming disaster that their parents are leaving them for.
Indeed, my generation has failed once again, we have failed ourselves and our children. Will their generation do anything different from me?
Only time will tell!
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