Ah! Sovereignty
Written By : Bakhtiar HakeemAh! Sovereignty
· Mr. Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan entered Islamabad Airport after due clearance from the American authorities. It was March 3rd 2006. The occasion was ‘reception’ of President of America George W Bush. The guest had decided to first secure the base and then land. Therefore, the host had been asked to stay away and keep the airport closed. No one was allowed to use the airspace or the airport facility.
· Bush came in five aircrafts. Seven hundred was the declared figure of security and guard personnel. The real figure could go any where around one thousand. Many were included insitu. The biggest and strongest asset already positioned was Chinook helicopters. There was news that there is good number of dogs as well in the entourage. Bush made sure that he lands at a virtual US base; even if it is called Islamabad. After landing he boarded in his own limousine, brought by him. The final mode of transportation to US Embassy was most probably an American helicopter; strong enough to fly over hostile land. All arranged by the guests themselves. Host were mere compliers or on lookers. Another secure US base, may it be in Pakistan. There was no promulgation of his arrival through print or electronic media. No pre-announced reception program or fanfare. However, in speculation of his arrival, opposition parties had planned a complete strike on that day.
· The Country was fully closed down on one account and totally paralyzed on other accounts. It was a scene history must record for posterity. How two unequal meet each other. How the head of one state is being received in another in21st Century. Whereby one is the conqueror and other conquered, with out armed offensive. Where one is slave and the other is master. Yet the master says we are partners and have strategic alliance. They keep the façade of freedom and equality. What a joke.
· Mr. Imran Khan had been put under house arrest. His senior party officials had been taken into custody. Islamabad was a sealed city in every sense of the word. None could go out or enter. All motorcyclists were stopped and their motor-cycles snatched by Police. They were properly challaned or charged, both parties knowing fully well that crime is actually being slave to America. A simple crime by the prudence doctrine. And this inconvenience is only a matter of day or two. In Rawalpindi main hotels were secured and the roads around them closed. Public transport was restricted. Schools were closed. Attock Bridge, the gate way between NWFP and Punjab was closed for major part of the time. Thus practically declaring the provinces separate countries. That is the way natives were treated on the arrival of King. It is only in recent past that Queen of Britain ruled our land. Were we natives treated like this in those days on her majesty’s arrival? Some of our senior citizens are still alive to give us personal experience. Will it be parable, may or may not be? I am sure they will say we were better of then.
· The tragedy is that democracy is still the common chorus and our senate, parliament, chief ministers, prime-minister, assemblies and even constitution is in tact and alive. No damage done. Mrs. Kashmala Tariq, MNA, is there to eulogies uniformed democracy.
· The biggest service of Islam to mankind was that it liberated the man from the slavery of man. Dr. Iqbal you wrote: -
Is raz ko ab fash kar aay roh e Muhammad
Aayat e elahi ka nigeh- ban kidhar jaey.
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