Zia’s legacy
PRECIOUS little happens in Pakistan that cannot be traced to the man who ruled over this country for 11 dark years of its existence. On the morning of Aug 17, exactly 24 years after his death, Gen Ziaul Haq’s presence was felt all the more poignantly. ‘Terrorists attack Kamra airbase’, ‘19 pulled out of buses, shot dead in sectarian attack’ at Babusar Top, ‘Zardari seeks Muslim countries’ assistance’ on Afghanistan. Rulers either side of Zia have contributed to this mad, unending dance of death that Pakistanis have been subjected to. But while the dictator may have found the soil fertile for cultivating his brand of hatred, he was so thorough in his execution of the self-assigned job and so heartlessly committed to his creed that he ensured that generations after him will find it impossible to escape his influence.
Zia’s figure looms large over a Pakistan where, ostensibly, no popular political party stands by his ideals — just as none has dared to declare a war against his legacy. The parties which he fathered, and the ones which were born of circumstances of his making, have all turned their back on their mentor. Yet, the ghosts of intolerance the general let loose on society with a ferocity previously unseen are not only very much around and kicking, they have spread far and wide and today use various disguises. Zia used Islam, originally, as a tool to secure the moral high ground against the politicians he had thrown out and that tool later became his convenient ideology, a justification for his rule. Most dangerously in the present context, he played an able facilitator to a process which was destined to superimpose the interests of the people of the country with the perceived interests of the Islamic ‘millat’. Inevitably, this was a prelude to a long, violent campaign for the hegemony of an interpretation, a sect over others. This cannot be effectively countered unless those who now disown Zia — and this includes almost all political parties here — gather the courage to actively fight his legacy. The standard catharsis through Zia-bashing will not be enough.
Well, Zia is dead; that’s obvious, but in a way he is not. It’s his fruits, that are now pandemic in Pakistan and also in Afghanistan, that is what this mesage is talking about: ‘Zia’s legacy’ are they callled.
Of course, to undo it, we need to act not only on the national level but also on a personal and individual; for example when we talk less of religion (Islam) in public, wouldn’t it be better? Treating it purely once private matter and refuse to discuss it. Wouldn’t then the things would have started curing the wounds of Zia’s dark ages!
Obviously he wasn’t alone but he has to take the blame becuase he was one in charge……. Notably, however, the thing which is missing is to forget and forgive the man behind the gun, while gun fires the man behind often gets away with his cruel acts. Were JI and IJT not behind Zia’s theaterics? And they are not dead! Why are they not then being made equally responsible for the fuits that this country is presented with. There was no acountability of their horrendous acts in the former East Pakistan…That is where one should be honest to start reforming. Is that easy? Well, it is when we do it as it has alreay done by Bangladesh…No? ..and if you have any repect for Jinnah’s words, ‘ …state has nothing to do with religion…’ …Is JI/IJT not then Nemesis to Jinnah’s fine legacy of secular state?
There is no doubt in the fact that he sowed the seed of hatred. Now the solution is to push all terrorists out of the country without any discrimination without saying that one group of terrorists is an assets and others are not. I think there are already enough laws in the country to take care of these terrorists. It is a humble request to the institution that is the custodian of the legacy for God's sake, clean the country from all kinds of terrorists and make this country a Democratic Republic of Pakistan in its terms.