Give me back my old Pakistan!

[Norwegian]

The writer is an educationist who has served in Pakistan Navy

Personally, I shudder at the thought of ‘new’ Pakistan. More than 40 years ago, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared the emergence of a new Pakistan on the ashes of the vestiges of old Pakistan. What transpired next is history. The dilution of religion and politics, nationalisation of the education sector, language riots in Sindh, promulgation of the quota system, dismantling of the erstwhile Civil Service of Pakistan, and the list goes on. Imran Khan will do the nation a service by working towards the ‘old’ Pakistan rather than talking about a ‘new’ Pakistan.

Born in the 1950s, I was amongst the first generation that was born after Partition. Back then, we led a simple life but one marked with peace and civility. Growing up in old Pakistan, I only have pleasant memories from that time. The mornings would lighten up with the voices of K L Saigal and his contemporaries from Radio Ceylon. College canteens would witness contrasting images, where at one end comrades would be discussing Marxist literature, while at the other end, there would be those who would perform renditions of the latest Indian movies. Imagine this happening in a simple town in rural Sindh, Larkana!

Life in Karachi was as happening as in any other city of Europe. There was no threat of any sort in the cities where houses would be demarcated, not with high walls but hedged with fencing. Trams plied the roads, only stopping at their designated stops. Newspapers would carry announcements of dance performances at nightclubs and heavens did not fall when the construction of a mega casino was undertaken in Karachi.

Those were the times when Rabiul Awal and Muharram were marked with the same fervour as Christmas and Diwali. My hometown, Larkana, would play host to literary festivals attracting some of the heavyweights of the nation’s literati. We had a teeming children’s library in the town hall conceived by my late father and some bankers. Sometimes, a white four-wheeler with licence plate number LA 128 would park on my college premises and Bhutto would disembark and visit the principal and mingle with students. College proceedings wouldn’t halt with his visit, no minions brandishing weapons would clear space for him and no commotion would ensue. In short, life was joyful in my old Pakistan.

Recently, I got a glimpse of the New Pakistan. Teens wielding sticks and commandeering traffic were heralding the shutdown announced by the PTI. It was a successful strike but at the cost of billions of rupees to the exchequer. Nevertheless, I for one want to see change. I have seen the good days of this country. If there’s anyone who knows what we had, it is my generation; and IK is part of it. What sets apart my Old Pakistan from the New Pakistan is the presence of institutions back then. Acclaimed writers like Niall Fergusson and Francis Fukuyama both talk about the exigency of potent institutions for the success of nations. Unfortunately, like Bhutto, Imran is also taking a swing at what is left of some of the institutions in the country. As much as we all detest paying taxes to this inept government, enticing people to abstain from paying them would further embolden it to shed its responsibility. If Imran wants a revolution, he must ask his supporters to work for an extra hour at their respective workplaces or better, go to their workplaces on Sundays to mark their protest. With so much ill-advice being given to IK, mine would be to work for a model province in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. I would want to live in this province if it reminds me of my Old Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2014.
Give me back my old Pakistan – The Express Tribune

@SBD-3 @cb4 @AsianUnion @Aether @Proudpakistaniguy @WishLivePak @Waffen SS @FaujHistorian @Fracker @Ranches @ghoul @Jf Thunder @GreenFalcon @genmirajborgza786 @orangzaib @Pakistani Exile @KURUMAYA @Irfan Baloch @ali_raza @Syed.Ali.Haider @dexter @Patriots @muslim_pakistani @W.11 @Meengla @zaid butt @ajpirzada @Shoaib Rathore @OrionHunter @CHARGER @Major Sam @yesboss @TheNoob @Bratva @ghazaliy2k @Viny @StormShadow @suresh1773 @SOHEIL @venu309 @danish_vij @Force-India @faisal6309 @SpArK @S.U.R.B. @vsdave2302 @jarves @WAJsal @pursuit of happiness @Winchester @janon @pak-marine @AgNoStiC MuSliM @Donatello

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

No revolution means hanging the corrupt and starting over its WAY too late for compromise , its that or armed resistance like in Syria unfortunately that is where the country is headed

 

[ghoul]

Although this article is extreme romanticization of the old days, he's right about the safety of cities. From what I heard, people didn't feel threatened leaving their houses in Karachi etc.

What these "old and gold days" authors don't mention is the 11% literacy rate back then along with the extreme poverty that prevailed.

 

[TheNoob]

No revolution means hanging the corrupt and starting over its WAY too late for compromise , its that or armed resistance like in Syria unfortunately that is where the country is headed

lol
No, Not at all.
No armed resistance.
Any armed revolution would mean a failed society.
Here on and after the conflict.

And if that is how imran wants to go (Hypothetically) Then screw him.

 

[Selous]

Chutiya kaat raha he sab ka ye

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Well The old Pakistan will not come unless the modern day demons (corruption) is destroyed unfortunately that is the reality , the law and order in Pakistan is in hands of corrupt

Hand full of people will work hard , run their companies and do the good deeds but in end the one that will benefit will always be the ones that use the corruption to be in power and take out loans and not pay back loans and taxes

Last 6-10 years have not seen a single sign of improvement

Example of Syria is before us unless law and order DRASTICALLY improve

1- Attack on cricket team
2 - Attack on airports
3 - Attack on Awacs
4- Attack on railways
5- Attack in cities against factories
6- Attack on military basis
7- Attack on children's schools (Pretty much last straw)

Lets face it "The rigged model of Democracy" has not worked.

Pakistan needs a COMPLETE RESET ......on corruption and extremism

 

[TheNoob]

Well The old Pakistan will not come unless the modern day demons (corruption) is destroyed unfortunately that is the reality , the law and order in Pakistan is in hands of corrupt

Hand full of people will work hard , run their companies and do the good deeds but in end the one that will benefit will always be the ones that use the corruption to be in power and take out loans and not pay back loans and taxes

Last 6-10 years have not seen a single sign of improvement

Example of Syria is before us unless law and order DRASTICALLY improve

1- Attack on cricket team
2 - Attack on airports
3 - Attack on Awacs
4- Attack on railways
5- Attack in cities against factories
6- Attack on military basis
7- Attack on children's schools (Pretty much last straw)

Lets face it "The rigged model of Democracy" has not worked.

Pakistan needs a COMPLETE RESET ......on corruption and extremism

In Syria, it was the rebels (Who were in majority and against the govt).
We have a pest problem, not a whole society is against anyone here.
They are smart enough to know the goods and bad of such act.

Man, you are just overthinking it.
Drink some pepsi.

 

[Pakistani E]

Oh Bhai, the revolution this writer wants will not happen under IK's watch. I still have not understood IK's vision.

Forget IK, there has been no political leader in Pakistan's history who has mentored his followers to keep the streets clean, or not to give rishwat, or to look after his neighbour and not spread intolerance. This is true revolutionary change, not make me prime minister and everything will be fine. Well, a nation gets the leader it deserves, no wonder we have not had a decent leader since Jinnah (rh) left this world.

 

[vsdave2302]

The writer is an educationist who has served in Pakistan Navy

Personally, I shudder at the thought of ‘new’ Pakistan. More than 40 years ago, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared the emergence of a new Pakistan on the ashes of the vestiges of old Pakistan. What transpired next is history. The dilution of religion and politics, nationalisation of the education sector, language riots in Sindh, promulgation of the quota system, dismantling of the erstwhile Civil Service of Pakistan, and the list goes on. Imran Khan will do the nation a service by working towards the ‘old’ Pakistan rather than talking about a ‘new’ Pakistan.

Born in the 1950s, I was amongst the first generation that was born after Partition. Back then, we led a simple life but one marked with peace and civility. Growing up in old Pakistan, I only have pleasant memories from that time. The mornings would lighten up with the voices of K L Saigal and his contemporaries from Radio Ceylon. College canteens would witness contrasting images, where at one end comrades would be discussing Marxist literature, while at the other end, there would be those who would perform renditions of the latest Indian movies. Imagine this happening in a simple town in rural Sindh, Larkana!

Life in Karachi was as happening as in any other city of Europe. There was no threat of any sort in the cities where houses would be demarcated, not with high walls but hedged with fencing. Trams plied the roads, only stopping at their designated stops. Newspapers would carry announcements of dance performances at nightclubs and heavens did not fall when the construction of a mega casino was undertaken in Karachi.

Those were the times when Rabiul Awal and Muharram were marked with the same fervour as Christmas and Diwali. My hometown, Larkana, would play host to literary festivals attracting some of the heavyweights of the nation’s literati. We had a teeming children’s library in the town hall conceived by my late father and some bankers. Sometimes, a white four-wheeler with licence plate number LA 128 would park on my college premises and Bhutto would disembark and visit the principal and mingle with students. College proceedings wouldn’t halt with his visit, no minions brandishing weapons would clear space for him and no commotion would ensue. In short, life was joyful in my old Pakistan.

Recently, I got a glimpse of the New Pakistan. Teens wielding sticks and commandeering traffic were heralding the shutdown announced by the PTI. It was a successful strike but at the cost of billions of rupees to the exchequer. Nevertheless, I for one want to see change. I have seen the good days of this country. If there’s anyone who knows what we had, it is my generation; and IK is part of it. What sets apart my Old Pakistan from the New Pakistan is the presence of institutions back then. Acclaimed writers like Niall Fergusson and Francis Fukuyama both talk about the exigency of potent institutions for the success of nations. Unfortunately, like Bhutto, Imran is also taking a swing at what is left of some of the institutions in the country. As much as we all detest paying taxes to this inept government, enticing people to abstain from paying them would further embolden it to shed its responsibility. If Imran wants a revolution, he must ask his supporters to work for an extra hour at their respective workplaces or better, go to their workplaces on Sundays to mark their protest. With so much ill-advice being given to IK, mine would be to work for a model province in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. I would want to live in this province if it reminds me of my Old Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2014.
Give me back my old Pakistan – The Express Tribune

@SBD-3 @cb4 @AsianUnion @Aether @Proudpakistaniguy @WishLivePak @Waffen SS @FaujHistorian @Fracker @Ranches @ghoul @Jf Thunder @GreenFalcon @genmirajborgza786 @orangzaib @Pakistani Exile @KURUMAYA @Irfan Baloch @ali_raza @Syed.Ali.Haider @dexter @Patriots @muslim_pakistani @W.11 @Meengla @zaid butt @ajpirzada @Shoaib Rathore @OrionHunter @CHARGER @Major Sam @yesboss @TheNoob @Bratva @ghazaliy2k @Viny @StormShadow @suresh1773 @SOHEIL @venu309 @danish_vij @Force-India @faisal6309 @SpArK @S.U.R.B. @vsdave2302 @jarves @WAJsal @pursuit of happiness @Winchester @janon @pak-marine @AgNoStiC MuSliM @Donatello

If you want a old beautiful pakistan, it will be a Pakistan before 1947.

 

[Fracker]

Joining WoT was i think worst decision Pakistani Government has made. Things were aint that bad as of today.

 

[rockstar08]

A revolution wont come without blood .. with music concerts there wont be any change .. forget it

 

[VCheng]

Although this article is extreme romanticization of the old days, he's right about the safety of cities. From what I heard, people didn't feel threatened leaving their houses in Karachi etc.

What these "old and gold days" authors don't mention is the 11% literacy rate back then along with the extreme poverty that prevailed.

"Remember, these are the good old days of tomorrow." - Anon.

 

[punit]

Although this article is extreme romanticization of the old days, he's right about the safety of cities. From what I heard, people didn't feel threatened leaving their houses in Karachi etc.

What these "old and gold days" authors don't mention is the 11% literacy rate back then along with the extreme poverty that prevailed.

Good Old days are always myth. they always are .

 

[xyxmt]

be old Pakistanis to get your old Pakistan back.

 

[FaujHistorian]

Drink some pepsi.

no more sugar for him.
he is bouncing off the walls already

Good Old days are always myth. they always are .

you should be declared "sage" of PDF.

we must start a brand new category.

A revolution wont come without blood .. with music concerts there wont be any change .. forget it

not enough blood and gore for you already?
Were the 130+ kids not made of blood and flesh?