The News, November 12, 2007
Martian Law
by Shakir Husain
If you woke up one day and found out that little green men from Mars had invaded Pakistan in their whacky spaceships and had imposed Martian Law throughout the Land of the Pure, it wouldn’t be all that different from what we’re witnessing today. The theater of the absurd continues which leaves almost every citizen scratching his or her head and asking themselves and each other exactly what’s going on and why? Few people had illusions about who was calling the shots ever since General Pervaiz Musharraf took over the reins of power in 1999 through a coup even though a parliament was elected in 2002. A pliable and previously unknown Prime Minister imported from New York rubberstamped everything that needed a stamp, and much was made of devolution, which nobody has quite understood quite like “Enlightened Moderation” and the “trickle down” effect.
When General Musharraf informed this nation of 160 million people that he is imposing martial law (yes formally it’s known as the emergency but who are we kidding), the central reason was to enable the State to combat terrorism without judicial meddling. As General Musharraf so eloquently phrased it, “the extremists have gone very extreme…” and I’m pleased to say that at least someone is being consistent in Pakistan these days with all the flip flopping going around. In the past seven days of Martian Law in Pakistan, I am amazed that there has not been one high profile arrest of one extremist. There hasn’t been one daring commando raid against Taliban forces in Swat. And there has not been one significant breakthrough in beating back the “extreme” extremists who are over running the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Yet thousands of lawyers, concerned citizens, journalists, politicians, and members of civil society have been hunted down, beaten, and jailed. Could it be that with the entire State machinery so hell bent on teaching anyone who doesn’t agree with the Regime a lesson from hell that they’ve taken their eyes off the ball?
While the Mullah leadership behind the takeover of Swat is free to roam around terrorizing locals and broadcasting their venom filled speeches via FM stations (against PEMRA laws), our security apparatus has managed to throw practically anyone who owns a black jacket into prison. The images I have seen have been shameful and should be embarrassing for anyone in Government today. Three of my mothers’ closest friends were arrested and kept for two nights in jail because they had attended a HRCP meeting in Lahore. The charge when it was finally drawn up? Rioting! Here are three highly respected academics who are more educated and civilized than anyone on the National Security Council and who have never broken a single law in their entire lives and they are being charged with rioting? Someone from Mars would surely appreciate the irony. Is this the respect accorded to conscientious citizens of Pakistan who would like to meet and discuss what is happening in our country? What about the real rioters, who burn, break, loot, and maim as we saw in Lahore when the cartoon controversy broke earlier this year — why don’t they ever get arrested and beaten with batons? Could it be because they are armed, trained, and dangerous unlike the thousands picked up during the last one week?
Martian Law started with taking every single news channel off air other than PTV. It reminded me of the good old days of Dictator Zia when that is all that there used to be, yet in today’s day and age taking news channels off air is not only counterproductive but useless as well. With the Internet and Internet enabled cellular phones (all 60 million of them) it is virtually impossible to stuff state propaganda down everyone’s throat. Video clips, pictures, emails, and news stories were going around networks of all kinds not to mention rumors and false information. As a result the stock market took a violent hammering as the news channels which investors relied on for information were off air. Shrewd operators always know how to make a bad situation work for them as we saw at the Karachi Stock Exchange. Censorship doesn’t work — never has and especially today given the tools that citizens have at their disposal.
Martian Law also comes with an economic price tag as we have seen in the past week because most countries and their citizens find the entire concept quite abhorrent. It also shows instability which business hates. There has been a withdrawal of 200 million USD from equity positions in the Karachi Stock Exchange not counting local investors who are dumping their positions. Orders are being cancelled for exporters across the board or buyers are reviewing Pakistan as their destination of choice when it comes to being part of the global supply chain. The one achievement, which this Government heralded as its gift to the people of Pakistan — Foreign Investment, is now falling apart at the seams because of their own actions. Count the economic cost in terms of lost jobs and loss of business and the numbers just keep adding up.
Then there is the political cost of Martian Law. Some governments have cancelled aid, which was in the pipeline, while others have begun to review their programs. Every single newspaper and television network in the world has been full of stories on Pakistan and how the Regime is brutalizing its own people. Spin-doctors remember this. Lawyers, judges, and journalists are usually very well connected and educated people locally and internationally, and have a kinship with their peers abroad, and when they are being beaten in the streets their colleagues abroad will turn up the heat in every way they know how. And they have more than a few tricks up their sleeves as we can see today. Every single MP/Senator/legislator in the world is aware of what’s happening in Pakistan and is being pressured to issue a statement and take action. Not a good situation for anyone in Pakistan least of all the architects of this “emergency”. We keep hearing about the greater national interest, and now is the time to accept mistakes, make amends, and not let this be about bruised egos. Instead of alienating natural allies who want a progressive Pakistan by throwing them in jail under subhuman conditions, General Musharraf should be rallying them to his banner of a progressive Pakistan even if he has to give up the very power he has accumulated over the last 9 years. And while we’re at it let’s do something about the extremists who are staying consistent and just keep getting more “extreme”.
