A diluted revolution

Mubarak ho. The Inqilabi Awami Qadria republic has been established over an area of one square kilometre in the red zone of the famous red line of the Chaudhry from Chakwal.

None of the TV networks carpet bombing the audiences 24/7 with minute to minute coverage of the dharna reported this development. Even the Allama missed the point that he was the undisputed ruler not only of the airwaves but real territory. Nor did he realise this when the leader of the neighbouring azad principality came over to pay homage.

Commissars of the awami republic were controlling all movement in part of the red zone stretching from the D-Chowk to Margalla Road. Even police vehicles on shift duties were being turned back.

Meanwhile, the political class and the media were debating secondary issues like who the script writers or the mystery men behind those writing the script are. Are they the same people who determine the area of coverage of Geo TV?

It was astonishing to see parliamentarians proclaiming the victory of democracy when the revolution’s foot soldiers were blocking the main gate of the parliament building. In their latest burst of energy the Qadria gangs were blocking access to the white blocks of the secretariat symbolising the much maligned status quo.

It is tempting at this stage to draw a balance sheet of the scripted marches and sit-ins. The alchemist from Model Town has reached the optimum level of his advance. But he has run out of divinely inspired potions. Some R&R will do him good to refresh his tired body and mind. The government must give him a face-saving exit. Why not call the wily Chaudhrys for a repeat of writing the epilogue of the current revolution like they did for the 2013 edition?

One clear benefit of the azadi chapter of the script is that over these four weeks, Imran Khan has received the greatest political lesson of his life. Not known for reading material other than society magazines, Imran has gone through a crash course in the art of the possible. Though he is resisting learning, some signs of mellowness have appeared.

Imran’s haughtiness has been dampened somewhat – or it has been controlled. It has even been observed that he made a whole speech without insisting on Nawaz Sharif’s resignation. His benevolent fallback position that the PM step aside for some time has failed to receive traction.

We shall now see if Imran has a genuine fallback position that is attainable so that he can declare victory. Again, the government has to use tactics and channels in a way that Imran accepts to bow out to live to fight another match.

A popular jeu de mots among some veterans in Pervez Musharraf’s time went like this: BB understood but wouldn’t listen; NS listened but didn’t understand; and Pervez Musharraf neither understood nor listened. It would be interesting to know how those who thought of this satire would phrase it today.

Allama TuQ would probably qualify as someone who listens, understands and then regurgitates an entirely distorted version. Imran may be seen as one who listens but does not understand and something goes wrong somewhere and you get a reply that makes you wish you weren’t born. That obviously was our famous rebel’s problem with the PTI’s founder.

Shah Mehmood’s profile has risen from the moment Javed Hashmi made his final departure from the azadi container. In any case, the oxymoronic arrangement of a president and a chairman of the same party was bound to crack up one day.

No one had anticipated that Hashmi’s parting kicks would so badly hurt the script titled ‘Azadi and Inquilab’. Thank you, Baghi for living up to your tradition and reputation.

All other party leaders should be on guard not to let Hashmi enter their ranks. Rebellion is not a matter of if but when for the makhdoom from Multan. A coincidence that the second PTI makhdoom too is also the rebellious sort. He left the PPP, weighed the N option and then cast his lot with Imran. Whatever Imran says in public, he cannot take SMQ for granted.

That having been said, by now the sit-in has become a pain for the residents of Islamabad, so far the most orderly city in the country. First came the underpass and metro bus squads digging up much of the place. And now the revolutionaries who besides diverse shenanigans have turned the red zone into a stench filled campsite.

In the background, wise men try to find a judicious way out of the impasse. In the building next door, the PM and his assorted guardians of status quo democracy wax eloquence about the virtues of the constitution and vow to defend it at all costs while an area just outside lays beyond the writ of the state.

No clear sign yet how of this saga is going to end. But some common sense based measures have been taken. For example, life has returned to schools and campuses of the capital after three weeks of forced extra holidays. How about a gradual return of the containers to their lawful owners? They were not particularly effective before the determined crowds advancing under the Allama’s command of ‘agay barho’.

Email: saeed.saeedk@gmail.com