Our Liberal Intellectual, and the Gift that Keeps on Giving 

Saeed A.Malik.

The elections are done and are now being dusted. After the results have been declared, they have been greeted by the same cacophony of voices, which has become the norm as an election aftermath in Pakistan. In this sense, these elections were the same as any other. But a large majority point out two essential differences i.e that these elections were more peaceful than those held earlier; and that there was little or no rigging of the ballot itself. And hardly any complaint was lodged with the ECP on this latter score.

However, a lot may be said on the performance of the ECP itself. And the least that can be said is that it proved to be unprepared and incompetent beyond expectations. And there are many who blatantly, or through innuendo, accuse the army to have helped PTI over the finish line with help from the ECP. They forget that this ECP was hand picked by Zardari and Nawaz Sharif. It was designed under the ruling spirit of the “Charter of Democracy” which was sanctified by the 18nth Amendment. The methodology of how the election commissioners were henceforth to be chosen had a clear objective i.e that Pakistan must squirm under the alternating heels of Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, in perpetuity. That this did not happen has brought forth roars of rage from Mulla Fazal, and screams of anguish from Zardari, N.S, Achakzai, and Asfandyar Wali, all of whom plundered Pakistan in an unholy partnership without let or hindrance, or any fear of the same. 

Before the elections, we were dished out a standard fare by those who have now firmly acquired the sobriquet of “liberal intellectuals”. We were conditioned to expect that individuals like Ch Nisar and Brahamdagh Bugti will certainly win, being the favourites of the “establishment”. Also, those with the jeep as an election symbol, PSP, and GDA, will be helped across the finish line in large numbers, and that a very large number of independents will be returned. This narrative was also sold with uncommon zeal to the west, most notably in the U.S, and across the border in India. And none lapped it up so avidly as our Indian friends did.

But quite the opposite happened in EVERY particular. Each one of these predictions went wrong. Thus, for the moment at least there is confusion among our liberal intellectuals while they are busy concocting a new narrative. But what has been significantly missing from their narrative is the “other” story of Pakistan i.e the bankruptcy of the state largely achieved through ruthless plunder of state coffers by its leaders. This has left Pakistan hamstrung in a way that no calamity could have. Pakistan today is virtually defenceless because it does not have the means to sustain a defence if attacked.

John Perkins, in his book “Confessions of an Economic Hitman” clearly lays out the blueprint of how big powers undermine smaller states. It is the job of the Hitman to offer the President of the target country a project which is economically unfeasible and guaranteed to bankrupt this country so that it can then be held in eternal thralldom. And along with the offer of such a project, the subject President also gets a fat cheque in his Swiss Account. If the President refuses, jackals are sent after him and he is assassinated. Jamie Roldos of Equador and Omar Torrijos of Panama were both eliminated for not taking the bait offered them. And if the jackals fail because the security of the offending President is so watertight, as was the case with Saddam, he is then dealt with by an invasion.

Pakistan has lost the first phase of its war–the economic phase. It must now await the second phase. The enemies which dealt the mortal economic blow to Pakistan are Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, and all others who signed the infamous ” Charter of Democracy” which was little more than a blueprint of cooperation to loot the country dry. Their crime was not just plundering. It was also treachery. These people worked actively to undermine their country while filling their pockets at the same time. They should, therefore, be tried for both crimes.

The liberal intellectuals are guilty of providing intellectual cover to the crimes of the enemies of Pakistan, both internal and external. Theirs is the crime of abetment in the sale of a narrative which goes against the interests of the country which has given them all they own.

Free expression of opinion is theirs by right. But this ceases to remain so when opinion is put forward as fact and done specifically to help those who have undermined the very foundations of the state. When this happens it becomes abetment of the enemy, which both Zardari and Nawaz Sharif and their poodles clearly are.

Readers who are interested, need to just collect the writings of these liberal intellectuals and scrutinize them. They will hardly find a word against the massive theft which has taken Pakistan down, or against those who perpetrated it. But they will find streams of invective against the “establishment” which are presented as facts.

But for the majority of committed TV anchors and opinion piece writers who refused every blandishment from the gangsters who plundered Pakistan, the narrative of the liberal intellectuals would have been a runaway sell.

As Pakistan struggles to remain standing in the days and weeks ahead, the thieves may be remembered. But it is important that their abettors are also not forgotten.

P.S. We now see a fresh broadside from our liberal intellectuals taking shape. This is that Imran Khan is a “puppet” of the army. This has already been sold to the Indian media by our intellectuals, and Indian media outlets are spreading this around like it were God’s truth. But anyone who has any honesty about him and knows Imran just a wee bit will know that the man least likely to be anyone’s puppet is Imran. Hopefully, we will all see this being borne out in the days ahead. I also predict he will get along with the army better than most earlier parliamentarians. And his relationship with India will be more constructive than it has been in the recent past.