Street Fighting Man

Sang Mick Jaggers...allegedly after hearing Tariq Ali address an anti-war rally in London. Tariq Ali is Pakistan's preeminent student leader......back in the 60s when there was still life in nations.

Whether you like French fries or otherwise, you gotta admire their courage, although they dumped Vietnam on the Yanks and committed other fouls in the battle-ground of realpolitiks. But the people - with or without their fixation of cheese and wine....having been pioneers in movements of the mind...and hearts, too. 1968 is celebrated in campus history as the Year of the Barricades. The anarchist zeal of French students nearly brought down the government of France's most famous post-world-war-2 president: Charles de Gaulle. Anti-Vietnam protests in teh US followed.....and while in France intellect bloomed, in Yankee-land, too, it showed dissent. And thanks to that, we had the hippie revolution and hopes of sex, drug and rock n roll.

Even in Pakistan, there were protests against Ayub Khan.....whether masterminded by the executed Zulfi Bhutto is another debate.....but the student uprising alongside civil society was the major factor in Ayub giving up power. Tariq Ali's book, Street Fighting Years: Revolution in the 60s is a rather interesting read and makes one nostalgic for that age...when honest revolt reigned.

But lets snap and return to the present and the conundrum that our society is. Master Mush has made another promise....that general elections will be held by Feburuary 15, 2008 as promised. He has made quite a few promises in the past, too, to the people of Pakistan...and in particular to fellow stakeholders or political allies and failed to deliver. General Zia, the senior most dictator with 11 years to his credit, also pulled off similar deeds. Musharraf has pulled level with Ayub, who both have 8 years of service as head of all affairs under their belts.

Anyhow, the announcement, it is believed rather cynically and by me, has been made to appease international detractors. Condemnation of imposition of emergency was swift, as is generally the case...and Master Mush got a call from Uncle Sam's honcho and even PastMaster Bush said to reporters he was expecting return to normality in Pakistan. Britain, Germany, Norway and the UN were other nations that condemned the imposition of emergency and the black-out fo the media. Human rights groups were up in arms.

As it is, Pakistan is notorious for suicide bombings, honour killings, military coups, mass poverty, target killings, terrorism and increasing itnernational debt...and now images are flashing on screens of news-channels across the world of memebrs of civil society engaged in pitched battles with law-enforcement agencies. While civil war is unlikely to break out anytime soon, as Pakistan is more of a police-state than it is made out to be, and the population more pathetic than it is generalyl believed to be, there are still fears that this showdown can only get worse with time.

The lawyers have already been protesting for a while....ever since the CJ got sacked. They celebrated for a while when he was re-instated but now he is back under-house arrest and once again back to politicizing the entire campaign. So the lawyers are back protesting on the streets.

With the imminent elections, political campaigns are also underway....and with Benazir's arrival, things have heated up. The suicide bombing attempt at Benazir that killed nearly 150 people has only reaffirmed the victim mentality of the footsoldiers....and after Benazir was placed under house arrest yesterday to keep her from holding a scheduled rally and address in the army dominated city of Rawalpindi, the Jiyalas - as the die-hards call themselves - are all set for a showdown.

But the most alarming development, though some say the most lofty, is the gathering momentum of student protests. While governemnt universities have long been hotbed of political violence, the private campuses were rather sterile. But now it's students from these private universities only - that cream of middle class that aspires to work hard - has taken on themselves to emulate the Street Figthers of the 60s..

And while the politicians and lawyers are old hand - no judgements on the sincerity or nobility of their protests - and can submit to authority when facing the literal axe, the students are unlikely to show similar discretion. The student protests of '68 turned into an uprising when a student was shot-dead by the police. But then, the value of street-life wasn't rendered useless. However, now, it's a different story....and I fear martyrs, as much for them as for the legacy left behind.

Everyday, protestors are rounded up. Lawyers are already going missing. More than a 1000 PPP party-members were arrested in Rawalpindi....an attempt to puncture BBs hot air balloon. Public congregations are disbanded under the provisional constitution - section 144 being imposed, which entails that four persons cannot discuss anything in public. Civilians can be arrested and detained without a warrant....and the Army Act has been amended, which means civilians can be tried in military courts if the authorities feel the act was deterimental for the Pakistan Army. And as Master Mush is teh Chief of Army Staff, all protests against him are detrimental for the Army....meaning, I can be court martialled, too. Even you, if you read this and they trace your IP. I must go take a leak. I hope the the flush isn't bugged.

Anyhow, the confrontations are taking place. Everyday. Police is always beating up lawyers...though sometimes they show some balls, too...especially when students come to their aid. But if you are protesting, you are bound to be picked up. If you talk to the media, even than you are picked up. By people in plainclothes. Suddenly, from nowhere, 15-20 men will emerge in white kurta-shalwar, hold you by the scruff of your neck, and drag you off.

If you are in the middle of a protest, they will come running and surround you, pushing and shoving, lead you towards a police van. If you resist, they will beat you up. Even if you are a woman.

Though, today, it was made clear that even teh women force had been instructed to use brute force. Quite a few ladies had their heels broken, and one probably has a swolled jaw after a forecful slap that was captured on tape and will probably make headlines in international media once they catch on.

Otherwise, vocal protestors are isolated from the group and thrashed - whether the media looks on or not. Even foreign journalists have faced the heat. A canadian reporter got caught up in a baton-charge....but the agencies retreated as the white-skin intimidates. Which is rather sad....Aitzaz Ahsan, a lawyer of unquestionable talent and integrity, who also represented the Chief Justice and is a Senator of the PPP, is now in solitary confinement....and when he was leading a lawyers' protest against the sacking of the Chief Justice, the highhandedness of the plainclothes policeman was seen by the entire world. They picked him up and ran....to be out of reach of the following lawyers....The man is above 50 and highly respected. They treated him like a schoolboy playing truant.

Cricketers shouldn't blame. You never get due respect in Pakistan. Unless, ofcourse, your father is in the forces.