Sadness is saddening. But lucky are those sad women on whom men write words and pages and books and poems of sadness.
For a sad man, there’s no one. Just like there are words and pages and books and poems on motherhood, but almost nothing on fatherhood.
He would be eating a sandwich on a lone bench in a lone park and someone would take his picture that would make some rounds on social media and that’s all.
Unlucky sad men. They have to write sad words and pages and books and poems for themselves; as well as for women.
No one’s going to write on him except himself. And that’s how, men become a tragedy. Either for themselves or the entire society surrounding them.
میں بھی بہت عجیب ہوں اتنا عجیب ہوں کہ بس
خود کو تباہ کر لیا اور ملال بھی نہیں
Then comes crime. And punishment. And abusiveness. And suicide. And harm. And chaos. And a death. Of a filthy man.
Ideally, everyone should have a manuscript written by someone else. A manuscript written individually for each person by the opposite gender. A manuscript of sadness.
For instance, His Highness writing Marla’s sadness in his words for her in her scenario. Giving his words a voice of hers. Marla would be happy with this sadness. Isn’t it? No. She may not. She may not like a certain chapter of the manuscript and that’s how it would go in vain.
But then, someone would find that manuscript after years or decades and that discarded piece would become a classic piece of literature. With that same chapter to be considered as a magnum opus.
However, the reality of the two remained sad regardless of the millions that publishing houses are going to make on their suffering. Because they… got nothing.
And perhaps you got nothing as well.
Tragic Miss
Being a man is a tragedy. Either for himself or for the society around him.
Being a woman is also a tragedy.
Being a non-binary is another kind of a tragedy.
In fact, being is a tragedy. To be is a tragedy. Only not-to-be is not a tragedy.
Singles are unhappy.
Doubles are also unhappy.
Triples are happy though, but that’s not a long-term setting. Why did I mention that?
Anyway, married ones are definitely unhappy. Everyone’s unhappy. So, everyone is relatable. Socially.
And with that, nothing. I forgot the eulogy. Sorry, epiphany. I forgot the epiphany I had at Jumma. What a miss!
Mint Margarita
One of the biggest modern day robberies in restaurants is of Mint Margarita. They charge as if they are offering Margaret with the Mint. Prices are like Rs.300 or Rs.400 per glass. Some places offer the same for over Rs.500.
All it has is iced water, mint, 7-Up and lemon. Some may add salt. That’s all. After some sips, there’s only ice hitting your brain more than your thirst. But people are obsessive about this particular drink.
Same goes with the lime water. A little cheaper than Mint Margarita but more or less, it’s nothing but a robbery.
Anyway, one has to drink something. Even water isn’t at regular price when you are inside. But still, it’s water. It is what it is. Like – or unlike – Coke.
Dear consumers! There’s no Margaret with Mint Margarita. It’s just iced mint. Stop being obsessive about it. Her.
The Need of Validation
Most of the times, you know you are wrong. Guilty. But still, you want a person to tell you that you are right, and that person is all right with you. Friends usually cover this aspect of life for you. You tell them your state – with or without missing pieces of information that makes you guilty – and they validate it. If they don’t, they don’t stay your friend eventually.
There is a shortage of friends today. So, therapists and psychologists cover this part. In future, Artificial Intelligence is going to cover this superbly with perfect answers that you always wanted to hear. Particularly, when you were wrong.
Friends can go rogue sometimes. They can be honest and lethal by telling you your wrongdoings, which you know already. But the sessions where you pay to be listened will never tell you that you were wrong. It would be idiotic of them to lose a client. A bird. Coming and paying for validations.
With that comes a whole new industry worth billions of dollars. That is going to be modernized from traditional approaches. From informal friendships to formal sessions to AI.
That’s all for ‘validation’. That’s how important it is for the majority of the people. This need has upped with social media and modern devices.
But then there are the crazy ones. Who doesn’t want validations. Even when they are wrong. Some even seek invalidations. Or they are indifferent. And they carry their boats, a little better than others, and keep a low pace towards life. And sometimes, they make an impact too.
Sidrah-tul-Muntaha
Through ups and downs
Further down to pits
From highs and lows
Lower to the lowest
From the misery of existence
From the old-world order to the new
From sultanates to McDonaldization
The questions are same
The issues are same
The pains are same
The love is same
The departure is same
The idea of being is same
From shaking hand at hello to not letting it go at bye
With a fear in heart and a little shivering in spine
From the curls of a cigarette to dismissal after the last puff
Like a whole life of a tooth, from birth to decay
The journey is same
The travelers are insane
Some, an inch taller
Some, an inch shorter
That doesn’t matter in holding hands
A little awkwardness before an invention
A little tension before the new rise
Yet, no body to stop because it’s the time of a new idea
A new beginning
Like the first kiss, a dry one
In a humid weather to give way to a spring
To another journey of the same life
To another decade beyond the early decades of freedom
Towards the unknown, from the unknown
To the destination inside the womb of the grave
Coffins are same
Death is same
Beyond death is the unknown
Unknown is same
Who cares beyond death? Beyond unknown?
Perhaps we all do
In this journey
From known to the unknown
Towards a single destination
The ultimate dream of the promised land
Sidrah-tul-Muntaha
And beyond that is nothing
Lists
In the last scene of ‘The Trial of Chicago 7’, Hayden takes out a document in the court and begins reading the names of the 4, 752 U.S. troops killed in the Vietnam War since the beginning of that trial, in front of the Judge. That was outrageous because the Judge asked him to be brief.
Hayden did that because each name was not just a name but a whole life. A person. A person who lost life for nothing.
Each name was equal. Regardless of political affiliation, religion, race, creed, caste, color, or whatever.
The same should be the voice here in Pakistan.
Each and every missing person should be equally known. Whereabouts of everyone should be traced. Trials should be public. And nothing should be against the constitution.
I know. I know.
Some we may not know.
Some we don’t agree with.
Some we despise for their opinions.
Some were supporting exactly what they are going through now.
But some were asking for basic rights.
Some just said a few words.
Some were just taken out for nothing.
And some were nothing more than a collateral damage.
Deviation: tagging a human life as ‘collateral damage’ should be the 1st sin of all the deadly sins.
Nonetheless, in the end, they are all victims. They have been deprived and robbed. So, they should be remembered and should be voiced with equality.
Debates can take place again when they are out. You can still disagree with those you want to.
We can’t bring back those who are already dead or killed. Those who lost everything. Buried or not. Unidentified graves. Mutilated or not. We can’t compensate their families.
But names of all killed and buried in that line must also be known. There should be two lists.
A whole lot never accepted that this actually happens. They didn’t see. They didn’t hear. Hence, they didn’t speak. Now that time is long gone. Everyone knows that this happens.
So, remember all. Each and everyone. And speak without discrimination and hypocrisy. Particularly for those you despise or disagree with. This will help to evolve.
Off Spin
Every summer, I imagined tilting the earth. Like spinning the earth a little – like you off spin in cricket – shifting the southern countries more towards the equator. Resulting in north and south poles – both – moving closer towards the line of equator.
A little more into this and there will be heavenly weathers here. Longer summers in Scandinavia and Europe – imagine beaches of those races, jeez – and people here suiting themselves more into abayas.
The tragedy of insanely hairy people in hotter countries would also be over with this off spin. For heavens! All genders have moustaches here. Duh!
Then I imagine a little more… but comes back to the basics. What is stopping the earth from a little off spin? No one. I’m not.
This was supposed to be the plot of my book. With a little off spin, the whole dystopia was transformed into utopia. It was going to be His Highness’s 2084 after Orwell’s 1984.
But then, who would like to waste words over a herd?
And what if the earth is going to have a little off spin someday; without a plot and a book?
Windmill of Martyrs
If you take over the entire industry of martyrdom; no one can beat you. Just have a monopoly in this specific industry and you will become indispensable.
Those you declare martyrs, are martyrs.
Those you failed defending, are martyrs.
Those dead in collateral damage, are martyrs.
School kids, martyrs.
Customers, martyrs.
Teachers, martyrs.
Blunders, martyrs.
Business, martyrs.
Just make a windmill of martyrs. Make martyrs. Sell martyrs. Advertise martyrs. Make an entrance of ‘Welcome to Windmill of Martyrs’. Don’t shy away.
Make it a brand. Sind songs. Make movies. Emotionalize it. Hype it. Make it an obligation. Even for those who don’t oblige.
And then, the whole estate shall be truly yours.
Evidences Required in Pakistan
Rape: Four witnesses. Or a video in good print. DNA test is a big no.
Forced Conversion: A video message at gun point will dismiss the case instantly.
Murder: First of all, a dead body. Then it depends on the murderer. 444 can’t convict. 1 can.
Treason: A tweet would be enough.
Blasphemy: A blame would be perfectly enough.
Abduction: Can’t be proved until the abducted person comes forward himself. But then, he isn’t abducted.
Honor killing: A dead body. Followed by a long trial to freedom for all. After all, it’s a family matter.
Harassment: Ah! Tricky slope of sin. It happens. And it never happens. No evidence is enough. Yet, a blame is enough.
Drugs: No urine test. No blood tests. Nothing for evidence. Depends on who is not in power.
Fraud: Cannot be proved. Banks don’t know who transferred the money to whom and where.
Theft: Clear CCTV footage where the burglar shows his CNIC. Otherwise, a future encounter will close the case.
Virginity: Two finger-test. But it can escalate. In case.
Civil rights: A mutilated dead body would be needed.
Mass Murders: More than one mutilated dead bodies would be needed.
State Violence: Instantly proved. Instantly dismissed. Instant transfers. Instantly forgotten.
Corruption: A jigsaw puzzle where rules and laws are presented but then there are countering rules and laws. Can never be proved. Bureaucracy on both sides.
Civil disobedience: To be a civilian is an enough proof.
The Mazaris
Who needs son(s) when they have a daughter like Imaan Mazari? But then, there are some who have neither.
When the kids were fleeing the country, she returned from abroad to step into the wild arena. After all, gladiators live, fight, and even perish in the arena.
How many differences does she has with her mother, Shireen Mazari?
How many times have the spectators enjoyed their rare tussles on Twitter?
How many colors were given to the video clip when she snubbed her mother with a “don’t” after coming out of the court yesterday?
So? You just don’t know democracy. Not at home. Not beyond.
Yesterday noon, she managed to get bail for her mother. She was apprehended again by the police at night. When she couldn’t convince the forces, she said to her mother, “Amma! I love you and I’m gonna get you out”. Went inside. And broke down. Understandably.
So, why did she return to Pakistan? For this? Some missing people? Naru? Their relatives? Social justice? Civil supremacy? And her dissenting mother?
So, why not?
People often abandon their old folks without dissent. As Mohsin Hamid once wrote, ” For when we migrate, we murder from our lives those we leave behind.”
The majority that goes out never comes back They fulfill their family duties through WhatsApp. Sometimes, funerals too.
Tweeting and talking on social media for civil rights from abroad is far easier than doing the same while breathing here.
I remember another “I’m gonna get you” from another lawyer in the movie “And Justice for All” of Al-Pacino. And he did get what he wanted.
I hope the Mazaris will find peace soon under this perpetual uncivil rule.