'Sit-in' Phenomenon

By: Munir Ahmed Khalili

'The Party is over' or not but, for the time being, the game in Islamabad is over. Fourth 'sit-in' (دهرنا) was really a nightmare for the PMLN's trembling government, already sinking in swamp of its own inefficiency. It ended leaving ugly stains of disgrace for the government. Political opponents of PMLN feel pumped up on how the 'sit-in' brought infamy for the government. Before it could be traced who was the one actually directing the 'play' of the 'sit in' and could be found out ways to tackle the situation it became subject of chiding by the Army Chief. This scolding made more difficult for the government to analyse the 'what, who and why' of the game. Khadim Rizvi, the man leading the protest gathering and forcefully blocking the Faizabad interchange, could not get access to the spot without a heavy buck up. In previous 'sit-ins' by two other political parties, leader of one of them claimed that umpire's 'finger was about to be up'. This time the political crap-shoot appears in religious disguise and umpire's name remained not hidden. Although the  تحفظ ناموس رسول و عقيده ختم نبوت (Protecting the Honor and Finality of the Prophethood) is part of Faith of every sincere Muslim, but Rizvi claimed he was not only the sole protector of this tenet but in future only his certificate in this case would be final for someone's being a Muslim.

It is easy to understand that rather this delicate issue could be taken to proper forums, why Khadim Rizvi made it matter of the streets. It was nothing except political gains through exploiting this immensely sensitive religious issue. He is said to be a شيخ الحديث and religious scholar. But very strangely during all the more than 20 days of 'sit-in' he made his boorishness evident by his open vulgar talks. He seemed to win credulity of his initiates with his arrant gauche. He claimed he stood to reestablish the honor and protect the Holy Prophet's Finality of the Messenger of Allah but to him mercifulness of the Prophet, be peace and blessings upon him, had no importance to follow. Many civil security personals' became subject to brutality of his devotees. Two of them were abducted from the emergency section of one hospital in Rawalpindi while they were on duty and were very cruelly beaten and kept in custody without any medical treatment. When the 'sit-in' was declared over after an ignominious agreement with the government both the police men were left half-dead on the road.

Interior minister, extremely penitent for putting his signatures on the agreement, met such an irritable situation during this crisis that even he could not give details to his party head in party meeting. But he gave some hints that there would have been irremediable consequences if he was not ready for this accord.

Who endowed the huge expenses? Khadim Rizvi himself kept it not in secret. He openly admitted there were some elements funding him generously for the task he was out for. The powers backing the whole 23 days 'act' had done this irrespective of whether the governments is downed or the state is destabilized. The message transmitted out to the world meant 'Pakistan, a nuclear state, is actually the most dangerous country, in hands of a weak government and in grip of the terrorists.'