The phrase "déjà vu" is borrowed from French and means "already seen". Déjà vu occurs when someone perceives they have already experienced a situation before, and their body experiences familiarity with the experience and confusion. This term was first used by Émile Boirac in the year 1876. Around 60% to 70% of people in good health experience some form of déjà vu during their lifetime. A familiar sight or sound can trigger the feeling. On the other hand, The Hindi word “Karma” is being used in English for Makafat-e-Amal. It means you get back (punishment or prize) for what you do in your life. Makafat e Amal is an Urdu word which simply means Karma (as you sow, so shall you reap).
If the 77 years long history of Pakistan is divided into seven segments and every segment is subjected to analytical bird’s eye view; the political, economic and security situation during or after every decade give us a feeling of Déjà Vu. However, at least for the senior citizens, this recurrence of multiple crises in Pakistan, is more like a Karma/ Makafat-e-Amal. Not learning from the past is the main reason for this repeated phenomenon though; yet, letting the tail (the ruling elite) to wag the dog (masses) and conforming to the phony colonial practices with enslaved minds and souls are the other prime reasons for perpetual predicaments. Besides, not undertaking inevitable and long delayed political, economic, agriculture, industrial, education and judicial reforms remain Pakistan’s Achilles’ heel. Since the average mind will only promote average minds and the corrupt will only sponsor corruption; consequently, the Pakistani society is persistently suffering from decay and the State remains afflicted with nepotism, corruption and incompetence and seems determined to hit the bottom of Mariana Trench. Sinking under the weight of internal and external debts but still resorting to unremitting borrowing to keep the extravagance of the ruling elite intact has imperiled the hoi polloi to orchestrated asphyxia. The successive governments in Pakistan have done little or nothing at all to improve the national character and competence through high standard of skilful education to all and sundry. The political machination that started in the name of nationalisation in the backdrop of 1971 debacle, gave rise to political recruitments, nepotism, incompetence and widespread corruption; hence, presently all the national institutions stand crippled as a Karma i.e. what goes around comes around.
For the younger generation however, it may just be Déjà vu/ “already seen” confusing feelings. Nevertheless, the hopelessness and frustration among the 65% young population of Pakistan is already on display as emotional pressure-cookers are frequently being seen bursting all over the country. Those who can afford are pursuing exodus while others are finding it hard to afford even one meal a day and payoff unbearable utility bills. Most factories and industrial units are closing and the country is experiencing terrible inflation, unemployment, and the worst economic situation despite being resource rich in every sense. Fitch Business Monitor International has raised concerns that Pakistan’s current political turmoil could disrupt the country’s economic stability, and incumbent fragile coalition government may prove a house of cards in the next one-and-a-half years amid economic uncertainties; what a deplorable state. The lack of strategic foresight, political sagacity/ reconciliation, and self-destructive reliance on domestic and foreign borrowing has virtually made Pakistan the worst example for wilfully falling prey to the long embedded Economic Hit-men. Obviously, it is for the pleasure of a few thousand members of the “comfort cult” but at the cost of ruining the present and future of more than 240 million ordinary people. That shall suffice as a pointer to the current politico-economic chaos.
On the security front, with years of combat experience on the Eastern (LoC/Northern Areas) as well as on the Western Frontiers of Pakistan (former FATA/Balochistan); besides, unique participation in anti-dacoit operations in riverine / forested areas of Sindh province and serving around the Southern part i.e. Tharparkar Desert (Chor/Khokhrapar) during my service in uniform from 1982 to 2014; and seeing the internal security situation going from bad to worse, I have no hesitation in confessing that as a veteran, I painfully endure experiences of Déjà vu as well as pangs of Karma. I can vividly recall the proud memories of Pakistan Army and people of Lahore blunting Indian wishful offensive to capture Lahore and PAF shooting down IAF aircrafts over Lahore during 1965-War. My next memory is that of PAF aircraft flying back low over my residence on the evening of 3rd December 1971 after skillfully destroying Amritsar/ Farid Kot forward air bases' radars of India; the sound barrier made me fall on the rooftop of my house located in Gulberg close to Lahore Walton Flying Club. And next morning, on 4th December 1971, while I along with my elder brother Liaqat Ali Butt (a kite flying Maestro) were enjoying our best pastime activity on the roof top, suddenly IAF bombers appeared out of nowhere and started strafing the Walton airfield and civil houses located close to it. Our neighbourhood lost a few lives with many injured. Thereafter, unaware of the bigger security picture, maintaining a night vigil along with other high spirited young boys with batons and small boy-scout knives, waiting anxiously for the Indian commandos to land and get ambushed by us remained our self-assigned security duty. It continued till the most tragic announcement of the breakup of Pakistan on 16th December 1971, when the whole of West Pakistan wept, barring perhaps those who were the perpetrators of that shocking tragedy. That stays as the worst memory, which continues to haunt and give sleepless nights even now.
However, what made 1965 War look like a victory and what helped the remaining state of Pakistan endure the greatest tragedy of its history, was the public support to the Armed Forces and the resilience of the people to survive with pride in the face of much stronger foe and complex challenges. Unfortunately, that is what I see diminishing with every passing day in utter despondency; the earlier it gets addressed effectively by respecting the public mandate, the constitution and the laws, the better for the national stability and survival. The purported compulsions, neglectfully missing the bigger picture and lack of strategic foresight notwithstanding, the two most fateful decisions to support America against the former USSR in 1979 and then against projected threats of AQ in Afghanistan in 2001, has kept the Armed Forces of Pakistan embroiled on the internal fronts and the country in a vortex. Thanks to the Nuclear Deterrence kept intact despite all odds and supreme sacrifices rendered by the Armed Forces and the great endurance by the most resilient people, Pakistan has been muddling through. Leaving the politics, economy, Justice and other national affairs to the legislature, technocrats and Judiciary; the earliest Pakistan Armed forces and national intelligence agencies focus exclusively on stabilising the internal security situation with full support and participation of people of Pakistan, then hand it back to the Civil Armed Forces; and finally refocus on the prime responsibility of defending the country against ever evolving full spectrum threats posed by the 5th Generation Warfare, the better for the country as well as for the defence institutions. That shall Insha’Allah help to resolve the tangle of Déjà vu as well as Karma on a positive note. Pakistan Zindabad!🇵🇰🤲
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