Dad Arrested Amid Pakistan Political Turmoil

Hello everyone,

--- Before I get into what I have to say, I must say the dialogue going on in the comments section of my previous post is fairly interesting, and I would like to continue that, however, what happened yesterday deserves space here too. ---

Yesterday afternoon my mom called me and left me a message on my cell phone. "Don't worry Mansur. Everything is all right. Your dad is all right. There is no harm. Just follow the news on tv." I usually don't turn my tv on Fridays, but with this phone message, I was curious and turned on the tv and was glued for the next several hours.

President Musharraf had sacked the Chief Justice of Pakistan, apparently as the papers say because a rival lawyer accused the Chief Justice of getting his own sona job in the police. That's abuse of authority the rival lawyer screamed, and brought the issue to Musharraf, who immediately sacked him.

The Opposition Parties in Pakistan had planned a nationwide protest to bring to light the unfair sacking of the Chief Justice. My dad, being the Punjab director for PTI, had gone with his team for the Friday prayers, when right after the prayers, some people started forming lines and prepared to march forward. The police showed up and arrested some people. My dad and his friends went back inside the mosque to wait for the furore to die down, but the brutality of the police was evident as they raided the mosque and forced everyone out and arrested them. ARY tv also mentioned my dad's name several time in the news bulletin, and that made me realize how big the issue had become.

When my mom called again, she mentioned that my dad was in jail, and that they took away his cell phone and no contact was allowed. My world came crashing down. My own dad in jail? Someone who always stands up for justic and goodness for everyone was sitting in jail. Political developments were changing by the minute. President Musharraf called and apologized to the nation. Punjab police attacked the GEO tv news office and damaged the premises. A bomb threat was made at the Karachi office and everyone was evacuated. Former prime ministers commented on how Musharraf was leading Pakistan into crises after crises.

Naturally, when one's dad is in jail for no good reason, the worse case scenario comes to mind. Pakistani police are not well known for kind treatment to prisoners, but rather known for torturing inmates. I sent out sms-es to my friends for prayers for my dad. I went into prayer myself. Hours later, my sister sms-ed me and told me dad is realesed, thanks to the president of PTI who helped secured his release. An hour later, my dad called me up and I told him how scared I was for his life. He took everything in his stride. "Mansur, when I am going through something like this, for no wrong reason of mine, I am strengthened and more determined to do something for Pakistan." The ever so determined my dad that is! Nothing will stop him from bringing about a good change in the country.

Something is wrong when the President of Pakistan is running the country like a dictator. More and more people are unhappy with him. He is an unconstitutional President and self elected. He is not a democratic leader, and sadly things are going from bad to worse. However, according to my dad who lived through the experience, there is a silent revolution coming along. There is a time for upheavel coming soon. Pakistani politics, as unpredictable as it is, will keep on changing by the day.

As for now, I am thankful my dad is out of prison. For a few hours, I feared for the worst, and for the first time in my life, when I got back on the phone, I managed to talk to my dad openly about my fears and told him that I love him.

Mansur