Positive reflux

Though it is clear that the situation in Pakistan Positive reflux appears to be the classic example of a polity in upheaval with virtually no immediate solution to its problems in sight yet the survival instincts of the country is almost mind-boggling. It is also evident that the advent of social media portals have brought to fore the intense revulsion the common folk entertain about the system they are forced to endure but still they do not rise in serious agitation. It must however not be ignored that the growing frustration of the lower echelons of the society is exerting tremendous pressure on the higher segments of the citizenry to either change their lifestyle or be prepared for a violent backlash from the downtrodden. It is therefore quite obvious that the critical balance between the multiple segments of population under a cogent social understanding is fast becoming untenable to hold with the result that the socio-economic system of Pakistan is in a state of constant turmoil since the quarter of a century. It is quite understandable that living with such devastating contradictions is not possible anymore but the problematic aspect of the current existence in Pakistan is the lack of realisation on part of the people wielding authority that insist to manage the matters as before.
To many discerning minds the worrisome fact is that though the real ruling elite has acquired the passion of ruling and since more than half a century has also attained tools for doing it but it frequently falters as it cannot keep its priorities and national interest aligned and is forced to make way for the motley crowd nominally representing people though they also have no clue about how to manage affairs when they are entrusted the responsibility for them. Amazingly this dichotomy has persisted for decades and even after such a long time, the dominant segment has neither learnt from their experiences nor has developed the willingness to let the appropriate segment to take care of the relevant task. On the other hand the segment claiming to represent people has not developed the spine needed to strongly assert its claim and its weakness has been consistently exploited by the dominant segment. This is precisely the reason that the tug of war has shown no signs to end causing almost the breakdown of the system.
Despite all the travails faced by the people, the main stakeholders, have remained resilient bearing all trials with unexpected sangfroid and remain optimistic in their outlook. Curiously, since decades, forecasts have been made with tremendous regularity about the collapse of the country but it has simply not happened. Pakistan possesses an indescribable reflux that surprisingly is positive in content and never fails to assert its validity. Far from collapsing Pakistan has existed despite serious crises that grip it after every few years and comes out of them unmolested. It is also widely recognised that though Pakistan is involved in many low-intensity conflicts but the prevalence of marked rationality in its decision making apparatus it has not been subjected to a major war that can possibly alter it physically. It is also acknowledged that the country also is facing internal terrorism but the most encouraging aspect is the willingness of the common people to stand up to terrorist intentions and the case of Swat is more than enough to quote in this respect.
Though Pakistan has suffered badly by negative factors but it has not decisively alienated the goodwill of the international community as was borne out by the high level of financial commitments made in Geneva to let Pakistan recover from losses it suffered due to massive flooding. It implies that the international community also believes in the sturdy resilience of the country and is prepared to provide Pakistan with help to come out of its troubles. The international community is also mindful that the Pakistani civilian democratic governance spirit is robust enough to withstand the rigours of arbitrary rule, contest it and then to make it hand over the reins of governance to them. There is hardly any doubt that the western world realises the mistakes it committed by supporting, and later ignoring, arbitrary rule in Pakistan and is now unwilling to accommodate any such adventure in future hence precluding the possibility of its recurrence. The most important factor is that the agents of change are indeed very active and they appear to be yearning for altering the social matrix but only in own way. This is a good omen for the future of the country as any change not commensurate with the genius of a people is never sustainable and is bound to fail. It is always prudent to let it happen in the natural course of things and it should be either hastened or impeded. TW