Pakistan seems to be sliding down the slope amidst a rising crescendo of innuendos and do-nothings. Fast reaching a stage of total exhaustion and impossibility of retrieval, there is not even an inkling of realisation that things may be sneaking out of control which could imperil the survival of the state.

The assault on the Jaffar Express is a stark reminder of the dangers which continue to lurk. While condemning the deadly incident in the strongest possible terms, we should not forget to treat this as a reminder of our failings and steps which could have been taken to avert the crisis.

We are living through critical times. It is time for introspection, initiating a dialogue and generating unity and harmony. It is time for tough decisions and chiselling a path to forging peace among discordant voices. It is time to pull the rebellious streaks into the mainstream, healing their alienation and giving them the trust of relevance.

Is there anyone among the ruling echelons who understands what this is about and why such grievous incidents are happening with alarming frequency? Be it a moving train hijacked with countless passengers taken hostage, or even a single soldier martyred — the gravity of a terrorist incident does not have shades, and we should not try to paint them either.

A terrorist incident is a heinous crime deserving to be combated with the full might of the state, but its disastrous and debilitating consequences — both in human toll and the impact it leaves on the state of the nation’s health — should also not be overlooked.

While fighting the perpetrators of a terrorist incident is incumbent on the state authorities, what is even more important is to root out its causes. This will not happen by pointing a finger outward at political adversaries, but inward at evaluating the policies which are causing polarisation among people, forcing some to take to the brutality of the gun in preference to the strength of the spoken word. 

This calls for taking all stakeholders on board. This calls for generating cohesion among them beyond the realm of political differences. Above all, this calls for striking a note of conciliation beyond orchestrating self-serving rhetoric.

Tragic it may be, but the national landscape hardly affords any space for sane voices which have long been banished. They are looked upon as aberrations humming an outdated tune. The times, it seems, are dictated by those who — devoid of legitimacy — use the brutal state apparatus to quell the opposition, completely unmindful of further divisions this disastrous approach may perpetuate.

Wave after wave of actions reflect the singularity of intent to subdue a single political adversary. Not having worked in the past, this flawed and myopic mechanism is not likely to make an impact in the future either. What is required is a drastic change of mindset to redefine the approach and implements which would be needed to bring people together.

It is a chastening moment. I am reminded of Quaid’s words on that fateful day of August 11, 1947, when he elaborated what kind of Pakistan he was envisioning. 

His words still resonate with the full might of their meaning and relevance preaching equality and homogeneity among people of all ranks: “If you change your past and work together in a spirit that every one of you, no matter to what community he belongs, no matter what relations he had with you in the past, no matter what is his colour, caste, or creed, is first, second, and last a citizen of this state with equal rights, privileges, and obligations, there will be no end to the progress you will make”.

Inequity and inequality among people are the root causes that spell distrust and division. That, unfortunately, is what the country has suffered with singular monotony. This is principally reflected by the division that separates the privileged elites from the ordinary mortals, the plebeians who suffer the ravages both of time and rulers.

A concerted effort has never been initiated to bridge these divisions and lay the foundations of a state based on the Quaid’s ideals of equality among all. 

A contrarian perception has taken root that the downtrodden and the underprivileged are mere commodities no one cares about. They are not part of the mechanism that drives the governmental apparatus. They are mere onlookers who stand by the wayside, forever afraid that the wheels of the state will crush them.

The hijacking of a train and taking of hostages is no ordinary calamity. It is monumental in its undertaking as also its impact. It is an assault on the integrity of the state. It is an ambush on the soul of the people. 

It is an affront hurled at the rulers to define the legitimacy of their power and get things in motion so this criminal charge can be halted and remedial measures initiated for a sustainable solution to an ever-intensifying syndrome of terror.

But this will not happen by declaring people traitors and anti-state elements. It calls for a change of mindset. A policy of integration should replace one of ostracisation. 

A doctrine of espousal should replace one of estrangement and exclusion. Hate and acrimony should not define our future; forbearance and accommodation should. But who is the one with the vision to initiate the process to garner such momentum? There is barrenness that defines our world of thought and action. There is hollow verbosity that swells the environment we live in.

I have witnessed all phases my country has passed through, but never did I expect us to reach this cruelty-stricken detachment that I am witnessing in the current times. 

It is said that Rome burned while Nero played the fiddle. Maybe he did, or he did not, but we are deeply engrossed in playing self-depleting games. There is no sensitivity to the tortuous conditions the country is painfully enduring.

Let’s stop indulging in sickening antics. Let’s stop dubbing patriotic people as traitors. Let’s stop creating conditions to augment hostility and animus. Let’s stop casting doubts about the integrity of others and look inward to evaluate our own conduct. Let’s stop this relentless plunge into chaos.

Let the state not be dictated by the need to keep one person in jail as he is the only one the people trust with a vast cross-section of following to unite them like beads in a rosary. The state must doff its partisan apparel in this Herculean challenge to define our national identity.

Pakistan needs a break. Pakistan needs a healing touch to douse the fire we are burning in.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in this piece are the writer’s own and don’t necessarily reflect Geo.tv’s editorial policy.

The writer is a political and security strategist and the founder of the Regional Peace Institute. He is a former special assistant to former PM Imran Khan and heads the PTI’s policy think-tank. He tweets @RaoofHasan

Originally published in The News