When will my Pakistan be created?

This is a translation of a column by Munno Bhai published in the daily Pakistani paper Jang on May 25th, 1999, with a circulation of 750,000. Munno Bhai writes regularly for the Marxist fortnightly paper Jeddo Judh (Class Struggle)

(This is a translation of Munnoo Bhai's column published in the daily Jang, from Lahore, on 21st May 99. Jamg is the main bourgeois newspaper in Pakistan with a circulation of 750,000)

The nurses of Services Hospital are being treated in the same manner as has happened with Pakistan and Pakistan's Democracy. During the Pakistan movement (40s) it was said that Pakistan was being created to emancipate the downtrodden and poor Muslims from the exploitation, loot and plunder of Hindu userers and moneyloaners as a seperate country.In this way they would have their own government formed and will live a life of prosperity and their own free will. Similarly during the movement for the restoration of democracy (M.R.D.in 1980s) it was said that the people would have a chance of electing their own representatives. In the same way the nurses of Services hospital Lahore who were being forced to live like sheep and cattle, 10 to 12 in one of the small congested rooms in the old nursing hostel or shabby rooms hired outside the hospital.They were always told that a new hostel for them was being contructed which would be ready in ten years. After waiting for ten long years,when the new nursing hostel has been completed,it has been decided that the ground floor will be allocated to the Lady Doctors and the rest of the floors have been taken over by the administration.The nurses will be allocated only one floor in which they would be cramped as in the past.Same has also happened with Pakistan.This country which was supposedly created in the name of the downtrodden muslims was given in possesion and control of the landlords and capitalists propped up by the British.Its ground floor was occupied by the "Black (Money)Economy" and rest of the floors were occupied by the bureaucracy. And the poor of Pakistan,who used to be the poor people of India, are compelled to breath in the stench of the shanty towns where they have been forcibly stuffed like sheep and cattle.Compelld to drown in the destitution of life below the poverty line.In the past they were plundered by the Hindu usurers and thugs now the muslim crooks and usurers were looting them. Previously their rights were being trampled by Hindu capitalists, now the muslim capitalists and money mongers are depriving them of their earnings and life savings through co-operative scams and other fraudelent schemes.In the past they were being crushed by "others" and now they are being impoverished by "their own".

Lots of years ago when I was newly treading the arena of journalisman elderly person came to me and said'When will my Pakistan be created? I was astonished that why this elderly man is asking me this question.The person told me that his elder daughter was kidnapped during partition forced migration (from India to Pakistan in India in1947),and day before yesterday my younger daughter was kidnapped here in Pakistan.The man said "What difference does it make for me whether my elder daughter was kidnapped by the Hindus and Sikhs and my younger daughter was kidnapped by the Muslims? Tell me where is my Pakistan?When will it come into being?" That elderly man would have passed away by now, but in his place I am thinking, and with me are thinking those millions who have descended and forced to migrate below the poverty line. Those who have been deprived of the the basic human needs and fundamental rights. Those suject to brutal exploitation. These teeming millions are thinking and asking,"When will our Pakistan come into being?" So are the nurses of the Services Hospital Lahore asking when will their hostel come into being?

MUNNOO BHAI
Lahore(Pakistan)
May 1999

Munno Bhai writes regularly for the Marxist fortnightly paper Jeddo Judh (Class Struggle)