Back to the Cauldron

Written on Friday 06/06/08
@
Rawalpindi, Punjab - Pakistan

Relaxing for 2 or 3 days doesn't help when you need to get back to work. Eventually, when you do finally manage to pluck up the requisite amount of determination and will-power, a flurry of ideas and 'things to do' bombard your mind. For a single individual working on his own initiative and without clear cut resolutions in sight, it's not a pleasant state of mind to be in.

My predicament necessitates heavy opportunity cost when alloting time to activities that I've deemed imperative. What or who suffers? My family, my health, my wealth (though I don't have much to speak of), my friends and all those mundane or perhaps not so mundane activities that the modern man/woman has become accustomed to. For example, I don't watch TV or read newspapers, hardly ever socialise or engage in recreation. In fact, I could probably count on one hand how many times I've laughed out loud, in these past 3 years.

When I eventually arrive in Rawalpindi, I plunge into the net, my passion and source of hope and solace. I'm almost 5 days behind in my daily blog and there are innumerable other net issues that require my attention.

When in Rawalpindi or Islamabad, my financial predicament and safety concerns dictate that I shouldn't reside at one fixed location. Unfortunately, I burden friends that I've made in my time here, by imposing my presence upon them. Over the years, this has provided me with tremendous insight into the miserable plight of the average Pakistani citizen. I salute their courage for enduring lack of opportunity, scarcity of justice, exorbitant prices of essential goods and environmental holocaust; amongst the many other ills that pervade this society.

While I'm busy typing or clicking as I navigate the web, I'm forced by my hosts to engage in a conversation over the political machinations that dog this country and hold its citizens hostage. The restoration of Judges and the "Long March" planned for the 12th of June from Multan (Southern Punjab) to the Capital, feature prominently in our discussion.

One opinion on which we unanimously agree: There is probably no country in the world that supports the implementation of an independent judiciary in Pakistan. Most countries and large corporations in the world are happy dealing with a political mafia at the expense of the citizens of Pakistan.

THAT MUST CHANGE