Pre-impeachment musings (City Notes)

The unofficial celebrations were something, and toofan-i-badtameezi about describes how we have been taught to celebrate Independence Day. Actually, the celebrations were quite dignified, until Zia got hold of it, and converted it into an occasion for the unrestrained celebration that we have today. For us, Independence Day means freedom. From the traffic rules (though we continue to be ruled by the Army). From all taste (let alone good taste). Now we have grown used to trucks blaring out Indian songs, but when will we grow used to cars doing this? Around the time, I suspect, we get used to young people hanging out of these vehicles, to that Indian film tune. Now I have seen how the hanging is done, to the Indian tune, I realize that the lighting alone is the right idea. But this year there was almost no lighting. Perhaps because of the loadshedding?

Another trend, this time one that Zia could not have predicted, that of face painting, has been used almost universally to mark off the celebrants from the non-celebrants. But a lot of the celebrants (probably the ones whose mothers had told them not to mess with paints) had played around with the national flag making it into a bandana or some other wrapping. Oh yes, there had to be something green about the clothes, even if it was only a light green, preferably the shirt.

It seems that to celebrate Independence Day, one needed to be under 30, have a car and a driver, and be ready to hang out of the car, while blowing a horn normally reserved for sporting events. Or be ready to perform wheelies while on a motorbike. Mature, sober people of middle age and above, had no way of celebrating. And ultimately, of course, this all meant freedom from life. As if this was the goal towards which the celebrants were working. A few true patriots actually achieved this, and the TV dramas should be shown about these super-patriots in coming years. We should remember that only a life given for Pakistan is that of a true patriot. That is a message being promoted by those who want the President not to be impeached.