From an Apollonian to a Dionysian General
“Transition from an Apollonian to a Dionysian general has proven to be more watershed than that of a Tweedledee-Tweedledum character-reversal”.
Not a day has passed since the Peshawar battue. The deafening hue and cry of infaust mothers still billows the air. In a radical break from its vows, the coryphaeus decides to fold the tents, weasels his way ino the quieter SUV cabin, but, his chorus swamps the vehicle. The gleam of hope in their madid eyes sputters right before them. Amidst all shouts, the quite cabin heads towards the fag end of Dharnaism. And, the plebeians who had gathered at D-Chowk a la Germans in Beer Hall and Egyptians in Tahrir Square are left high-and-dry to frustratingly return homes.
A day that would leave its utmost mark on plebeian minds. From thenceforth, their humdrum lives would recommence with no more enlivening sermons, no more paeans, and surely, no more vows. They would lead the lives of their fathers and their fathers.
Much talk of the PTI decamping, now for a moment freeze that deluge of people into that Square, and, go back a little in time. Hello! We are here in an august House witnessing a historic and peaceful democratic transition being made. Much hopes cling to the newly elected government. And why not? Victorious with clear majority, presumably learnt from the past, incumbents are now expected to fulfill their electoral promises.
Now, vamoose that hall, that Dharna, and join us into the horrid present. Welcome to the realpolitik. Corruption reigns supreme. A culture of impunity continues. Stately-patronized gestapo tactics manifest glaringly in incidents like that of Model Town Carnage. Economy gasps for breath and bad governance remains endemic. Those who voted for whomsoever, stand in despair. But, a lot has changed since you joined us in the present.
Retrospectively, the transition from an Apollonian to a Dionysian general has proven to be more watershed than that of a Tweedledee-Tweedledum character-reversal. There has been a volte-face in a dormantly distempered army role. Moreover, the only impediment to military hegemony has dwindled in the aftereffects of a face-saving and expedient fizzle-out of Dharnaism. Further debilitated by the burlesque of Senate elections, substantively, a kingmaker ‘s recent defeat in the NA-137 is quite symptomatic of what ails the once glorious force. Surrealistically, those few meters down the roof of truck to that quite cabin, the influence of that descent has been palpably figurative.
“A PML(N)-PTI detente has disambiguated and crystallized the conflicting camps ‘claimant to reforms’, from ‘intra-political’ to again towards ‘political and military’ and consequently, democrats’ improvidence to recognize the snare in the sinuous Taliban has reinforced the influence of the Old Guard”
The propitious time incumbent government seized the reins of affairs, Kayanism had ingressed itself as a newfangled army role in national politics, but, an atavistically myopic political attitude has yet again brought a hegemonic holdover back from past. A PML(N)-PTI detente has disambiguated and crystallized the conflicting camps ‘claimant to reforms’, from ‘intra-political’ to again towards ‘political and military’. Also, democrats’ improvidence to recognize the snare in the sinuous Taliban, has reinforced the influence of the Old Guard. Before the Operation Zarb-e-Azb commenced itself as an absolute ‘military necessity’, it had already debunked the political brethren of Taliban. Now, that myopia coupled with ‘casus incogitato’ has narrowed down the democrats’ set of choices. As often ‘in extremis’, bullets dominate the ballet, a blowback of continuing clean-ups is sure to take momentum, so, the democrats’ focus should be the ‘sunset clause’ of the 21st Amendment. While the decks are being cleared, the incumbents must not send a message of inconsensus and inaction. An urban, more discernible warfare coupled with a dwindled PTI is bound to buttress a pro-military, ‘sole-savior’ sentiment . Thus, the only threat to the clean-ups remains from within. Pointedly, neutrality of the initiative must not be disturbed. It has to be across-the-board and most of all, certainly not a throwback to the grisly nineties.
Lastly, any stonewalling or machination by democrats could prove to be a felo-de-se. Not only would it scuttle the operation, but also whip up anti-status-quo sentiment. Rightly so, the current political mire amounts to ‘Terminism’ – whereby the politicians have penance to shrive and the time for salvation is limited. The clock is ticking and the Dionysian general is here to stay.
