In addition to daily rise in prices and load shedding, unannounced inflation has taken its toll and all these crises together have made it more difficult for common man to maintain his body and soul. Not impossible to forget. The economic situation of country has not been enviable in past year. And indiscriminate load shedding of electricity, gas and petroleum not only shut down hundreds of factories, but also brought thousands of homeless people to streets in different cities.

Rest situation is cursed by encroachments throughout country. People are homeless, jobless, and those who earned handsomely are compelled to beg or cutting their coats according to their feet.  At large, demolition in country has wasted lives of many people. People with lots of hopes and enthusiasm are now faded their choices, left their dreams somewhere behind doors. Dilemma is of survival! There is hardship in survival. People were desperate in past to build their empires but! They remained same! And this would not be wrong to say they are below line.

To pen down my thoughts for coming year, I came across with my dreams-with our dreams. Dreams of green Pakistan, our beloved country. Of course, people perceive dreams. We dreamt whole year for commencement of coming year. On last night of year, we dreamt of beautiful colours, shiny morning, brightening future and then put all dreams in a bag, hanged bag on wall and slept again.

Whenever New Year came, our longings remained thirsty. We also saw earth above sky, growth did not decrease. Only preview was horizon-to-horizon pass and emptiness. There was no word for compassion in our dictionary! No new year has changed our lives. The same streets full of garbage. Our towns are still shrouded in dark dust. Our roads, streets even today. They are full of dung and lead.

Same smelly drains on both sides of streets! In same row of buckets, pots, pans, jugs near committee tap! The same house with one and two rooms, same one lamp, same house in darkness of load shedding, wood waiting for gas connection. The same societal pressure, same beggars on street, same politicians yelling for their votes and vowing for betterment. The same teary eyes that blow!

No new year has given our children a car to drop them to school and a punch for lunch. The same bags that are carried on shoulders, same children who walk miles and sit on roofs of buses, the same schools with the same roofs and walls, the same floor and houses to sit on yes but a difference in inclined fees and dearness attacked syllabus.

We imitate good, not bad. Two thousand times New Year came. We are standing where? Our curriculum is same, our customs are same. Illiteracy and poverty still haunt us today. The same master who teaches five classes at same time who also runs shops and post offices! The same intelligent and capable girls who sit at home after passing eight and ten classes, for whom there is no school, no college, no university! No new year has brought a merit system for our educated children. The same innocent hands making photocopies of degrees and writing petitions, running after public representatives, looking for recommendations, the same helpless father! In the same long queue in front of offices and officers, in the same jars and in the same drawers of ministers full of shit! The same useless lists of successful candidates and the same “recommendations” of the lucky ones who got appointed! The same unemployed, helpless young man who became a bandit!

Every new bunch indulges. No new year has brought us real democracy. People (supporters) were workers and remained workers. By spreading sheets in auditoriums, making tags, putting up flags, installing heaters and people grew older but leadership remained in families. No worker could even equate with any politician. People stood outside palace with empty pockets and empty hands for tickets, which were full of food and beads. No new year has freed us from exploitation of religion and politics. Demonstrating need to keep up pressure on political parties could pave way for some positive change in New Year.

Can a new year make our dreams come true? Will there be something positive? Will hope for survival persist? Will there be shining and brightening mornings? The answers are unknown and unknown till all dreams come true.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 03 2023

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