Kaka Tea Stall

Reuters photo

By

Muhammad Mushtaq Khan

I have for a long time felt a strong urge to write for my people to educate them regarding true faith as chaos is currently showering my nation like non stop rain. Journalism is not guidance or prophetic work now, it has been changed into business by different mafias and our youth is most vulnerable to this illusion, so in my first column I declare that at the age of 48 I have no bank account. I do not own any property. I do not have any kind of assets except a motorcycle that is registered in my name. I have no source of income so this I declare and in future if I earn or make any assets I will be ready to prove that every penny earned is legal.

The reason for naming my column ‘Kaka Tea Stall’ will be interesting for the young and for the people that lived in particular circumstances. It was the late seventies and Zia had imposed Martial Law in Pakistan. Being so young but so curious about politics I was fond of attending elders’ chat clubs, mostly these chatting sessions were held in fields around a fire in chilly winter or in a corner of a Kaka Tea Stall, an alone tea stall located in the beginning of the Bazaar of our slum locality.

These discussions were usually centered about Bhutto and from these gatherings I learnt about politics, government and heroism. Bhutto was a hero of these uneducated intellectuals. It was fascinating to hear the alluring story of Bhutto, it seemed charming to hear the aristocratic lifestyle nurturing of Bhutto and the stories of his leadership. Zia was the villain of these stories. However, during these conversations these intellectuals remained under constant alertness about the presence of any secret agent around that could report this activity and the police or army could arrest these intellectuals.

Under the influence of these talks, first Bhutto then Benazir and then Nawaz Sharif became my hero but time and practical life helped me to understand things in a broader way. I started learning faith and since have realized that revolution or change is not easy as most of the people we start believing as heros actually later on we find them to be common, sinful, lustful, and full of flaws.

Now in the present era our youth and the common man believe that one can express freely. The majority of the middle class and upper middle class are following the media seriously while no one in the media is available to serve honesty. It’s much easier to identify prejudice in words written or spoken by anchors on TV screens. These anchors prefer to beat around the bush instead of talking/raising real issues. Most of the media is run by different mafias like gold, land, drugs and corruption just to shield and promote their actual businesses.

Despite this the circumstances/ environment are still the same and remain the same in all eras. These news channels or newspapers are the new kind of Kaka Tea Stall where the majority of people come to take a cup of tea or to enjoy smoking cigarettes or watch adult movies, while faithful intellectuals are trying to find a place to sit together to discuss new challenges and new shapes of military rule.

So keeping in view the need of the time I would like to spare my time to educate our youth about real faith and politics. I firmly believe that journalism is prophetic work, it is a much sacred job which can be done by only true faithful souls; it’s not a business or source of earning. We can easily understand the basic difference between prophetic work and today’s journalism; this difference is most important to know.

Prophets used to realize the pain of the poor, they used to raise the voice for weak parts of the society, raised their voice for justice, but they never criticized personalities. Other work was spiritual belief and belief which is most important, it’s a big reason for all the chaos we find around us everywhere currently. My efforts will be for faithful hearts to console them to make them feel good. The present turmoil is the ultimate result of injustice, greed and plundering of the mighty of our societies.

Law and justice was denied by powerful segments of society and now people at large have realized that ”might is right” and is the actual law of the land and that earning money is the real object to live, the number of believers of “might is right” increasing rapidly.

True Muslims have faith that we are living in the time of chaos and misleading and is a time when one after another people will be attracted by religious and political personalities and these personalities will bring destruction for society so it’s really important to avoid being a follower of any personality as saviour or guide; it’s a time to believe that every leader has two faces, two faiths, one for people, one for himself to live. We can praise one or hate one but true faith is the only remedy to get rid of this chaos. Presently we do not have a single leader to lead toward a just society, our military, judicial, religious leadership is corrupt and they are all trying to save this corrupt system in their interest. I want the youth to open their eyes and not get prejudiced and try to learn faith.

We need to change the system not faces and most probably real change needs force too. Either people on the whole stand behind an honest person until they force armed forces to follow that honest person, this is the most difficult way to bring change as people always avoid sacrificing their lives. The second way is that an honest man from the forces takes charge of the forces and can bring real change. In Pakistan I believe that real change can be made possible by an honest faithful man from the armed forces as our people are not educated enough and are easily trapped by political and religious actors. However, I am not talking about usual martial laws that are imposed by the Establishment to safe /protect interests of the status quo.

Real change will show vivid signs to recognize if it is in fact true change or another fraud by the same corrupt mafias. The first step of this change will be ruthless accountability across the board, every corrupt judge, General, bureaucrats, business tycoons, mafia leaders will be punished in a most severe manner. Change will bring true honest educated faithful persons as leaders and people will believe too because these will not be LOTTAS, these will be real people, honest and educated.

Presently our youth is being misguided through media and social media because our preachers are not honest and faithful, our preachers are professional, they are earning money, more and more. Money has been made the currency to live to get everything, to get respect, to get justice. We need this true change at the earliest otherwise very soon total chaos will eat this nation; this will be the horrible ending of this nation.

I will conclude this first column with a message of hope for every faith seeker that it is time to remain peaceful, stay away from every fraud change or campaign as every individual is out to save his or her own character, so do good, promote good, preach good, and keep patient until true change soon gets you In Sha Allah.

Muhammad Mushtaq Khan

I am a simple man doing nothing as sources of legal income are really narrow here in my country Pakistan. I firmly believe destruction brings about fine construction so I wait for total destruction.