PAKISTAN IN WONDERLAND

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/02/16/pakistan-in-wonderland/

Affairs in Pakistan are losing coherence and taking on an increasing resemblance to scenes from Alice in Wonderland where the (Mad) Hatter makes frequent appearances. When Alice arrives at the tea party the Hatter is all over the place at the table. He makes short, impertinent remarks, asks unanswerable riddles and recites nonsensical poetry, all of which eventually drives Alice away. In one of the chapters the Hatter asks that much-noted riddle “why is a raven like a writing desk?” When Alice gives up trying to figure out why, the Hatter admits “I haven’t the slightest idea!” which sounds a bit like the economic situation in this country when even those in charge have not the slightest idea how to fix it.

In fact who has the slightest idea about many things today, such as how the new rules pertaining to the regulation of the social media will work, or even if they can work, not to mention why they have been put in place to start with? These rules have been okayed by the Federal Cabinet, following which they ‘require no fresh legislation’. This is possible thanks to the Pakistan Telecommunication (re-organisation) Act, 1996 and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, which says that:

‘Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, an offence under this Act or any other law shall not be denied legal recognition and enforcement for the sole reason of such an offence being committed in relation to or through the use of an information system.”

Under these new regulation rules, social media organisations must open offices in Islamabad and must disclose data or information when sought. This is nothing but more of that ever-increasing thing: censorship, because data regarding everyone who criticizes the establishment must now be made available to the relevant authorities who will then take action.

It is one of the many things that the powers that be still need to understand that the media genie can no longer be pushed back into the bottle. The electronic media is here to stay, and the more it is meddled with, the more it kicks back. The solution is to use media to win over the restless, thinking segments of society, which means to help this technology to enable rather than hinder our youth and journalists. Radicalism among the young is growing in today’s world and journalists will always find a way to be heard. Pushing back by means of social media is taken very personally and increases the problem.

And then again: as per the new regulations in Pakistan, social media organisations must now ‘take due cognizance of the religious, cultural, ethnic and national security sensitivities of Pakistan.’

Say what? The religious, cultural, ethnic and national security sensitivities of Pakistan are what, exactly? At a cursory glance it appears to be right in keeping with our religious sensitivities to persecute minorities and to allow the children of minorities to be kidnapped, forcefully converted and married when under age. It also appears to be in keeping with our national security sensitivities to declare those who criticize the establishment to be terrorists. So now what?

What makes the authorities so sure that they will succeed in pushing around organisations like Facebook, Twitter and many others. Do they think they can succeed in procuring what is supposed to be private data and information from these organisations who are subject to their own confidentiality agreements with their clients? You have to possess a measure of credibility to force giant organisations to buckle under. And if they do not fall in line with the demands of this Pakistani regulation, what happens next? Does anyone for a moment imagine that Facebook, Whatsapp or Twitter will shut down in Pakistan? Because these new regulations say that ‘if a company fails to abide by the provision of these rules, the national coordinator may issue instructions for blocking of the entire online system, social media application or services owned or managed or run by the company.’

These are platforms which are being used abundantly not just by the spoilt elite of this country and their even more spoilt progeny, but also by the poor man. Their absence will create a dangerous void. Also then, where will our officials post their drivel on if not on Twitter in their zeal to mirror whatever idiotic trend is set elsewhere? Where will they say:

“I have issued instructions to our Foreign Office and Overseas Ministry to do everything possible for our students who are stuck in Wuhan city.”

Really? And our Foreign Office and Overseas Ministry need to be told to do their job, why? Without these ‘instructions’ would they be sitting on their behinds twiddling their thumbs?

And again:

“I understand the difficulties ordinary people including the salaried classes are confronting and have decided, come what may, my government will be announcing various measures that will be taken to reduce the prices of basic food items for the common man on Tuesday.”

To which the Mad Hatter had this to say: “Everyone wants some magical solution for their problem,” and also that “sometimes I’ve believed in six impossible things before breakfast.”

These new regulations possess neither sar na paer (neither head nor feet) which again fits neatly into Wonderland where the Cheshire cat disappears gradually until at one point, until nothing is left but its grin, prompting Alice to remark that “she has often seen a cat without a grin but never a grin without a cat”. Apt.