The scary scenes.

What happened on May 9 would not have been imagined by any patriotic Pakistani or a well-wisher of another country. It was all heart-breaking to see some misguided individuals burning their own house and desecrating monuments of martyrdom with little or no shame! Was it planned, contrived or the outcome of spontaneous outburst is yet to be determined but what has happened is a scar on our collective identity as a nation. This could have been avoided with a few reconciliatory steps taken on time both by the government and the PTI leadership.

But first some hard questions should be asked from those who make and break political order every few years without any constitutionally designated role or public mandate. Why do people rise against the state now and then in different parts of the country? Why would otherwise sane and patriotic people choose to use violent means to be heard? Why do we witness and experience so much intolerance in a country that was supposed to be a model of compassion, place for peaceful coexistence and embodiment of equality?

A person tends to commit suicide when he has no hope left to live with dignity or lose power over his destiny. The May 9 events (which cannot be justified on any ground) should be understood as a form of collective suicide that reflects anger, frustration and utter hopelessness. When laws are trampled under the guise of maintaining order, when fundamental rights are violated to sustain power, and when doors are shut for honest political discussion, expecting peace and stability would not be short of a grand delusion.

Let us have a look at some specifics. There has been a staggering brain drain of professionals over the last one year, economy is teetering on the brink of default with inflation breaking records, industrial production is down by double digits with corresponding rise in unemployment, and the rupee has lost half of its value with little chance of bouncing back in the near future. Investment is moving out more than coming in, thus making the vicious cycle of poverty unbreakable.

To add insult to injury, we have probably the worst government in history which cares more about settling scores with political opponents using all possible means, fair or foul, than to reverse the downward...