Not so old times…

"The millennials will never know the feel of the ordeals of living in the age of newspapers, PTV and radio. The only credible sources of information were local newspapers and BBC radio service"

From a PTCL phone handset to smartphone, the world has undergone a plenty of changes.

Though I try to infuse the feeling in my mind that I’m not so old, a sea of changes in recent decades lets me feel that I have seen too much.

I was hardly two years old when the Pakistan National Alliance unleashed a political movement against the Bhutto government.

I don’t have any vivid memories of those days.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the prime minister of Pakistan when I was born. He was the ninth prime minister of the country, while Shehbaz Sharif is the 31st prime minister. This means I have seen the rule of 23 prime minister and two martial laws. Since partition, Pakistan has been ruled by 31 prime ministers.

Before my birth, I have heard, a very popular struggle was launched by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto against the dictator rule of Ayub Khan. Before him, a similar move was spearheaded by Fatima Jinnah.

Sorry to say, I missed these events by 10 years.

But no regrets for giving my first shriek on the earth so late, as I have seen too much since my birth.

No grief!

I was in a primary school when the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy marked its footprint in history books.

The millennials will never know the feel of the ordeals of living in the age of newspapers, PTV and radio. The only credible sources of information were local newspapers and BBC radio service.

Information was hard to come by. Facts could not be googled just by a few clicks.

I was in the middle school class when Benazir Bhutto dashed in Lahore to a historic welcome rally and I had not matriculated when the plane of Ziaul Haq crashed. I remember these events.

I remember all the events – political drives, dissolution and restoration of assemblies, elections, and byelections.

So old…

I had started my career after passing a university degree when Gen Musharraf took over. The influx of the television channels looks like the matter of yesterday.

Not so long ago.

It is not the politics which kept on changing during my life. Scientific inventions and discoveries kept our lives thrilled and chilled.

PTCL handset phone was considered a luxury in my childhood and later on, buying a Paktel mobile phone was the dream of every young and old man.

In the coming years, we may see the Tesla cars flying overhead.

During the tumultuous years, the only thing which has not changed its pace and colour in Pakistan is – fight for power.

In all political seasons and matches, parties have kept on preaching and selling the same dream: good times.

Once in power, they forget what they used to say while in opposition.

A journalist friend of mine says that Pakistan has been ruled only by one party, and that party keeps changing its name after every election.

Consider.

When Imran Khan was in government in last year, he would say inflation is an international issue. Shehbaz Sharif and other opposition leaders would laugh off his statement.

Now, Shehbaz Sharif and his coalition colleagues say inflation is an international issue, while Imran Khan blames government’s incompetence for the rising price hike.

In 2021, the opposition was on roads to topple the government of Imran Khan, and now in 2022, Imran Khan wants to oust the government of rivals through road protests.

I can bet in 2023, the same situation will be on. I cannot predict the faces.

What I wish to see in 2023 is the Minute Mirror becoming a popular newspaper among youth. I also want to watch some blockbuster movies hitting the local cinemas. I want to see the people who were around me when I was a kid. Plenty of folks, who were around me, have left Pakistan for other countries. Many of them are in touch with me through social media.

I miss my old days!

Everyone of us misses what is gone!