Dinner with The President

In regards to the movie shown on television a few days back, Sabiha Sumar’s “dinner with the president”, provocative in ways and well researched work, compelled me to write on various points.

The movie in many areas seemed to depict only the minor thoughts and not the mass ideas that the people most obviously seem to have. In a way that the people in the markets of Karachi talking in such favor and support of the president that quite obviously isn’t there. The movie quite literally showed the reality and behind the scene activities which ironically our very proud TV channels, who are at the helm in terms of showing people the reality, somehow fail to show the real reality.

The first thing that bled my heart was the seen coming to the arrival of Benazir Bhutto. Now, there was a part showing the views of people of why they took to the streets to welcome her, when if they were poor could’ve spent their day working. Their reply which even put the host in tears was indeed the one to have pity on. They didn’t go to work and traveled miles to come to the venue to welcome their beloved leader to express happiness on her return as they had established the idea in their minds that she was here, depicting the flight of poverty , home for the homeless, and of course much needed food for the hungry. Such simple small minded thoughts! And drenched to the core with all that is feudalistic. One can only question: when will the people of our country own the true political spirit? When will we stop idealizing personalities and instead start searching for the benefits of national interests? On the same roads people blaming the president for taking away their bread and butter, blaming him for their uncertain future, their lives! How can simply a person take away your food and another person grant it back?

These scenes then take us into the night where the people are anxiously awaiting for her. And then the blasts. What happened? Only Allah almighty knows why.

But as my mind conceives, I know for sure to some extent, a person looking unto somebody other than God to fulfill his desires and grant him felicity and hence a better life, commits kufr. And so there, I daresay, was the consequence.

The scenes then take us to the hosts another meeting with the president where he so rightly expresses his theory for a better life, a life which he hasn’t taken away from anyone nor can anyone else come and grant it to somebody but can be acquired yet wisely. And that is where my theory coincides with his. You can’t go out there, promising people better lives by alleviating poverty, you can however, give them education for that will enable them to then improve their life standards, civility of course comes with it and so does every other conscience, including political, that Pakistan is in desperate need of.

Where the movie reflects the level of understanding of average people in the streets of our country, it does also makes the need of the hour quite clear. We need a better nation, it will only take individuals. We want better conditions for our future generations, we have to get up and work hard for it. For salvation never came from outside, or from inside for this matter, it will only depend on our own awakening!