We experienced extreme weather patterns in May which is unprecedented, even until 2 days ago.
We hardly had a winter and it was warming up already in February. Spring rains were delayed and, instead we have had days with high speed winds knocking down trees, hail and lashings of rain. There are severe water shortages. There is hardly any national outrage and concern expressed by the same elite and civilian war mongers on what these extreme weather days actually signify.
In the 4-day war, everyone was pumped but it's back to business now. The climate catastrophe, unbearable heat waves, urban flooding because of lack of maintenance and planning, river flooding because of mismanagement of rivers, water table shrinking, etc. None of this seems to bother the same folks who were defending the war, jingoism, seemed to suddenly have developed a political awareness of Hindutva and, defended Pakistani Army.
This temporary heightened political consciousness shaped really by social media trolls and, deranged Indian media has suddenly evaporated. For a moment, Pakistanis seem to think we are more self righteous since we are defending ourselves against a "regional bully."
One must ask progressives, if India is a big bully, how exactly do they see Pakistan within South Asia? A Buddhist monk studying in a remote monastery?
Everyone was touting this line, including progressives, including Leftists. We had a lot to say: that we are also affected by terrorism so, somehow Indians must have sympathy for us, too. And, we have no choice but to defend ourselves.
The support or passionate idea we must defend ourselves, forgetting the war with the Army, and then support for the Army, praising their prowess, their Chinese jets, was a bizarre moment.
War is important , necessary , for liberation , for throwing off the colonial yoke. But wars which don't serve an anti-imperial purpose are impossible to justify.
So, now this temporary heightened political consciousness is gone. The elite and civilian war mongers are silent and, going on about their lives, probably planning spending sprees for the Bakra Eid. As for progressives and Leftists, they (I would like to include myself) go back to critique of the canals, what's happening in KP, Balochistan, etc. (Is there any confirmation/explanation/information on this drone attack? There was at least one last year, too. )
In peacetime, we don't really have much of a push towards "peace" and, calling for permanent measures to lead us to permanent peace.
I suppose it's the condition of these post colonial states, forged out of European empires.
So, let's go back to Climate Change and, absence of rage. Sindh and South Punjab has been demonstrating against the canals on Indus and, these protests encapsulate everything that Climate Change /anti-Mega-Project protests are about: environmental destruction, destruction of livelihoods and ways of life, cultural desolation, and, destruction of indigenous way of life that is intrinsically tied to the land and rivers and forests.
But the same celebrities, the same elite, the same seemingly apolitical well to do upper middle class, goes back to a status quo. The same status quo means :
There is no consciousness , discussions around the extreme weather patterns.
There is no introspection after what was a very a dangerous military confrontation.
There aren't any questions for accountability from our state.
