The phrase “déjà vu” is borrowed from French and means “already seen”. Déjà vu occurs when someone perceives they have already experienced a situation before, and their body experiences familiarity with the experience and confusion. This term was first used by Émile Boirac in the year 1876. Around 60% to 70% of people in good health experience some form of déjà vu during their lifetime. A familiar sight or sound can trigger the feeling. On the other hand, The Hindi word “Karma” is being used in English for Makafat-e-Amal. It means you get back (punishment or prize) for what you do in your life. Makafat e Amal is an Urdu word that simply means Karma (as you sow, so shall you reap).

If the 77-year-long history of Pakistan is divided into seven segments and every segment is subjected to an analytical bird’s eye view; the political, economic, and security situation during or after every decade gives us a feeling of Déjà Vu. However, at least for the senior citizens, this recurrence of multiple crises in Pakistan is more like a Karma/ Makafat-e-Amal. Not learning from the past is the main reason for this repeated phenomenon though; yet, letting the tail (the ruling elite) wag the dog (masses) and conforming to the phony colonial practices with enslaved minds and souls are the other prime reasons for perpetual predicaments. Besides, not undertaking inevitable and long-delayed political, economic, agricultural, industrial, education and judicial reforms remains Pakistan’s Achilles’ heel. Since the average mind will only promote average minds and the corrupt will only sponsor corruption; consequently, Pakistani society is persistently suffering from decay and the State remains afflicted with nepotism, corruption, and incompetence and seems determined to hit the bottom of Mariana Trench. Sinking under the weight of internal and external debts but still resorting to unremitting borrowing to keep the extravagance of the ruling elite intact has imperiled the hoi polloi to orchestrated asphyxia. The successive governments in Pakistan have done little or nothing at all to improve the national character and competence through a high standard of skillful education for all and sundry. The political machination that started in the name of nationalisation in the backdrop of the 1971 debacle, gave rise to political recruitments, nepotism, incompetence, and widespread corruption; hence, presently all the national institutions stand crippled as a Karma i.e. what goes around comes around.

For the younger generation, however, it may just be Déjà vu/ “already seen” confusing feelings. Nevertheless, the hopelessness and frustration among the 65% young population of Pakistan is already on display as emotional pressure cookers are frequently being seen bursting all over the country. Those who can afford are pursuing exodus while others are finding it hard to afford even one meal a day and payoff unbearable utility bills. Most factories and industrial units are closing and the country is experiencing terrible inflation, unemployment, and the worst economic situation despite being resource-rich in every sense. Fitch Business Monitor International has raised concerns that Pakistan’s current political turmoil could disrupt the country’s economic stability, and the incumbent fragile coalition government may prove a house of cards in the next one-and-a-half years amid economic uncertainties; what a deplorable state. The lack of strategic foresight, political sagacity/ reconciliation, and self-destructive reliance on domestic and foreign borrowing has virtually made Pakistan the worst example for wilfully falling prey to the embedded Economic Hit-men. Obviously, it is for the pleasure of a few thousand members of the “comfort cult” but at the cost of ruining the present and future of more than 240 million ordinary people.

For most Pakistani senior citizens, seeing the internal security situation going from bad to worse due to multi-directional and multi-faceted threats posed by Pakistan’s foes, one is compelled to painfully endure experiences of both Déjà vu and pangs of Karma. I can vividly recall the proud memories of the Pakistan Army and the people of Lahore blunting Indian wishful offensive to capture Lahore and PAF shooting down IAF aircraft over Lahore during the 1965 War. My next memory is that of PAF aircraft flying back on the evening of 3rd December 1971 after destroying Indian radars at Amritsar/ Farid Kot and the next morning, IAF bombers strafing the Walton airfield. Thereafter, unaware of the bigger security picture, maintaining a night vigil along with other high-spirited young boys remained our self-assigned security duty. It continued till the most tragic announcement of the breakup of Pakistan on 16th December 1971, when the whole of West Pakistan wept.

However, what made the 1965 War look like a victory and what helped the remaining state of Pakistan endure the greatest tragedy of its history, was the public support for the Armed Forces and the resilience of the people to proudly survive in the face of much stronger foes and complex challenges. Unfortunately, that has contracted due to a host of reasons; the earlier it gets addressed effectively by nipping the evil in the bud, hitting enemies of Pakistan in their dens and breeding grounds with all available means, restoring public confidence in the institutions and the constitution/ laws, the better for the national stability. Thanks to the Nuclear Deterrence kept intact despite all odds and supreme sacrifices rendered by the people, Armed Forces, and the great endurance of the most resilient public, Pakistan has successfully stayed afloat. Leaving the politics, economy, Justice, and other national affairs to the legislature, technocrats, and Judiciary; it is imperative that Pakistan’s Armed forces and national intelligence agencies focus exclusively on stabilising the internal security situation with the full support of the people of Pakistan, then hand it back to the Civil Armed Forces as a top priority; and finally refocus on the prime responsibility of defending the country against ever-evolving full spectrum threats posed by the 5th Generation Warfare. That shall Insha’Allah help to resolve the tangle of Déjà vu as well as Karma on a positive note. Pakistan Zindabad!

Saleem Qamar Butt
The writer is a retired senior army officer with experience in international relations, military diplomacy and analysis of geo-political and strategic security issues.