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April 27, 2003
REVIEWS: This is Khabistan
Despite its innocuous title, Masood Raja’s novel is the grimmest of fairy tales; a scathing satire on the leadership of Pakistan. Set in the imaginary nation of Khabistan the story charts the three-way power tussle between a lady president, an army general and a poor peasant. Cleverly observed and bleakly humorous the author ridicules the promises of political, military and religious leaders and the political climate their disdain for the people of Pakistan has created.
The story starts with the exiled former president of Khabistan living a quiet life in America. Beautiful, proud and intelligent she is of course a satirical portrait of Pakistan’s first female prime minister. In an amusing metafictional device she is aware of the publication of the author’s novel and fears her character and conduct will be scrutinized.
In a series of letters peppering the book she arrogantly makes her case. Her twisted vision allows Raja to hold up to mockery the egotistical politicians who believe their birth or lineage gives them a god-given right to rule. The president believes implicitly it is her destiny to govern, like her father before her, although she has only the vaguest notion about who she is ruling or why. Her focus is power and control, not serving the people. Although she continuously asks herself the question “what do the people want from her”, she is unable to reply, for what they deserve would undermine her power, justice for all.
The machinations of the military are also exposed to the reader’s scorn. The hypocricy of the army’s image as moral crusaders, and the bullying and sycophancy that goes on inside is described by an author who himself served for ten years in the military.
“Yes, saying yes to one’s superiors is the cornerstone of becoming a successful general. Once an officer has become a general he can stop saying yes to a lot of officers except the ones ahead of him.”
Raja’s harshest satire is reserved for these generals “The generals have a special distrust for the very civilians they are trained to protect... they avoid any contact with them, and if they do, strict security measures are taken.” This is of course due to the Pakistani, or in this case Khabistani, generals’ propensity for taking over the country and suspending the constitution.
Raja sarcastically notes, “It was amazing to know that the nation’s great armed forces had lost all major conflicts with their archenemy, but had brilliantly overthrown until then, three stupid democratic governments without spilling a drop of blood.”
The upturned hierarchy of Khabistan, which firmly places the riches of the elite above the welfare of the masses, is cleverly pointed out through the artifice of beginning chapters with entries from the fictitious Encyclopaedia Khabistanica, such as: “Justice: In simple words it is the practice of accepting one’s assigned place in life and showing proper respect to those placed at a higher social status by God”.
As the coup of the lady president approaches in the novel we also hear much of a religious leader, who rather than inspiring spirituality, is more interested in morbidly dwelling on the evils of women, and legitimizing military governments.
Again power and control are the desired ends, although here it is the common people who are manipulated into believing a warped, corpulent demagogue, whose arrogance leads him to believe he is regularly visited by God, “Lately, he had begun calling himself a Doctor of Religion, because God almighty, it was believed, had granted him a doctoral degree of theology in one of his dreams”.
It is only when describing the hope and trust of the people of Khabistan that the satire is set aside. The beauty of the landscape and the potential of the country is contrasted with the trampled masses who live in misery and have no leaders. Raja is careful to eschew the easy answer to the political crises, calling for one, pure, leader. Instead he brilliantly, though sadly, illustrates the principle that no one individual should be given too much power. It is only when the people themselves, take responsibility and control over their own government can the country flourish.
The novel unfortunately suffers from a lack of judicious editing. Some paragraphs fall flat, especially a long tract written in praise of the coffee shop where the book was written. There are also slight inconsistencies in tone, which can grate on the reader. Overall, however, this does not mar the novel’s spark and wit. Printed on request, it is a shame the novel has not been taken up by a publisher who may have been more rigorous and objective when editing the novel.
Once Upon a Country has a sharp humour and a strong message. Raja’s despair and sadness at the political state of the country and the betrayal of Khabistan’s people resonates through his jokes, giving a human heart to the acerbic wit of the satire.
Once Upon a Country
By Masood A. Raja
Trafford, Suite 6E, 2333 Government St., Victoria, B.C. V8T 4P4, Canada
Email:
sales@trafford.com
Website:
www.trafford.com
ISBN 155369626-3
251pp. Price not listed
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