What can be said about the past week or so in Lahore? Sandwiched between an actual bombing (Charing Cross) and an assumed second strike (Defence), what transpired is sadly reflective of the prevailing malaise, plaguing the city and for that matter the country.

A resurgent wave of terrorist attacks has led to the army declaring another operation ‘Raddul Fasaad’. In parallel Rangers have finally been allowed to be deployed in Punjab. They now man the entry and exit points to Lahore at Saggian and Ravi bridges.

What is disturbing about the entire thing is the reactive nature of any countermeasures. If immediately after the first bombing a 100 terrorist could be taken out, the authorities must have some inkling to their whereabouts. Or is that they are stored somewhere to be pulled out of the hat when required.

Until a concerted and comprehensive effort by the civil and military authorities, without any self-serving loopholes, is not fully implemented, the situation will for the foreseeable future persist.

While the military remains enmeshed in engaging the extremist threat the political government has troubles of its own. The Panama scandal looms large over the ‘Lahore Throne’. With the Supreme Court retiring to deliberate on the verdict, some recent comments and linkages by the court do not bode well for the incumbent government.

The reintroduction of earlier cases; concerning Hudaibiya Paper Mills and Raiwind; the distancing of Qatari government concerning earlier evidence submitted; and the court’s final observations on the mostly superfluous evidence presented. While all hold their breath for the verdict, the accumulation of material wealth, corruption and disdain for the law in our political system remains apparent for all to see.

Meanwhile, the YDA, the doctor’s ‘Young Delinquent Association’ continues to cross all boundaries in their continual protests. Talking to a couple of doctors and others associated with health, it is quite true that they have some genuine grievances and these, despite promises by the government, remain largely unmet. Yet, the protest this time leaves one completely bewildered.

This time around it was the arrest of one Dr Butt, for embezzlement of funds and materials at the Services Hospital by the investigating agencies. This led to other activists of YDA to closing down of the emergency ward at the Services Hospital and outpatient departments at seven major hospitals in Lahore. A move condemned widely even by the medical fraternity.

It used to be that the underlying principle of a protest was to establish moral superiority over one’s adversary. Playing with human lives seems to be the exact antithesis of the entire rationale.

In the government’s continued efforts in ‘lightning up our lives’, the recent inauguration of a 4.5 megawatt hydropower electricity generation plant on upper Chenab certainly lit up things. As the water was released within the structure, the entire thing collapsed. The material used for the infrastructure was on the lighter side.

Incidentally, crossing the Chenab the other day the thought of Sohni-Mahiwal suddenly came to mind. With its current state the historical romance would not have culminated in a tragedy. Sohni, could have just casually wandered across with her earthen pot, to meet her lover Mahiwal, with her feet hardly getting wet!

Lahoris also faced bad news on the sports front. With the slated PSL cricket final in Lahore, now under a shadow and the local team Lahore Qalandars, poised on the verge of elimination, there was not much cheer left for local cricket enthusiasts. Of the positive, there is little and far between.

The only highlight seems to be the Lahore Literature Festival which took place over the weekend. Unfortunately once again the venue had to be changed due to security precautions.

Things it seems are on a path of progressive deterioration. Amidst all the strife, even the most optimists of Lahoris appear rather restrained: the usual festive atmosphere of spring quiet subdued.— AM Lahori (AmLahori@gmail.com)

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2017