In a rainy evening of winter, I made my way to Conway hall, London where Aitzaz Ahsan was coming to make a speech about Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Habib jalib and Ustad Damen. Defeating an urge to reside my comfort zone in this chilling winter evening of London, my curiosity dragged me out and I went to witness what is more important for Mr Aitzaz Ahsan than political turmoil of my country, the country where sitting Prime Minister is facing a trial in supreme court and has been indicted for contempt of court.  I wanted to see what was so crucial in this little gathering of people celebrating Faiz and Jalib that Aitzaz Ahsan had to request Supreme Court to delay the hearing for a few days. Pausing the whole nation for days and putting behind all the commotion stock exchange has to face due to the volatile and uncertain political situation, why did he left the country in this fussy situation?

I heard every single word of his so-called enlightened speech with an undivided devotion and attention as I didn’t want to loose the moment, the moment which was supposed to be much more important than nation’s time.  He went on and on impressively, for a good 35 minute I guess but without any clue of the moment I awaited. That moment did not come.

Most of his speech was about how army managed to change concept of welfare state into national security state, manipulating relations between India and Pakistan to maintain its importance. Forgetting about all the past and present history of India Pakistan relations, Mr. Ahsan said that India was an “unfriendly” neighbour but it was declared as “enemy” just to strengthen army. I wish he had elaborated the perimeter of being “unfriendly but not enemy” for a “bit less enlightened” audience.  In rest of his speech, he was bashing Mullaism, somehow relating it to Faiz and Jalib.  He made a very comprehensive speech about history of Pakistan with reference to empowerment of common man, jumping around from Jinnah’s disliking for Mulla, mass murder in 1971, Bhutto’s enthralling idea of roti kapra makaan, “Islamified” syllabus of Pakistan history in Zia’s black regime and that’s where his history knowledge was over and done with. I wonder why he didn’t bother to make even a single comment about present regime, good or bad, not even by slip of tongue.  Shall I assume Faiz Ahmed Faiz,  roti kapra makaan and progressive thinking has nothing to do with present disgraceful regime?

At the end of event, I oppressively created a prospect to speak to Mr Ahsan, when he was very busy giving interview to media representatives and I was granted permission to ask him one question. I asked him: “Why did you choose to be devil’s advocate?”.  He replied that even a devil do possess a right to be heard and accused me of saying devil to the Prime Minister without any evidence, when he is not even announced culprit. I humbly replied that brutally killed and half killed bodies do not need evidence to prove that a crime has been committed against them; they themselves are evidence of crime. I requested him to look at the country; the condition of country itself is the proof of crime. He replied: “You and the Supreme Court have already made mind about final verdict”.  When I tried to re-confirm his statement that Supreme Court has already made its mind, he bunged up the conversation at once. Alas, I was not supposed to be around him anymore.

Well, I persuaded myself that there is no point worrying about the precious time of nation as nation has already wasted itself choosing this sort of representatives and slipped back in my comfort zone, a bit heavy hearted though. A prominently good brain in Pakistani politics that emerged as a revolutionist and a potential saviour of the nation during justice movement ended up choosing himself to be “Devil’s Advocate”.