Fasting for Pakistan

Raja Jahangir Akhtar, the owner of a photo studio in Pakistan's, Islamabad, has been insisting that Pakistan shift its focus from being a security state to a welfare state.

He has chosen a location close to the National Press Club in Islamabad for his protest. Hunger strikes, Akhtar says, are a good way to protest against injustice. He will end his fast only when his demands are met by the respective authorities.

This time, Akhtar has chosen an issue which is bothering most people in Pakistan but which no one dares to speak of : corruption. If people do not raise their voices against this culture of bribery, he will starve to death, he claims.

But the political elite is showing him the cold shoulder. "Nobody, either from the ruling coalition or the opposition has come to see me," he complains. Imran Khan, former cricketer and head of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf party is the only politician to show interest. But Akhtar has a clear strategy: "They will come once they know it's a question of life or death for me. If I die, these people will be responsible."

Civil society reacts with caution

Civil society activists like Jameel Abbasi have expressed their solidarity with Akhtar's cause, but not many are enthusiastic about his movement. "Jahangir is a member of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party. And the head of the party, President Asif Ali Zardari, is a symbol of corruption. So when we look at it from that angle, we need to be careful that civil society activists don't get linked to the same people. We request Jahangir to raise his voice against corruption within his party."
The former photo studio owner responds by saying that he is proud to be associated with the Peoples party. His being a member of the ruling party is greater proof of the fact that he is taking his struggle against corruption seriously. Akhtar believes that he can rise above party loyalties and pursue his campaign in the best interests of Pakistan.

Author: Shakoor Raheem / mg
Editor: Grahame Lucas