This has always been the way of the world, and it is still the same today. Whom should one complain to, what grievance should one raise? Salutations to those impostors who have turned the art of deception into a craft. Salutations to those tricksters who prove lies to be truth and truth to be lies—and special salutations to those who, by becoming the houris and angels of an imaginary paradise, lay claim to piety and purity. Bravo! The future’s history will laugh at them, even though today they are the kings of the present.

Throughout human history, fugitives have never been considered brave. Yet behold today’s strange times: nowadays fugitives are regarded as the bravest of all, while those who are made of soil and remain attached to the soil—who lie here and stay here—are declared cowards, compromised, and “enveloped” (sell-outs). These feeble wretches are neither earning dollars nor receiving medals of bravery. Instead, from one side they endure abuse, criticism, and taunts, and from the other side they bear unnecessary and unbearable pressure. Perhaps societies are inherently this insensitive. Even with Socrates, who changed the philosophy of the world, only four people stood by him; the entire city was enamored of masquerade. True recognition belongs only to one or two.

The silver of cosmetic fabrication sells well, while no one buys the steel of truth. From the creation of Pakistan to this very day, this clash between face and masquerade has continued. Congress Muslims said, “We do not want the partition of India because it will divide the Muslims,” while League Muslims said, “We do not want Hindu domination.” Both slogans were appealing, yet both were far from the truth. Congress Muslims were wrong because even if all the Muslims of India had remained united, governance would still have rested with the Hindus due to numerical majority. League Muslims were wrong because in the areas where Pakistan came into being, Muslims were already in power. Punjab, Sindh, Bengal—all already had Muslim rulers. Yet both slogans sold well, and they still sell today.

When the Muslim League became the ruler of Pakistan, Congress Muslims, nationalists, and provincialists were all declared traitors. The reality was something else: the rulers turned out to be incompetent, and the opposition malicious. When the Muslim League overnight became the Republican Party, the “traitor” Dr. Khan Sahib and the “suspicious” Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy were absolved of all allegations and installed as Chief Minister and Prime Minister, while the former “patriotic” Leaguers joined these very traitors and began ruling alongside them. The Convention League donned the guise of being the harbinger of national stability and prosperity, while the Council Muslim League claimed to be the heir of Quaid-e-Azam and Madar-e-Millat. Both claims were false. The Convention League consisted of Ayub Khan’s associates and beneficiaries; the Council League was relatively better, but later all proved to be worshippers of power.

This tale of brave fugitives and feeble wretches has been unfolding for seven decades. Ayub Khan exiled Iskander Mirza and Begum Nahid Iskander Mirza. Iskander Mirza was labeled a fugitive. The story of Begum Nahid Mirza’s precious necklace and Iskander Mirza’s conspiracies was spread so widely that it became the national narrative. However, in his book, Iskander Mirza’s son Humayun Mirza established that Iskander Mirza was deeply sincere toward the country, and that Ayub Khan removed him for personal power. In truth, both were wrong: Iskander Mirza too desired perpetual rule, and Ayub Khan remained seated on the throne until Yahya Khan personally went to his house and dismissed him.

In the struggle between Zia-ul-Haq and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the greatest damage was done to truth, reality, and justice. Zia-ul-Haq called Bhutto a dictator, yet himself became the greatest dictator in history. Bhutto committed the grave error of bringing Zia-ul-Haq in. Mustafa Jatoi’s National Party, Hanif Ramay’s Musawat Party, and the National Front of Hafeez Pirzada and Mumtaz Bhutto were, in essence, chains of betrayal against Bhutto and loyalty to Zia—yet all their slogans were about saving Bhutto. Such spectacles happened many times and are still happening: Junejo League, Fida League, Zia League, Q League, and leagues of many colors. All were B-teams of rulers of different eras, created to usurp democratic rights under a democratic disguise. What was the “Patriots” group? The claims were of bringing Benazir Bhutto back, but in reality, it was an effort to keep her away from power. Minus-one formulas were tested on Bhutto, Benazir, and Nawaz Sharif; now they will be tested on Imran Khan. Then new masquerades will be adorned, fugitives will be declared brave, and those bound to the soil will be called feeble wretches.

In this entire story, truth has always been beaten. Falsehood has reigned supreme. The same pattern continues today. The arrogant are winning, the humble are losing. It used to be said that lies have no legs; today lies have wheels. Lies are racing ahead, while truth sits crippled and helpless. That is because truth is bitter, and lies are sweet. If bitter truth is accepted, its effect is sweet. Lies are sweet and delicious, but their effect is poisonous. Unfortunately, brave fugitives are successfully presenting lies as truth, while the voices of the feeble wretches go unheard.

When brave fugitives faced their first real test in life, they fled and began speaking against the very state. Yet these snakelets were nurtured on the milk of the state itself. The same hidden hands secured jobs for them everywhere. The same hands fed them information. The same hands used them to malign others. If today they craft a narrative against the establishment or the state, then they should return the privileges they were given, the cash they received, and publicly seek forgiveness—otherwise they will be regarded as masqueraders of history, just like those who in the past donned disguises and begged for alms in streets and alleys.

Where did the planned revolutions go? Where are the tales of friendship with Trump, the stories of internal wars between “Noonis” and “Paplis,” and the conspiracy theories about delays in notifications? All false—yet belief in them proves only this: that the lies of fugitives outweigh the truths of wretches. But wait—the wheel of history turns in reverse when it delivers its verdict. Villains become heroes, and heroes become villains. The truth is revealed. The veil of masquerade is torn apart—and it will be torn apart again.

Today, brave fugitives sit in safe havens abroad and rain arrows daily upon feeble wretches. The feeble wretches endure these wounds, while hunters also unleash cruelty upon these ground-bound, wingless birds. This is the custom of the age. In fact, the true sign of truth is this: that every powerful person considers it bad, and every small person considers it their own. That it is abused in the present and garlanded in history. Sufi and Malamati poets did not say in vain that our defeat is our victory, and that society’s triumph of condemnation is checkmated in the future’s historical chessboard—and that checkmate is recorded forever in history.

History did not even remember the name of any opponent of Socrates. Socrates’ ideas and his name are alive to this day. Today’s hardships, calamities, and oppositions turn into trophies in history, while abusers themselves become abuses in history. Today, brave fugitives may soar and feeble wretches may fall—but the wheel of history will turn, without fail.