Another July 5 came and went; it's now 35 years since a dark night enveloped Pakistan. The country has been trying to shed the legacy of a dictator ever since, but has miserably failed. Gen. Zia-ul-Haq's 11-year rule had left deep scars on the conscience of the nation. It was he who helped the sectarian genies to come out of the bottle; now no one knows how to get them back. He divided the nation on religious and sectarian lines — a gimmick to prolong his grip on power. In these 35 years, the Pakistani nation slipped backward on human rights, women empowerment and religious tolerance, and the liberal, enlightened and tolerant Pakistan of yesteryears vanished from people's memory. We see Gen. Zia's footprints in people's behavior and mindset, in events that put the whole region on fire and the ongoing bloodshed and turmoil. Afghanistan and Kashmir are his living legacies. The Zia regime helped establish a number of madrassas with the financial support of the West, which turned out to be breeding grounds for militancy. Afghan and Pakistani Taliban, numerous sectarian outfits and the political straitjackets in the country are all his bequests. Gen. Zia changed the nation into a hysterical mob ready to kill and maim. Until we undo the changes he brought about in people's minds and hearts, this nation will continue to grope in darkness. Masood Khan Jubail
