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This year marks the 70th anniversary of Pakistan. To say this journey has been tumultuous would be an understatement. The founder of Pakistan in his first presidential address to the constituent assembly of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, called it the cyclonic revolution which brought about the clan of creating and establishing two sovereign dominions in the sub-continent.
This event he said, was unprecedented, having no parallel in the history of the world. The people dreamed of a separate state where they had freedom of performing their religious/cultural customs without any nuisance and not lynched or persecuted for it, as is happening in some parts of the world even in this century.
Furthermore, Jinnah mentioned, the legacy which has been passed on to us along with many other things, good and bad, has been the poison of bribery and corruption which must be put down with an iron hand. 70 years later this poison has been pestering and plaguing the society. It has only increased to the point that the sitting PM is disqualified on corruption charges. There is no dearth of corrupt politicians in Pakistan. In fact, they have ruined all the institutions for their own benefit.
The only institution they haven’t been able to destroy is the Pak Armed forces. Although, not from lack of trying. The only reason they have not been successful in doing so is that every Armed force personnel has sworn to protect and serve the country from both internal/external threats. These politicians have been an internal threat for years with their armed party wing, conducting terrorist activities plus using methods of force and intimidation so that citizens keep voting for them.
These perfidious politicians have assiduously devised ways of corruption and live a life of extravagance and comfort, while the majority of people scrap for the bare minimum. The people ignorant of their own power, vote for anyone who promises to provide manhole lids in their colonies or construct proper roads, build schools, hospitals, clean water and provide uninterrupted power supply, not realizing that the government has to provide those basic amenities regardless of whomever they vote or even not at all as they pay their taxes consequently, they deserve these services either way.
Due to corruption, the country has an awful education system, despondently nothing has ever been done for the poor children roaming the city streets collecting garbage or begging or selling drugs later on becoming hardened criminals. The healthcare system is horrendous, dilapidated condition of hospitals could even make a healthy person sick. There is a scarcity of medicine and hospital equipment, resulting in high mortality rate in hospitals considering the sole purpose is to decrease it. Politicians themselves do not like to be treated in these hospitals that they boast of improving, they travel to the first world at the slight indication of illness.
Furthermore, there is water shortages or even clean drinking water and frequent power shortages decimating the local industry. The roads and highways are in constant disrepair plus the cities have turned into huge garbage dumps and ranking on the filthiest cities of the world lists repeatedly. There was no public transit system until recently which is also the subject of funds embezzlement and corruption.
Ironically, PML(N) the current political party in power swore to fight corruption during their election campaign and promised to put corrupt people in jail, is in the middle of corruption charges their PM named in Panama papers, resulting in his disqualification as PM as well as chairperson of any political party.
Every step PML(N) has taken since disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, has only hurt the democratic process like having legislation passed in the Senate to have Sharif reinstated as the chairperson of PML(N). This cements the fact that most political parties will do anything to stay in power and very little for the ones they actually promise to get in power.
Even the most honest and decent people are driven to extreme methods in order to care for his/her family and survive unfortunately more so in a Pakistani society where many have to lie, cheat, deceive and thieve to make their ends meet, where there are so much greed and injustice. We have trodden so far from religious teachings of Quran and Sunnah, considering this country was created in the name of religion. The people of Pakistan have been following the old adage, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.
Therefore, every person is responsible both literate and illiterate for the current situation. Imran Khan is very popular among the people and being touted as the next PM of Pakistan but people need to decide whom they want in power in this day and age when the world is moving at a fast pace while Pakistanis are still clamoring for basic human necessities i.e. health, education, shelter, and security. We all as countrymen need to ensure that the next leader we choose to represent the country is free from corruption and represents the highest moral character for the rest of the countrymen to follow and aspire to be. So that not only a few families but every Pakistani has a chance to serve his country bringing forth the Pakistani dream.
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