Being well into my nineties, have seen our society changing, unfortunately not for good. I remember that back in the early 1940s, I had to get up early in the morning to go to the high school in Kallar Syedan, which was five miles from my village. I used to make the journey to school and back on foot. Upon returning home, I would have to help with house chores and take animals out for grazing.
On holidays, I would work with my cousins in the fields beside the chores I had to do on daily basis. We used to have enough wheat, maize, and other crops to meet our annual needs. People in the village lived like a community by helping each other in sowing/ harvesting the lands and never depended on outside help. Over time, we developed in many ways with efficient technology replacing people. While gradually people became more well-off, we as a society have become very selfish and individualistic. Instead of helping ourselves and others, we expect the government to do everything. Political parties instead of encouraging unity are dividing us by promoting hate and selfishness. Materialism has devoured our values and resources. Lands that were used for agriculture are being converted to real-estate projects for the greed of money.
This is reducing the lands that cater to our food needs. People are living beyond their means by either indulging in corruption or borrowing, which are both detrimental to them. Due to the greed for money, corruption is not even viewed as bad by society. Those having money by any means are respected. It is the job of our leaders to set examples through their behaviour that promote self-reliance, honesty, and dignity rather than self-promotion and lust for power. I have seen the values of our society deteriorate over the past 75 years. I hope and pray that we get the leadership that gets us out of this culture of hate and division and promotes unity, honesty, and self-reliance.
RAJA SHAFAATULLAH
ISLAMABAD
