Elections are becoming a test for all those who want to either stay with the Constitution or face the lifelong wrath of their adversaries on electronic and print media platforms. We have a number of choices, either we unstitch our constitution, or get on a confrontational lane, come out on the roads or if all lost stay away from elections, but are these answer to run a state?
No, it is not regardless of all parties views and policies, the country cannot be run on whims and adhocism; we boast of being a nuclear state, yet we are sophisticated International beggars; to blame and find excuses in the past has been our national narrative since we ourselves don’t have any solutions, we buy time from people, via public congregations I say we rather waste people’s time is more appropriate, this has continued for a long time and is still on the same course.
The major flaw in our official management quarters (including our incumbent rulers) has been in the international negotiations teams, who either have been ignorant in explaining our situation or are thrust in those important committees to speak on behalf of the government, though very few actually know the hard core issues, as we experienced in the Indus Waters Basin Treaty, and still suffering.
The funds we receive as aid are not spent on money making projects but for short term public appeasement, this is one of the reasons UK’s Department for international Development DFID now dispenses aid directly, so does the US Aid programme, because they don’t trust the government. The modus operandi, having spoken to a number of British parliamentarians they are sceptical how we run our administration. No doubt diplomatic relations insist on courtesy, but deep down they all know the realities, as often I have mentioned to some of our arrogant members of Parliament that countries which do not tolerate criticism, never develop.
The period spent by elected governments is just buying time for gathering votes, since almost all of the elections have been marred with controversy, therefore ironically because of inconsistencies and no continuity policies, the aim of every government has been to discredit each other in a malicious way, so instead of governing they all spend most of the time in courts, some back channeling the army, and now of late media has also been engulfed in the war of words.
My question is simple and would be to one and all, do you want to govern on fixed votes or would be happy with lesser votes and not get elected, this is a question which each individual has to answer to his own conscience and not to anyone else. If you pass this simple test I can assure your presence in the corridors of power will yield a better harvest.
Today is no different. The army has sadly backed off (although I don’t believe, if they have, that that means leaving the country high and dry in doldrums). Just see today the flanks of judiciary exposed to the torrid rapid fire of verbal verbosity, going after our judges, although no efforts are spared in maligning the Army as and when necessary in this free-for-all war of pointless points scoring.
The levels to get ratings for what it’s worth in the electronic media has seen a new door; the other day Mariam Nawaz’s off-the-camera conversation came out, which I thought was much below the belt in any form of journalistic etiquette. We have stooped so low in these audio and video leaks, no effort is spared to degrade the other.
What the country is missing out during this meaningless impasse is the development of the country; let me be clear, apart from certain named known projects most of them are done to gain votes, as I said before they are short term sow-and-stitch programmes, but people are tired exhausted and becoming regressive, at such acts.
When we speak of Nation building, Has anyone noticed, well off families which can afford to send their children abroad for education, now encourage them to stay out and seek their fortunes elsewhere, but myopic vision blinds us, besides when they return, the infrastructures they have been qualifying for are hardly present, why is that is simply due to the huge amount of prevalent red tape, which prohibits people who want to come in and do business, they get so disappointed, they don’t want to come to Pakistan. I know for a fact every leader wants businesses should come to Pakistan, but it’s the people below, who let down the leaderships across the board, resulting in driving away potential business companies.
I was conversing with one of the top overseas investors They are tired and to put it coldly just don’t want to do business here, but we need to stop this negativity; one of the few steps to be taken urgently are to encourage foreign investors to come in the country, but only when there is ease of doing business, with ground level functionaries reconditioned and prepared to do it. Yes, we can do it, provided we abolish the unwritten form of corruption, where you need two telephone calls, three chits and an intermediary to accompany you; we all speak of merit, that has been taken over by the local ferret.
Who will stop this disease? We all know it, talk about it, yet no one has the bats, balls, wickets or even a place where to pitch. They all have been taken over, even the third umpire is now the turd umpire, a terminology used commonly for George III, who lost the Americas during his reign.
We are blessed with huge amounts of both negativity and positivity, what we lack is the guidance to the road forward, that we can achieve only with honest people, the merit of the leadership is seen through the votes which they receive; 19 honest votes are much better than 1900 fake votes.
My question is simple and would be to one and all, do you want to govern on fixed votes or would be happy with lesser votes and not get elected, this is a question which each individual has to answer to his own conscience and not to anyone else. If you pass this simple test I can assure your presence in the corridors of power will yield a better harvest.
