Ikram Sehgal |
Duty is what one is required to do by moral or legal obligation. Recognizing this duty means a person theoretically commits himself to its fulfilling it without considering one’s own self-interest, even if this involves the sacrifice.
In this case the duty I write about is that which is perceived as being owed to one’s country (patriotism), or to one’s homeland or community. Remember John Kennedy’s 1961 Inaugural Address
Can some retired senior military officers justify their present standard of living from their known means of income even when force-multiplying their “perks” dozens of times over?
when he quoted his former Headmaster George St John, albeit without attributing, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”
Identity crisis for Muslims after 9/11
Questions of national, ethnic, sectarian and religious identity have been much debated in the aftermath of 9/11. The spread of terrorism which had already started causing deep fissures in Muslim societies meant that some countries used this opportunity as a pretext to label “freedom fighters” as “terrorists”.
Read more: Trump promises ‘America first’ and riddance of Islamic terror in his inauguration speech
However, genuine frustrations of the people, forcibly kept latent, erupted in the form of the “Arab Spring”. Many Arab countries descended into chaos, their mostly mediocre hereditary leadership adding to the mayhem. With Al-Qaeda inculcating into a more virulent form of terrorism, the Islamic State (IS) came into being.
“once power falls into the hands of unscrupulous leaders “democratically” elected by a mass society, the basic institutions of the country are challenged in order to meet the demands of those in power”.
Why? Because the leaders were not fulfilling their duties in creating just political societies, by setting personal examples of propriety and moral behavior. The aim should have been to make their country a better place for their citizens to live in, in which individuals had a higher purpose than the affiliation to themselves, families and tribal entities, etc.
Pakistan: Personal gratification and self-interest
In societies consumed with “individualism,” personal gratification and self-interest becomes paramount. It is not democracy that is at fault, but the moral quality of our leadership across the broad spectrum, which consists of dishonest, corrupt and incompetent persona. This is the case in secular and religious parties, the socio-economic elite and the Armed Forces, bureaucracy, almost all interested only in personal gain.
In Pakistan, the nature of this pure feudal thought is symbolized in graphic detail by not allowing local governments, the very basis of democracy, to work. This is compounded by incompetence and corruption, the State is prevented from maturing into a functioning system capable of problem-solving for its citizens
Professor of Political Economy Alberto M. Piedra sums it up aptly, “once power falls into the hands of unscrupulous leaders “democratically” elected by a mass society, often suffering from pathological symptoms, the basic institutions of the country are challenged in order to meet the demands of those in power”. Even uniformed personnel have a problem distinguishing between what is a “lawful” or an “unlawful” command.
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy
Who should lead the nation?
Only a selfless individual ready to sacrifice personal benefits for the goodwill of society and the nation should lead the nation. Politicians (with honorable exceptions) jostle for power using blatant lies and deceit as a means to an end, criminals and or those having criminal record are common in our leadership. Pakistani Parliamentarians are least interested in making or passing laws, their aim being to table and approve amendments or policies beneficial to themselves such as additional perks and or as recently witnessed significant increases in emolument.
Only a selfless individual ready to sacrifice personal benefits for the goodwill of society and the nation should lead the nation.
The menace is far from being eradicated due to the army’s bold and timely actions, however military courts have been wound up. The corruption institutionalized in Pakistan by Musharraf’s National Reconciliation Order (NRO) is weighted to get mostly the corrupt elected, once in power they loot the nation paying only lip-service to eradicating widespread corruption.
read more: Panama Case: Why German Paper’s disclosure may be extremely damaging for Sharif Family?
This no-holds-barred corruption reached its zenith in the 5 years of Zardari misrule. According to Transparency International Pakistan (TIP), Pakistan lost a staggering amount through corruption, tax evasion and bad governance during this period. With practically no concept of or adherence to duty to one’s country (moral, civic or legal), there is an abysmal lack of accountability. Despite a clear nexus between corruption, organized crime and terrorism, none have been targetted individually or collectively due to our lackadaisical attitude.
Nepotism and corruption in every institution of Pakistan
Nepotism and corruption are not confined to politicians; top brass of the military, bureaucrats, industrialists and civic leaders are also guilty of putting themselves ahead of the interests of the country. PanamaGate has graphically exposed tax evasion and illegal flight of capital is indulged in by almost all members of our political parties who also have extremely poor tax records.
Read more: Pakistan’s Civil-Military Relations: Internal Battlefronts Exposed from Media Leak
Whenever they came to power the generals start cleaning up the system but end up becoming worse than the politicians they despise, compromising and making political deals to perpetuate their rule, totally oblivious to their duty to the country.
Can some of the retired senior military officers justify their present standard of living from their known means of income even when force-multiplying their “perks” dozens of times over? The Armed Forces must speed up self-accountability without consideration of rank and appointment.
Criminals have coughed up a small percentage of their ill-gotten wealth on the plea bargain/voluntary return “sweetheart” deal to regain their seats of power and indulge in corruption again. Give the Mian Nawaz Sharif regime credit for amending this black loophole being exploited by criminals.
Nepotism and corruption are not confined to politicians, top brass of the military, bureaucrats, industrialists and civic leaders are also guilty of putting themselves ahead of the interests of the country.
In his address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on Aug 11, 1947 the Quaid had said, “…. if we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor.”
Our present rulers push religion and ideology for their own survival. Equality before the law was the bedrock on which Islam is based, it is lacking in Pakistan. The Supreme Court has been put in an awkward position in PANAMAGATE where the people’s perception is that the accused are not on trial, those sitting on their judgment are.
To quote a respected World Bank Legal Counsel, ‘’ immunity of any public office is not personal but relates to his/her official action. Immunity does not extend to any personal unlawful/criminal actions, even when committed during or before the office”.
The Honourable Judges have taken their onerous responsibility literally to heart (we pray for Justice Shaikh Azmat Saeed’s health). However, going strictly according to the literal application of the legal principles without concentrating on the gravity of the facts would affect the nation’s future.
For the matter how can legal counsels from either side in all conscience equate the billions in cash (that also on Qatari hearsay) with whether taxes were paid or not paid? Failure to take cognizance of the wrongdoing by the Sharif family – even prima facie given the evidence on record – would create space for further various wrongdoings by the future leaders as the past ones like Zardari have exhibited, and totally destroy the moral and ethnic foundations of the nation.
The Supreme Court’s moral and ethical obligation to the downtrodden and poverty stricken citizens must ensure that country’s leaders are similarly morally and ethically qualified to govern.
Ikram Sehgal, Author of “Escape from Oblivion” is Pakistan’s prominent Defense & Security Analyst and Chairman of the Pathfinder Group.