Ever wondered! what legacy we are leaving for the next generations. The failure of this generation will be far more than those of the father and grandfather’s generation. There seems an endless and shameless struggle for power and money by the ruling elite befooling the masses using all tricks of deception and treachery. The political powerhouses have left no stone unturned to undermine, bribe and corrupt all the institutions of the country. Media has become visibly biased and now it has been shamelessly admitted that editorial of the news channels and print has been dictated and directed to forward the narratives of the political and business cartels. Maintaining status quo indeed has been a challenge in Pakistan.
There has been no effort on the reforms rather deterioration is seen among all the bureaucracy and judicial structures. There has been no legislation to improve or modernize the rules of business with changing times and ever-increasing population. Since 1973, Supreme Court is hearing civil suits of more than Rs.50,000 even change in the value of the currency has not been taken into account. But then everyone complains there are thousands of cases pending at the Supreme Court. The legislators, media even the bar councils remain silent on the real issues.
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Because the status quo suits the ruling elite
The salary of the civil servants is determined in a way to incentivize corruption and has not been at par with the market. The bureaucrats feel at ease to be part of the political and business cartels for survival and to attain lucrative postings. While the world has moved to specialization in every sector, the Civil services of this country are persisting with generalization. A Federal health secretary can be transferred and be made secretary petroleum the next day. This mindset not only creates delayed policymaking but bleeds the country with billions of rupees. Even the small efforts like devolution were reversed why because the status quo suits the ruling elite and probably the establishment.
The successive parliaments have given mantras that its lack of continuity of the democratic system and intervention of establishment has not enabled these powerhouses not to deliver for the common man. Since 2008 there is a continuous and stable Government in Pakistan but the Governance, Infrastructure and relief for the common man remains a huge question. It becomes far easier to blame everything on the establishment when most of the parliamentarians either do not participate or don’t understand the legislation and its impact on the common man. The main interest of all the members remains funds for their constituency and they become willing to rubber-stamp any bill against those funds. The legislator must be literate condition was also reversed why because status quo suits the feudal, cartels and probably establishment.
In a country where 98% follow the same religion, divisions have been created to rule based on sects. These sects in the name of their own philosophy don’t hesitate to take law into their own hands for their personal interests and vendetta. During the last two decades, they have established brainwashing madrasahs which have created crazy zombies who are beyond and logic and reason. These gangs Know that in the name of religion, they can blackmail the courts and law of the land.
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Perpetual chaos, status quo ensure that no one talks about any reform
They have understood that they can keep mocking the state by being perverse and using blackmailing force. Successive political and establishment regimes use these outfits for their short-term gains. Not willing to learn that these monsters will hurt the children of everyone in the long term why because that perpetual and controllable chaos suits the ruling elite and most important establishment.
The financial power should remain concentrated in the hands of few. The laws and bureaucratic system should only serve the privileged ones such as cartels, feudal, conglomerates and of course establishment. Media remains mum as most of the houses have remained or still are beneficiaries. The stark example is the recent Pandora papers where there were many offshore accounts of media owners but no one will talk. Similarly, there will be no musical talk shows about more than 400 nominated in Panama papers or the beneficiaries of Musharraf NRO why because it suits the status quo elite!
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The ever-increasing population, bursting from the seams of 220 million people will carry on with this unjust system for how long? This is a question ruling elite and establishment need to ask frequently. How many of the kith and kin will immigrate to Canada and UK after the loot? Are they willing to leave the graves of their ancestors and children at the hands of religious fanatics, incompetent bureaucrats, incapacitated judiciary and mum media? Or is it about time to get rid of the web of year-old political houses? Is it about time to start a reformation?
Moied Javeed is a senior telecom executive in Pakistan and can be reached at mj@tptglobal.net. The views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.