REASON DOES NOT APPLY TO ANYTHING IN PAKISTAN

Ours is a betrayed society. Neither the public nor the polity is inclined to apply logical
reasoning to the current challenges. While the Pakistan resolution laid the logical principles
to run the affairs of the state, the very principles have faded away. The whole country is in a
state of mess presenting a sorry figure of dreams unfulfilled. There exists a well-defined
politics but of power; there is a religion but a divided one; there exists a social order but of
dispersed nature; and there is a culture but of begging and borrowing. In short, all these
illogical politico-religious and irrational socio-economic practices prevalent in the country
dispel the impression that reason does not apply to anything here. Nothing is in line with
the affairs of the state marking the demise of logic and rationality. ‘The land of pure’ has
become ‘the land of surprises’. It has assumed almost the status of a ‘failed state’ where
reason does not apply to anything. There exists a continuous inflow of foreign aid while the
state desires to pursue an independent foreign policy. The political parties are
undemocratic but yearn for true democracy to come. War on terror is being fought without
first eradicating the culture of extremism. The dream of literate and egalitarian society is
being viewed in the perspective of stratified education system. There are no effective
checks to control gender discrimination while the state believes in the coming of gender
equality. There exists the culture of electoral rigging while the state expects peaceful
protests. There is nothing to be called accountability and transparency while the
government desires for good governance. All this dictates that reason does not apply to
anything. Faced with the established fact of sporadic abrogation of constitution, the state
desires in establishing democratic norms. In the light of grave mismanagement of natural
resources, the government desires to curb energy crisis. Given the flawed agricultural
reforms, the government desires to end food insecurity. There is poor management of
water resources while the state desires to overcome water crisis. Given the flawed tax
reforms, the government desires to be self-sufficient in budget-making. The state desires
national integration while neglecting the burning issue of provincial conflicts. The
legislature is a hub of elitist and feudalistic class while the nation expects ‘poor’s man
budget’. The judiciary, executive and media are weak, politicized and biased, respectively,
while the state wishes institutional harmony. All this led to the distortion of our national
image as an independent and sovereign state. The country is now recognized as a beggar
that constantly seeks foreign aid. There is always a silver lining behind dark clouds. To
apply rationality to the dwindling state of economy, foreign policy, exploitation of natural
resources and budget-making, the state must end its policy of relying on foreign aid. To
fulfill the desire to compete with the growing influence of big powers, the state must
introduce self-perpetuated tax regime, independent budgetary reforms and self-governed
security policies. For democracy to come, let the media, judiciary and executive suffer no
curbs. The dream to resolve the issues of energy shortfalls, food insecurity, water crisis,
gender discrimination, abrogation of constitution, stratified education system and decline
of agriculture can only be realized through good governance. To apply reasoning to the
state of governance, independent and truth-finding commission is the need of the hour. To
apply logic to rule of law, there must be implementation of laws, supremacy of constitution,
eradication of extremist mindset and end of feudalistic culture. In short, if the state desires
to stand among the comity of nations, it will have to rely on its own resources keeping in
mind that beggars cannot be choosers. If culture of reasoning is not induced, Pakistan may
face existential threats.