WEEKENDE

The
R 13 Apr-19 Apr 2019 Comment 12
Brigadier S Shujah H Khurazmi (Retd) is
perturbed by the current affairs in the
country Need to act
P
akistan is going through a crucial
phase of its history as the current
period is fraught with enormous
dangers, both internal and external.
Despite the problems confronted by the coun-
try there appears to be no visible coordinated
effort aimed at rectifying the current ills af-
flicting Pakistan. It is clear that the many ad-
ministrative institutions of the country have
lost their sense of direction and have gone
rudderless. There is no development work
taking place in the country and what is wit-
nessed is a dreadful inertia. The people are
burdened by excessive inflation that has ren-
dered them economically vulnerable.
Instead of devising policies to rectify the
spreading difficulties, all efforts appear to
be geared towards concentrating on TV chat
shows to present a false picture of existing re-
alities. There is a race for showing loyalty to
the rulers and there is a complete dearth of
public-welfare oriented action that is normal-
ly expected from the elected representatives.
The serious affairs of the country are not be-
ing paid enough attention and most of the
time is wasted in frivolous activities.
While the country is experiencing difficul-
ties and the security apparatus is busy trying Rising poverty
to sort things, the people who matter are busy
in taking whatever advantage they could take
through their connections. They are only con-
cerned about acquiring material benefits for
themselves and care nothing for the country.
They do not realise that their self-indulgence
is costing the country high and that the people
are suffering on account of lack of economic
opportunities. They fail to wake up to the fact
that whatever they have got is due to Pakistan
and that it is essential to give everything back
to the country.
The country is in the grip of physical and
intellectual lawlessness. There is hardly any
respect left in the country for the rule of law
and every influential individual group is sup-
posed to be above the law. The stringent ap-
plication of law is currently believed to be for
the under-privileged who face the brunt of
increasing deprivation. Every facility in the
country is exclusively reserved for the tiny
fraction of the population of the country who
enjoy their existence. Unfortunately, this en-
joyment is dependent upon the exploitation
of the great majority of the country who face
tremendous difficulty in making the ends
meet.
The deprivation is all-pervasive but the lot
faced by prisoners is deeply pathetic. It was Shining cars
once brought to the notice of one Chief Jus-
tice in Pakistan that only in Sindh, more than of justice but will also lessen the considerable situation in rest of the country is. No one is ac- certainly no short cuts to improve the nation-
3,000 prisoners languishing in jails had spent burden on the official finances. As usual the tually bothered about such matters revealing al situation but resorting to hard and contin-
more time than the possible sentence they request fell on deaf ears and nothing came out a tremendous lack of sympathy and aware- uous effort to right the harms done to the na-
were ought to be awarded. It was brought to of it. ness about the general workings of the soci- tional body-politic.
his notice that even if such prisoners were This position only pertained to Sindh and ety. It is this apathy that is lurking at the base It is expected of a ruling dispensation to
released it will not only serve the high ideals it could only be imagined what the prevailing of all problems the country is confronted with take care of the teeming millions facing the in-
and unless this difficulty is overcome it was justices perpetrated by a tiny minority and to
not possible to witness a real development of take measures to provide relief to them. It is
the country. The human resource is the most never too late for rectifying the situation but
important attribute of a nation-state and not unfortunately the trend of the people in au-
taking care of it is a recipe for disaster. thority is casual to the extreme and is devot-
No one in the country is bothered about ed only for accruing maximum advantage of
the worsening institutional decay in the coun- the prevailing atmosphere of apathy. One can
try. It is a pitiful situation as there is no re- only exhort the people who matter to change
alisation of the untenable situation faced by the course of their thought and start taking
the country. There is hardly any task more ex- action for bettering the lot of the hapless peo-
peditious than to wake the authorities up as ple of the country. TW
the only recourse is to radically alter the sit-
uation. The institutional premise of the state Brigadier S Shujah H Khurazmi (Retd) had
is withering away and it is fast become unable a distinguished career in law enforcement
and now is a social activist
Intense apathy to cater to national requirements. There are