Zafar Alam Sarwar
Why common people are not so happy with administration and which kind of socio-economic, health and educational system they want to solve their problems solved?
Any person, particularly a leader who asserts he espouses the cause of masses, can find answer by interacting with them patiently and think of their welfare selflessly.
What one learns from visits to various localities and places of worship on the eve of the holy month of Ramazan is significant. Citizens, especially of middle, lower middle and poor, want a society based on principles laid down in the Quran.
A majority of them agree that people, literate or semi-literate, should read and study the Quran with clear mind, and act upon the message of Almighty God as was done by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) for the benefit of all humans.
Ordinary citizens feel ‘crippled’ by soaring prices of what they want for themselves and their children—for example, wheat flour, vegetables, milk, fruit, electricity, clothes and shoes etc. Their grievances also relate to children’s education, health-care and playgrounds.
Scarcity of clean drinking water is horrible while sewerage system has not improved yet; flies and mosquitoes seem on good terms with the civic bodies. Similarly, medicine price hike perturbs them. The common people are, in fact, disturbed mentally, and they pray to God for help.
The masses appear to be in search of someone who can show them a ray of hope. It is in discussion after the Friday prayers that they recall some verses of the Quran, sayings of the prophet and speeches and Eid messages of the founder of Pakistan.
Some basic questions are raised: Why struggle was waged for a new homeland for Muslims? Why feudalism and capitalism have not been replaced by the welfare system when the new state was achieved in the name of Islam? And why masses are still being exploited by landlords.
Citizens psychologically get heartened when some participants of discussion emphasize the need for studying the Quran, particularly Surah Al-Baqarah, for getting rid of miseries caused by evils like injustice, nepotism, bribery, corruption, hoarding and black-marketing etc.
City elders say understanding of the Quran will help evolve a welfare society as ordained by Almighty God.
zasarwar@hotmail.com