Zafar Alam Sarwar
How well the Chief of Army Staff has served the cause of democracy and Pakistan by speaking the truth in an ‘in-camera session’ of the Senate Committee of the Whole. The whole truth now talk of the town is his commitment to democracy and the rule of law which the common man has long aspired.
What in fact has enlivened everybody’s idea of patriotism is General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s categorical denial of military role in destabilisation of the civil government. He rightly defended the brokering of the deal between the government and the organisers of the three-week sit-in at Faizabad interchange, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah.
The situation could have harmed the national interest if the military had not played its constructive role. The common man, who remembers Gen Ayub’s speech in response to Indian aggressive attack on Pakistan in September 1965, hails Gen Bajwa’s firm belief in democracy and supremacy of the country’s Constitution.
By the way, most of our political leaders are fond of using the word ‘democracy’ or abusing it without actually knowing the meaning of democracy. Do all leaders practically follow democracy in their dealings with ordinary members?
Democracy now is just like a cap that has lost its original shape because everybody wears it. Most of politicians claiming they’re democrats are fighting to retain power for themselves and relatives.
A day before and a day after the last Independence Day, a number of short messages in English and a letter in Urdu was received by an officer of a privatised organisation. The letter, in fact, spoke the mind of several others who had lived through three regimes.
A bank officer Jaani cited an event from the Islamic history to remind the then federal and provincial governments how Caliphs Umar and Ali had set examples to show to the world what actually democracy and honesty is and how to administer a state for people’s welfare.
High and low, rich and poor were all equal to them and to the law of the land. Hazrat Umar would blow out the flame of oil lamp the moment his espouse came to discuss with him a domestic matter: he never consumed fuel for his personal use.
Has any Pakistani head of government ever followed the right path as exemplified by Prophet Muhammad and his companions?
Jaani said why a parliamentarian should not have been impeached, who won a seat of the Senate for second time by foul means. Who can claim righteously he is above-board whether he is a minister or adviser to prime minister, head of a government department or a medical specialist or a medicine manufacturer, or an owner of a group of westernised educational institutions or a police officer or even a patwari.
Democracy now is just like a cap that has lost its original shape because everybody wears it. Most of politicians claiming they’re democrats are fighting to retain power for themselves and relatives. Is it not nepotism?
zasarwar@hotmail.com