Rotten system we live in !! By Abdul Salam Dadabhoy

Today, had the opportunity to visit Passport Office, at Awami Markaz Karachi, for renewal of Passport. Not that one is not used to such incidents, but for the first time ever, an Official Challan of Passport Renewal Fee, was refused to be deposited, until and unless accompanied, by something over and above. A State Owned Bank, collecting State money and employee of the State asking for speed money, just for collecting and taking State funds. This is the state of affairs and the rotten System we continue to live with and in. This is not something very new, but just a picture of how low we have fallen and the extent of deterioration of the system, in the last 7 years.

No one intends to advocate, or propose, the imposition of Martial Law, but comparatively the 8 years rule, of General Pervez Musharraf was far better, than these last 7 years of Pakistan Peoples Party & Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz. Every State institution then was thriving and flourishing and people were generally content. Economy was progressing, people knew what the State was capable of, the State knew when and where to enforce and establish its writ and there was something called rule of law seen and visibly so.

Here, now a days, the Society we live in witnesses such unparalleled decline, so much so that one is compelled to say and say it outloud, that even jungles have some kind of norms, which we apparently are at a loss to see in Pakistan. Much is being talked about, the forthcoming Senate Elections. Not only are bids being raised, to the highest levels, to buy out MPA’s, but renowned names openly claim, to be against the usual horse trading. Such deceit and hypocrisy is order of the day, which is adequate to put even listeners to shame. Now entire Status Quo stalwarts are struggling to corner Pakistan Tehreek Insaf, since the day Imran Khan has started to advocate open balloting, the only mode through which, these sale purchase transactions can be put to an end. Actually this is a much larger battle, than is being imagined.

The Status Quo is a very big mafia and mafias generally do not only control specific areas, or specific gangs, or specific sets of people, these mafias control countries. This is exactly what happened at the Passport Office. Had the speed money been refused, the Passport would have been delayed, or misplaced, putting travel plans into jeopardy, which is exactly why people bow down, before these mafias, just to get on with their lives. On a larger scale, neither has Audit for Elections of 2013 been taken up, nor has formation of the much demanded Judicial Commission been announced. Status Quo Political forces are working for their own power games, or too busy in making money, Bureaucracy up to the highest level is working for pleasing the powerful, Judiciary has failed and is failing to give desired reliefs and results, the Army is over extensively engaged at various fronts concerning Pakistan’s survival and one really does not know, why, how and who to look upon for change, if any is to be expected.

As a matter of fact, someone remarked and very rightly so, that we as people do not want change, as we are all complicit in some wrong doing, at some level or the other. While we all demand accountability verbally, we earnestly wish that it starts with the man next door, rather than from us. At the same time, one is forced to think, as to how and why on earth, does this very same Pakistani human abide by law, in any Middle Eastern, or Western country. Most probably simply because the law makers there are not law breakers and that by and large every one out there is equal in the eyes of the law. While laws are applied and enforced, with full force in Civilized Countries, a certain dignity of citizens and their fundamental rights and privileges are held in high esteem and a decent human friendly society is the result.

While this piece is being written, let this also be known, that a case which is pending in Civil Courts of Pakistan since last 33 years, finally found its way to the Supreme Court in 2012, wherein it lay for 2 years, in shape of CPLA (Civil Petition for Leave to Appeal) and against all decent norms, was admitted as a Civil Appeal, by a Supreme Court Judge, who should not have heard the matter in the first place, just because he was an Ex Staff Member of the Team, of the Appealing Counsel, who happens to be an Ex Law Minister of Pakistan. Similarly NAB has few weeks back, cleared the corruption cases, of a high profiled individual.

No doubt, one is discouraged, at times even disheartened, to see these sad happenings. But then, is hopelessness an option? It never can be, not religiously, or socially. If one had an option, to request General Raheel Sharif for one favor, one would avail the opportunity to request him, to oversee and ensure Electoral Reforms, introduce Biometric Elections and to see to it, that at least one 100% Fair and Free Elections are held, in the history of this country, before he calls it a day and decides to hang his uniform. From there onwards, will only time be able to reveal, if the people really want change, or sincerely ready to change, before expecting any real change.

by webmaster@insaf.pk (tkiadmin)