(by - Kashif Sarmad)
Few days back the world including Pakistan was celebrating the day of democracy. I read the message to the nation by Pakistan’s president Mr. Asif Zardari in which he encouraged and supported democracy as the ultimate resort of prosperity for this nation.
I see eye to eye with the president in this regard but only giving memo on newspapers and TV advertisement cannot emphasize the vivacity of democracy. The only mean to bring to light the significance of democracy is the ensuring good governance to the nation. The excellence of life, peace, health, education and employment to the people can not only validate the magnitude of democracy but nation will also admire it, after observing its positive outcome.
Unfortunately, in 64 years people hasn’t witnessed the importance and need of democracy. I will hold politicians accountable to depreciate the factual political principles and its accurate essence for their own vested interests of being in authority for the wealth they dig up through crooked means.
Ironically, Principle in politics has diminished to its bottom and now the most controversial figures are in the kitchen cabinet of the country who decides the fate of people and of coming generations.
Our politicians haven’t learned to serve but to rule this country. At this time, we are facing ruinous financial and administrative problems in our country. Moreover, the bureaucracy has diminished the left sanctity of serving the nation.
These days, this nation is facing all kinds of problems that ought to be resolved by politicians collectively. Poverty and inflation is increasing day by day, no employment is given on merit basis, the law and order situation is getting worse in every part of the country, the quality health and education is missing since the birth of Pakistan, our institutions are getting 2 billion of subsidy, war against terrorism has taken more then 60 thousand precious lives of our countrymen and soldiers with the cost of more then $30 billion, the integrity is being challenged by USA through drones and 02 may Abbotabad operation, in recent flood 5.5 million people became displaced and 4.5 million acre of agriculture lands are devastated etc.
There are numerous other problems which this nation is facing not due to natural calamity but due to our government’s failure in planning to protect and serve its people.
I am staunch advocate of democracy and freedom of speech, because I know its intrinsic worth in long term but will this be the mentality of our people who lives in below the poverty line with no education and striving hard everyday to earn meal for their kith and kin? I would like to say “No” to this query.
Let me share with you what people want in their lives, they want good earnings, quality health service and education, they want definite security and swift justice, they want good infrastructure and effortless access to the people who are governing them, they want elimination of inflation so they can obtain meal without difficulty, in short they desire quality of life which make them understand the importance and magnitude of democracy.
People don’t care which government should come to Islamabad or whether it’s democratic or non-democratic. All they want the above facilities which they obviously deserve as the inhabitants of this state.
I would like to request to president of the Pakistan to ponder over this and then give such avowal which mentions the importance of democracy, because people won’t understand it if their kids are hungry and they don’t have proper health facility or if they don’t have jobs or not getting justice.
2 comments:
I would like to throw some more light as there are heaps of confusions in these matters and most are clueless and confused about what's happening and what organized action needs to be taken.
Pakistani democrazy is similar to Indian in a way that it is the democracy of the elites. The state enables this by passing laws which are beneficial to them. Corporations have amassed so much wealth and power that they've managed to corrupt the highest echelons of your goverment and both of the political parties. By using their wealth they've created a sort of neo-feudalistic society where a small portion of the population controls nearly all of the wealth and the rest are essentially serfs, forever indebted to the 1% that make all the decisions and reap all the profits. This has been achieved by privatizing the gains of banks while at the same time socializing their losses. So unless and until they are controlled, nothing would move. The people most of whom are working as wage slaves on a hand to mouth basis, living paycheck to paycheck must organize themselves. As they collectively have the power to hurt the profits. If you notice, the corporate media always tries to demonize such strikes and call them illegal. A corrupt state leaves no option for a peaceful revolution and creates the circumstances for a violent retaliation. The state realizes this and bulks up it's military expenditures like the police, military and security personnel. We barely see them used to protect the borders as intended but they are used against the citizens and workers themselves.
The financial hitmen of the west basically encourage foreign direct investments and loans to build up infrastructure projects. These projects do not help most of the people. We must realize that it is an investment and the purpose of it is to get returns. It comes at a hidden cost which is exploitation of cheap labour and natural resources. A country like India and Pakistan act like neo-colonial way. The interests of these elites and corporations are directly in conflict with the interest of the public. The government inorder to reduce the debt burden allows banks to print money and create inflation thus driving cost of goods and essentials such as food higher. Thus making people work harder to meet their bare necessities and fight among themselves.
Like you I believe in democracy but the term has been twisted so badly today. Just like liberty used to mean liberty of people today it is liberty of capital and money. Which is root of all evil. I read about the historic resistance of Islam towards charging of 'interest'. The private banks have used this for pure evil.
-KC
Relevant quotes:
Those who charge usury are in the same position as those controlled by the devil's influence. This is because they claim that usury is the same as commerce. However, God permits commerce, and prohibits usury. Thus, whoever heeds this commandment from his Lord, and refrains from usury, he may keep his past earnings, and his judgment rests with God. As for those who persist in usury, they incur Hell, wherein they abide forever (Al-Baqarah 2:275)
God condemns usury, and blesses charities.God dislikes every disbeliever, guilty. Lo! those who believe and do good works and establish worship and pay the poor-due, their reward is with their Lord and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. O you who believe, you shall observe God and refrain from all kinds of usury, if you are believers. If you do not, then expect a war from God and His messenger. But if you repent, you may keep your capitals, without inflicting injustice, or incurring injustice. If the debtor is unable to pay, wait for a better time. If you give up the loan as a charity, it would be better for you, if you only knew. (Al-Baqarah 2:276-280)
O you who believe, you shall not take usury, compounded over and over. Observe God, that you may succeed. (Al-'Imran 3:130)
And for practicing usury, which was forbidden, and for consuming the people's money illicitly. We have prepared for the disbelievers among them painful retribution. (Al-Nisa 4:161)
The usury that is practiced to increase some people's wealth, does not gain anything at God. But if people give to charity, seeking God's pleasure, these are the ones who receive their reward many fold. (Ar-Rum 30:39)
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