Recent events in Pakistan have brought home the realisation that things are not moving in the right direction in Pakistan. Edmund Burke in his Reflections On The Revolution in France stated that “A state without the means of some change is without the means of its conservation”. Pakistan’s establishment, both civil and military, needs to reform itself, learn from past mistakes and change before it is too late. We cannot afford this ostrich in the sand syndrome and insist upon business as usual as if nothing is wrong.
Mistakes have been made by all of us, which includes policy makers in the uniformed services. This country needs a disciplined, well equipped military to defend its geographical boundaries and the nation has made many sacrifices to ensure them the finances to do so. While welfare of our men in uniform is a legitimate need, their diversification into commercial enterprises and involvement in the business of running the state is a mistake which has taken its toll on their basic objectives. Our politicians are also to be blamed for ignoring the objectives laid down by our Founding Father, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in his speech made on 11 August 1947.
Let me once again quote what Admund Burke stated on conciliation with America, “ It is the love of the people; it is their attachment to their government, from the sense of the deep stake they have in such a glorious institution, which gives you your army and your navy, and infuses into both that liberal obedience, without which your army would be a base rabble, and your navy nothing but rotten timber”.
Pakistan has suffered more because of the rot from within than from the designs of our external enemies. We must remember that “among a people generally corrupt, liberty cannot long exist”.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
