In USA, a tradition has been kept alive when the president and his wife make it a point to serve food and celebrate Christmas amongst the poor in a homeless house. Such traditions continue to be followed in other European countries.
In Pakistan, our elected political leaders would normally be seen in the past, visiting their constituencies celebrating Eid with their constituents, or making other symbolic gestures like sitting down for food with the poor and deprived sections of society. What we have witnessed during the past decade is a complete and ever widening disconnect between the ruling political elite and the people whose votes put them in these positions.
Millions of homeless displaced by floods continue to suffer in Sindh, KP, Balochistan and parts of Punjab and nobody except Edhi or few other private agencies seems to be bothered by their sufferings and misery.
The president either embarks on a foreign visit, or goes to Dubai to spend Eid with his family, who lives there and has rarely visited his constituency. Would it not serve to enhance his image if the president and Prime Minister would be seen separately serving food to the homeless in an Edhi Centre, or amongst their poor constituents?
Security concerns (which are a consequence of policies that they follow and directly linked to their lack of credibility) prevent them to step outside the fortresses where they live.
Can we imagine the public outcry if President Barack Obama, or his predecessor were to visit Canada on Christmas and Easter to celebrate the occasion with their families, because they prefer to live outside USA. Why do our elected leaders love to live like kings?
Even the heads of major opposition parties are not seen celebrating Eid in Pakistan, because either they would prefer to spend this time visiting Mecca or Medina to seek forgiveness, instead of perhaps pleasing the Almighty more, if they were to be seen serving people of their countries with sincerity and devotion. This elitist archaic mindset prevails only in Pakistan and is not seen in Iran, Turkey, Malaysia and other Muslim majority states.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
