Nations and countries decide their policies keeping their national interest as the focal point. However, that shall not be seen as a moral contradiction of what they have been preaching otherwise. If this is the case, then it amounts to be termed as double standards, or more bluntly, it is moral corruption.
The US Congress is in the process of deciding to confer Congressional Gold Medal on Dr Shakil Afridi, the doctor who allegedly helped Americans to track OBL in Abbottabad, while at the same time Bradley Manning, the intelligence analyst who allegedly leaked secret documents including combat videos to Wikileaks, is going to face court martial and could be imprisoned for life if convicted. But here in Pakistan, the advice from the Pakistani judicial commission investigating the 2 May OBL fiasco, is to prosecute Dr Shakil Afridi for treason. He could face death penalty if treason charges are proved against him in Pakistani courts.
Where do we stand on moral grounds: is helping someone in catching world’s most wanted terrorist an act of treason? Does releasing some documents showing the real face of our ruling elite fall under ‘aiding enemy’ charges (good enough for court-martial)?
How to weigh between national interest and moral corruption?
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
