Leaders without shame, people without courage
Justice Asif Saeed Khosa’s note to the detailed judgement on Mr. Gilani’s contempt of court case comes by way of an anguished exhortation in a legal matter. Running the risk of being labelled partisan, the learned judge could not curb a poetic expression of dismay at the lack of character that the nation continues to exhibit in dismantling the despotic mindset residing in the echelons of power.
From amongst a vast repertoire of failings, the two lines that best reflect the state of our society are “pity the nation whose leaders see no shame in crime” and “pity the nation that punishes its weak and poor but is shy of bringing its high and mighty to book”. No prescription could be written more succinctly or more effectively!
Of all the ills that plague this country, the lack of self-respect and courage of its people is by far the most intriguing. Instead of rebelling against their deprivations, joining hands in initiating a struggle towards genuine emancipation and freeing themselves from the clutches of captivity, they remain woefully self-focussed in their bid for a few miserly morsels. Tragically, we are inexorably inching towards the other extreme: that of glorifying crime and all its attendant manifestations. The instances of proven convicts being given prime-time media space for airing their convoluted defence are simply mind-boggling and reflect the regressive symptoms that have besieged the conscience of the nation. Its most depraved display is that of Mr. Gilani insisting on remaining the ‘prime minister’ in spite of having lost all moral and, according to many, even constitutional legitimacy and nonchalantly taking off for the UK, accompanied by a coterie of over seventy sycophants boring a huge dent in the national exchequer, to engage their leadership in a strategic dialogue that may impact the future of the country. Nothing could be more demeaning, casting a slur on the basic principles signifying human dignity, but the conscience of the nation remains besieged. Without doubt, Khalil Gibran was right: “Pity the nation that raises not its voice / save when it walks in funeral / boasts not except among its ruins / and will rebel not save when its neck is laid / between the sword and the block”.
While regression can be generally traced to lack of education and enlightenment and to the militant indoctrination doled out by a spate of madrassas sprouting all over, its presence should pave the way for initiating urgent remedial steps. That would not work to the benefit of the ruling mafias who prosper only by perpetuating the domain of darkness and whose survival will be endangered when faced with even a flickering ray of light to free the enslaved and the down-trodden. So, the nation stands condemned perpetually to suffer the dungeons of darkness with each generation giving way to the next that is even more inclined to obscurantism and militancy and given more to the sway of evil. The path of salvation lies eternally blocked. Sufferance is a way of living. So accustomed have the people become to this painful confinement that even the thought of freedom is scoffed at.
The self-anointed leadership of the PPP and the band of its cronies, suffering incessantly from a deeply-ingrained persecution complex, never tire of parroting the sacrifices they have rendered in the name of ‘democracy’. The last of the endless chain ended in the proclamation of the notorious NRO that remains, by far, the most devious mechanism ever employed to legitimise crime and corruption. The allied and not-so-allied leaderships in the provinces remain busy in their own loot and plunder in the name of service to the people as the country continues to plunge irretrievably into anarchy and mayhem. But the nation’s conscience remains besieged.
As an aftermath of a judgement that, in spite of intense provocation and grave insults hurled at their impartiality, the honourable judges succeeded in keeping within the defined parameters of the constitution, the nation stands effectively split. A thin belt in Sindh stands with the PPP, a noisy few are understandably supporting the opposition’s stance in asking Mr. Gilani to go home, but, regrettably, a vast majority remains aloof and totally unconcerned with the goings-on either because of their own more pressing existential issues, or because they have lost faith in the entire spectrum of political leadership on display. They are totally de-motivated.
But, can their continued silence be a remedy to curing the demonisation that the country is afflicted with as also their own future? That’s not the way it happens and that’s not the way it is going to happen. So the challenge before the few who are still interested in putting this country back on the rails and guiding its people to refuse the venomous doses of regression that they are being continually fed is to get their motivation back and to bring them centre-stage as the main cast in the unfolding drama we call Pakistan. Unless people claim ownership of their destinies and move to initiate a movement to end their enslavement, the forces of the status quo would continue to tighten the stranglehold to curb the voices of dissent. The brave may be few to begin with, but they come bearing a message of hope. The problem is that they may cast the first stones to dismantle the corrupt edifice, but they cannot succeed unless joined in by every single citizen who comes inspired with the dream of change leading to freedom from the yoke of slavery wrongfully dubbed as ‘democracy’. In reality, it is nothing more than a crude exploitation of the decadent instruments that perpetuate the hold of a few over the rest.
The writer is a political analyst and a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He can be reached at [email protected]
Extremely biased and one sided comments aiming at some cheap politcal point scoring. Pity on tha nation which has lost even an iota of fairness
i was a little upset with the lack of unbiased analysis of the prime ministers predicament by the author. i completely understood the authors perspective when i read that he belonged to an opposing political party. my question is what if the judges are baised because the government did not reinstate them till they were forced by the long march and the military intervention. remember that the judges are human and have all the weaknesses that any politicians would have. therefore judicial constraint is advised.
It is true we have become a nation of ostriches! hiding our heads in the sand shying away from realities of life or running around in circles entertaining the weasels that rules us.
poetry, and that too of the judge's own composition has no place in a legal judgement. Poetry is an extremely subjective thing. A legal judgement should be objective and should stick to the law and the judge's opinion of how the law must be implemented in a particular case.
Personally, I think the judge went for scoring a point to glorify himself in the pages of history. Quoting a poet in a judgment is in poor taste, serves no purpose either to convict the accused or to absolve him of all charges. However, like in the past, even now our judiciary is most tainted. Their biggest glory being being the long march which reinstated them. Though to me there could not be a more shameful act. The CJ heading many rallies to get his chair back. It would have been correct and certainly very dignified had he submitted his case to the Supreme Judicial Council. By taking a more political route, his message is clear to all, if you want a judgment in your favour do not go to the courts but seek it though mobilising public sentiment. In light of what I have written I think the PM has done the right thing. And the punishment awarded till rising of the court. What a farce! A petty thief gets 14 years rigorous imprisonment. So whom are they trying to please, maybe the galleries!!
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