Reference your editorial “The rebuff in India”, had Raja Pervaiz served the electorate, protected their lives and provided sufficient energy to keep wheels of our industry rotating, the masses would themselves have prayed for divine help in ensuring victory of his political party in forthcoming elections. He should have ensured that houses, mosques, churches, schools and hospitals in Pakistan were lit all day long, instead of burning candles on graves of saints. When people die in operation theatres because of no electricity, those in power must fear the wrath of Almighty.
There is absolutely no justification for undertaking this spiritual journey to Ajmer Sharif on poor tax-payers’ money, as has become a habit in this country for rulers to go on free junkets and pilgrimages with their families. Such spiritual journeys are to be performed on hard earned legitimate self-earnings, not on taxes collected to better the lives of the deprived. God helps those who help themselves and in the case of rulers, divine blessings are theirs if they serve their people judiciously and honestly, take care of the poor and deprived, not allow anybody to pilfer tax-payers’ money, and honestly do all in their capacity as per oath they take on assuming a constitutional office. In any case, God bestows his mercy and blessings only on those who have served humanity, delivered on their promises and seek forgiveness from the depths of their hearts, and never to those who having robbed the poor, offer expensive chaddars on graves of holy saints. The prayers of poor are more likely to be answered, especially if they have been wronged and ignored. Khawaja Ajmer Sharif was a man who devoted all his life in the service of God and humanity, a saint known for his compassion for the poor and downtrodden and a man who detested dishonesty and injustices.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore