Here are some of the issues which I think require immediate attention in order for the dream of a Naya Pakistan to come true.
First and foremost is the issue of population control. Pakistan, with a population of approximately 190 million is the sixth most populated country in the world, having started off as the 13th most populated country in the world in 1950 with a population of around 40 million. It is a widely understood fact that a large population with a limited number of resources lowers down the living standard of a country, causing a huge amount of burden on the health and education facilities. So, in order to have a Pakistan where people have adequate civic facilities available, we need to drastically increase the amount of infrastructure whereas at the same time limiting our population.
Will Imran Khan devise a birth control policy for the sake of this country despite of the religious and traditional hurdles he might have to face? Will he stand up to the Mullah brigade and silence their nonsensical rhetoric about how birth control is a work of the Satan?
Second is the issue of religious minorities. A non-Muslim, no matter how brilliant he is, how many international laurels he can win for Pakistan and even if he is the best man for the job can never go on and become the President or the Prime Minister which is outright discrimination. Shouldn’t these laws be repealed in a “Naya Pakistan” which would be solely based on merit? If Imran Khan wants to introduce meritocracy, this is the least he can do to ensure that all such laws which give rise to religious apartheid are abolished.
Third is the issue of regulation of madarrasas and mosques. There are around 24,000 registered madarassas in Pakistan, with countless unregistered ones too catering for around 1.7 million students who are provided with living and lodging facilities. There is a need to streamline and reform the curriculum being taught in these madarassas as well as to standardise the Friday sermons being delivered in every mosque of the country, so the issue of sectarianism can be resolved and the values of tolerance, equality, love and patriotism can be promoted.
In a nutshell, the idea of a Pakistan where they would be peace, development and stability is easier to fantacise than it is to implement. If in Naya Pakistan, the rulers would have the audacity to stand up against the status quo and introduce social reforms which are badly needed by the country, then that would most certainly lead to a more prosperous country. If not, then perhaps we should try searching for a new captain and a new team to make that dream a reality.
MOHAMMAD ALI ILAHI
Lahore