Pakistan’s unfortunate fate has been treachery hatched by few conspiring to remove from archives the 11 August, 1947, address by Quaid-e-Azam to Constituent Assembly. Even after 68 years, there is a vested group which advocates that democracy is not suited to the intellect of people, knowing full well that the objective of struggle by Quaid and Allama Iqbal for the creation of Pakistan was self rule as a modern democratic welfare state. What these people forget is that it was masses and not the British trained paid civil cum khaki bureaucracy, nor feudal beneficiaries of the Raj in the form of Unionist Party that supported the demand for a separate state.
His views about paid bureaucracy were elaborated when he reminded them of “constitutional and legal implications” of oath binding them to be faithful to constitution and “that executive authority flows from the Head of the Government of Pakistan”, further elaborating that “any command or orders that may come to you cannot come without sanction of the Executive Head. That is the legal position.”
While referring to role of civil and khaki bureaucracy and political opportunism of Unionist Party, created by Raj to run an occupied country, Quaid wanted Pakistan to eradicate in his words the “curse” of corruption, bribery and black marketing which we inherited in 1947. The Raj corrupted them with dole-outs of state land to buy their loyalties.
Instead of adhering to Quaid’s vision we are a country where corruption has been institutionalised, state having distanced itself from its primary obligations of welfare, education and health and instead become hostage to insatiable greed for state lands and perks by paid and elected public office holders, a remnant of Colonial Raj.
Politics of principles and ethics followed by politicians of calibre and integrity like Jinnah, Allama Iqbal etc were reduced to politics of opportunism where men without integrity abused power to become traders, serving themselves, indulging in massive tax evasion and making a mockery of ethics like conflict of interest.
ALI MALIK TARIQ
Lahore
