National security and democracy

It is time for sake of posterity and sacrifices of over 1 million refugees, massacred while crossing border in 1947 and our valiant brave soldiers who laid down their lives protecting sanctity of their motherland, that those at helm understand that Pakistan should be modern welfare state of Quaid and not a garrison state of Ayub, Zia or Musharraf, nor a fiefdom of men blinded by insatiable greed for ill-gotten wealth.

There should be limits on abuse of power under garb of welfare and the fact that in a nation state it is collective good of people which must have priority over misplaced institutional ego or greed of vested interests. When land mafia dons who openly claim to put “wheels on files” have access to establishment and corridors of power, it is time to wake-up. Ever since Quaid’s death, this country has suffered numerous humiliations, from dismemberment, to having its sovereignty bartered by dictators like Zia, who allowed mercenaries and terrorists to be housed in our country, displacing millions, and hundreds of thousands in fatalities. Yet no individual or group has been hanged for their treacherous pursuits. What can be a more naked abuse of power than NRO which neither law nor ethics can justify?

Those who acquire power through ballot must understand that constitution grants powers placing limits on its exercise. The five year elected tenure is not a license or contract reducing this country to fiefdom, granting unchecked powers to make mockery of laws, or giving powers to appoint cronies and facilitate few traders in tax evasion.

The paid uniformed and civil establishment of this country must understand that they are hired to serve and protect lives and honor of citizens, not convert diminishing green agriculture belts on periphery of major cities into concrete jungles for commercial gains with devastating consequences. There should be laws disqualifying any individual with split loyalties, whose children and assets are located outside from holding elected or paid public office. Why should any government select individuals as ambassadors or intermediaries making them eligible for constitutional posts, who have pledged an oath of loyalty to another country renouncing their previous held allegiance?

MALIK TARIQ

Lahore