The quest for absolute power never did run smooth
Wolves have bizarre nature. They fight a lot; they don’t believe in the rule of right. They believe in the rule of might. There is no rule for right and for the wrong. The powerful takes the throne, and everyone else must wait or play schemes to be a victor. Mankind is different, in the sense that we as humans are not born wolves but rather become wolves.
The problem with power is everybody wants it. Some get it, while others spend a lifetime to achieve it. It is rare that someone uses it in the right way, for often, it is abused. The other problem with power is that it is temporary. It is not in its nature to be permanent. And of course the biggest problem with power is that it makes you delusional and whimsical – people possessed by power live under great deceptions.
The desire for power gives self-destructive fantasies which drive people to blind ends, and the desire for more never stops. Similar to the domino effect, when the first card falls, the chain doesn’t break until the last one. Perhaps that is why you will notice that the halls of power in Pakistan are played less by the brilliance of an individual’s work, and more by the ego of the individuals. It is played less by character and integrity, and more by defamation and venality.
And that’s criticism leveled not only at the government, but also the political opposition and the bureaucracy.
The power problem is perceived not just in the actions of the movers and shakers of Pakistani politics, but in the common people as well. Whether it is social media or an argument on the streets, everybody wants to win. And for that victory, that last thing one considers is the victors’ integrity or the accuracy of their statements or the truth of the matter. The social media is set ablaze with thousands of people who consider themselves and their political endorsements sacred and hence untouchable. They are slowly losing the sense to respect and acknowledge the views otherwise. It is nothing in itself but a fine example of the desire for power which lives in subconscious of individuals – particularly when, not being able to influence, they tend to fall to disgraceful comments which go beyond limits of any human decency.
Today the game of power is heavy between the sitting government and opposition. While the blood of the martyrs of Quetta is still fresh, the war of words has already begun within the power corridors of Pakistan, where there are disgraceful remarks being made by both parties. The remarks such as ‘India is sabotaging the move against the corruption’ by Imran Khan and remarks such as the ‘Indian attack on LoC and Quetta attack from Afghanistan along with Imran Khan attack to Islamabad is accidental coordination?’ by Defense Minister; are basically an ignominy to the sacrifices of Law Enforcement Agencies.
The sad part is that these agencies working around the clock for the safety of people are pointed at, are questioned and ridiculed, but when the same agencies foil assaults, they are not even acknowledged.
Remarks as such might serve a purpose in the competition of power but more than that, they annihilate the spirits of families of martyrs; for a mother who lost her son doesn’t care about who takes the house of power, all she cares about is her son and his sacrifice to be respected. Seldom the power players realize that in every appalling remark they make – dies a heart of a mother, a father.
As the tears are still warm of the families who lost their loved ones in Quetta, the game of thrones move a step further. The Supreme Court is due to hear the case on Panama Papers on November 1st. Imran Khan has given an ultimatum – he’s taking to the streets of the capital on the 2nd.
There will be great resistance to the protestors by government and, as per usual, there will be much verbal warfare with much mudslinging from either side. But that’s it – that’s the power game. The game is dirty. It can blacken even the most generous of thoughts. But in between all this, it is often forgotten that history is written by will and wants of millions of people, not by desire of individuals to ascend higher and higher. After all, the illusion of being powerful is dangerous. It can make a man do strange things.