The degeneration of our political elite is a sad reality. Continuous interference and takeovers by the men in khakis have only led to the flourishing of political opportunists who have amassed immense wealth overnight through illegitimate means and now hold political power. Land grabbing from helpless poor through brute force has created such a mess that the security of citizens and their assets have become a casualty.
The state of Pakistan faces a threat from within which has been created by injustices, lawlessness, abuse of power, sectarian or ethnic divides and a wilful disregard of the rule of law by many.
Claims by a group of politicians of being clean, at least, is an acceptance of the fact that ethics is something most others lack. But the fact remains that some of these claimants are scions of corrupt bureaucrats sacked by the state or sons of retired generals notorious for accumulation of wealth during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. But if these politicians who claim to be clean have decided to pay taxes (which may fall short of their due, but is more than what others of their community contribute to the exchequer), then that does qualify them to be labelled cleaner than others.
However, the lesson of history is that when politics becomes the domain of affluent traders, industrialists and feudal lords, the individual has stood to gain more than the system. Tax evasion is politically facilitated and protected. In the case of Pakistan, the other cancerous contribution to degeneration of politics is the role of Gaddi Nasheens who have exploited the masses in the subcontinent.
RASHID ORAKZAI
Quetta
