Would it be too much to wish that Pakistan may have a selfless leader like Quaid-e-Azam or Allama Iqbal, men contended with honour and dignity of office that they hold, who pay taxes, yearn to live in the hearts and minds of people, devoid of any greed for ill-gotten money, who consider state funds as trust, instead of spoils of war, act as custodian and protector of state owned enterprises, make appointments strictly on merit, who do not abuse power, nor misuse official status and powers for promotion of family business? Can citizens of Pakistan expect rule of law in 2016, not just mere rhetoric and pep talk? Is it not a mockery of our constitution and laws that not a single high profile criminal involved in robbing state of billions through corruption and land grabbing has ever been punished?
When will we have an independent and powerful Election Commission and a judiciary which backs it, with enough teeth and moral courage to scrutinise every potential candidate vying to hold elected office in accordance with laws? Why should law enforcement and state prosecution become impotent and not arrest criminals, be they elected politicians, paid civil or khaki officials, or members of powerful pressure groups? Will 2016 see an end to this license to kill rape and mutilate helpless orphans, men and women by spoilt brats and scions of powerful affluent elite who seem to have been given a permit to commit heinous crimes and then get away after paying compensation?
Why should every government always end up appointing individuals who have been accused of financial and administrative indiscipline? When will Pakistan have rulers who do not suffer from inferiority complex and live in houses spread over few canals, instead of scores of acres and why should this country which cannot provide basic education, health, clean water and protection of live and private property to ordinary citizens, spend crores on providing security to private residences of such rulers, who do not even pay taxes due from them?
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
