The streets in Tunisia and Egypt are echoing with chants for a change. People were driven to desperation after years of enduring brutal corrupt dictators. At end of the day people want justice, security and ability to sustain their lives because this is really what matters.
They are not bothered whether this is delivered to them by dictators like Lee Kuan of Singapore, or democracy in Norway. The people of Singapore, with a literacy rate of 99% accepted Lee Kuan because he was an honest authoritarian, a man of integrity who transformed his small country into an economic power, with a GDP more than oil producing self serving Arab kingdoms of Middle East.
Hosni Mubarak was secular and served his interests. The regime neither provided people relief, nor a relief valve. Egyptians were generally liberal, who loved and cherished their past. Years of political suppression denied any role for a credible opposition to emerge and play its role. Today streets of Cairo and Alexandria have been taken over by a mob, without any leader.
Military dictatorships have failed to deliver, because men in uniform neither have vision, nor the intellect to lead a nation. Top khaki generals of Egypt with their hands in the till have contributed more to drive the people to desperation than to defend its geographical boundaries.
One only hopes that the elected government and the opposition parties in Pakistan start delivering to people of Pakistan, instead of mere lip service to democracy. The mood on the streets of Pakistan is not very good.
There is an almost galloping inflation where cartels have played havoc. The institution of army has been weakened by men like Musharraf and Zia. Its image has been tarnished. Corruption scams have become common and what is more alarming is that there is no remorse by those accused of pilfering the state or its people.
People perceive the Supreme Court of Pakistan to be the sole institution with any credibility. Street crimes are becoming unbearable and target killings, especially in Karachi threaten the writ of law and the state. Politicians need to reform themselves so that civil bureaucracy, police and security services can be tamed to serve the people and address their basic issues.
MALIK TARIQ
Lahore
