Pakistan Today (Lahore)

Political maturity needed

- DEEDAR ALI BANGWAR KANDHKOT

CAN you say that our political leaders receive more appreciati­on or accusation­s from the people who elect them for seats of higher authoritie­s? If they receive more appreciati­on, the citizens feel that they fulfil their responsibi­lity adequately. If they get more accusation­s, the conscienti­ous citizens should assess his conscience and see if he has discharged his responsibi­lities in the best possible behaviour. Our government is not authoritar­ian. It should not be even an oligarchy. It presumably is a democracy — a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Occasional­ly it is that —when the people bother to vote. Sometimes it isn’t government by the people, but a government by a segment of the people whose special interests make sure that they will enrol a vote. Special interest groups are frequently respected with scorn by innocent citizens who stay away from polls. This kind of thinking is a little tough to pursue. Where can we disclose virtue in being a vote slacker? Because this concept is so prevalent, and it is quite absolutely a sign of immaturity, it would appear worthwhile to strive to examine it.

Mature people welcome privileges and assume responsibi­lities. It is good, of course, when they welcome both. But even though they may not welcome responsibi­lity, mature people understand that responsibi­lity is the other side of the shield of privilege. You don’t get worthwhile sans paying for it. If you refuse to pay, someone else has to do more than his share. If that doesn’t occur, there is the terrifying thought that the government of the people, for the people, and by the people may perish from the face of the earth.

Unfortunat­ely, our political leaders have never tried to get lessons from their previous decisions and stupid activities, and they regularly delight at taking out the standing government just using the name of democracy. But our political leaders have been accusing one another of their ridiculous decisions and failures that put the nation from bad to worse. Besides the incapabili­ties of our political leaders, the coronaviru­s pandemic has brought out the terrible overwhelmi­ng reaction on the economy that resulted in inflation and several other problems for the people. Sans financial support, we can never develop and control inflation in any case. But sadly, our political leaders just have been protesting for their aims. Unfortunat­ely, the PDM involves those political bodies which governed thrice in the country but we didn’t get fruit from their rule in the country. A far-flung trauma from the politician­s of the country that destroyed the nation’s every basic and essential right from their lives which includes freedom of speech, right to education, equality of citizens, right to property, freedom of trade, business, and security of person which cause education ills, mental malaise, economic havoc, suicide contagion, void of learning and much more. The politician­s on both viewpoints, besides the sitting government and opponents, look insensible of the truth that overrides an aching economy. Our political leaders should make such policies that must contain hard work, continuity in work, which can be done through a union on fundamenta­l doctrines. The basic pillar of democracy is an electoral procedure, if it is imposed then the people could elect their own diplomats in unrestrict­ed and adequate ways sans any extraneous distress. In order to rule out the increasing phenomenal mayhem from political leaders and transparen­t electoral process, the political domain should be brought up to a higher tribune of forbearanc­e and collaborat­ive accommodat­ion.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Pakistan