Nawaz to Take Oath in Costly Sherwani
By Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd.)
Westridge, Rawalpindi
How I wish the above news doing rounds on the Internet is not true. And if it is true, nothing could be more ridiculous. Would Nawaz Sharif look any more dignified in his costly sherwani than Manmohan Singh in his cotton kurta pyjama? Why can't he emulate his favorite Indian leader in matters of austerity and simplicity? How could he sermonize the nation to shun ostentation and avoid extravagance if he himself cannot practice frugality? Deegar ra naseehat – Khud Mian fasihat!!
Incidentally, if the rumor is true someone must be taking him for a ride by selling him the ‘designer’s sherwani’ for 15 lacs! I wonder how many millions the “coronation” shalwar to match the sherwani would cost! I think, a whole lot of school kids in some poor locality of Pakistan could have their full uniform with that kind of money. Remember only yesterday, the Chinese PM asked the GOP that the money to be spent on his reception should be diverted for the welfare of the underprivileged segment of Pakistani society. That is what true leadership is all about and that’s how real leaders care for the poor.
And, here we have spendthrifts spending millions on their ‘coronation’ costumes. Does it not speak of the real worth? How small they are that they have to prop up their personality by making use of such superficial props! One wonders how much would the rest of the regalia - the receptions, the banquets and the accompanying ceremonies - cost to the national exchequer on this occasion.
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