Free of Corruption, Full of Contradiction
By Syed Kamran Hashmi
Westfield, IN
Keeping conspiracy theories aside, what would you think of the United States if America hired BaitullahMehsood, the former Chief of Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan, to fight the insurgency in Afghanistan? Or negotiated with Aimen al Zawahiri to root out Al Qaida? Again, before you give me a knee jerk response, I urge you not to think of the ‘parallel universe’ for a minute, as it will not help to get to the bottom-line.
Put it another way: what would you think of Chicago if its police secured a deal with Al Capone-instead of arresting him and sending him behind the bars-to fight organized crime in the mid-20th century? And today, how would you regard Mexico if its President wants to wage a war against drug trafficking through the leader of Sinaloa Cartel, JaquinGuzma n, the El Chapo, ?
Yet another way: share your thoughts with me if Pakistani Army allied itself with Mullah Fazlullah to help establish peace in Swat? or referred to ASWJ (AhleSunnatwalJammat) to bring sectarian harmony back in the country?
If still not clear, what would you think of Saudi Arabia, if its Royals announced to strengthen the rule of the House of Sauds through democracy? And establish an ideal Islamic Caliphate through freedom of speech and assembly?
You would doubt the sincerity-and may be the sanity-of every government in all accounts. Not sure about their agenda, worrying about the values they stand for, you would worry whether America stands against Islamic terrorism or support it; whether Saudi Arabia wants to introduce democracy in the Kingdom or continue monarchy, whether Pakistan Army is fighting the anarchists or helping them rock the already shaky rule of law.
The point is: how can anyone stand both in favor of a proposal and against it at the same time? Not logically possible. However, when it comes to politics in Pakistan same illogical contradicting proposals become the defining moral values, virtues to wreak a havoc, principles to tear down the democratic institutions and rules to sabotage what we as a nation have gained in the last ten years after the judicial crisis. How? Let me explain:
All the top leaders of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and JamiatUlama e Islam (JUIF) need to be thoroughly investigated for financial embezzlement, their properties both in and out of the country be documented, their sources of incomes verified and their way of life be compared with their earnings. No one should be spared. People have got the right to demand accountability and transparency from their rulers.
But what would you think if the demand to establish peace in Swat, for example, came from Mullah Fazlullah? The urge to investigate money laundering from Altaf Hussein? The call for principled politics from Sheikh Rasheed? The desire for financial transparency from Jahangir Khan Tareen?
Moving a step forward, how would you describe the politics of Shah Mehmood Qureshi which is based on the systematic exploitation of the religious sentiments of his disciples? Would you not question how much money he makes every year from donations and how that money is spent to build family fortunes?
On top, if personal life is included in the criteria too, the ‘no-go-area’ of PTI (Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf) , then the Chairman’s own character would not allow him to contest in any elections-and yet he stands in front of the camera on the higher moral pedestal reciting the Book of God.
I mean seriously, is that how we are going to set the foundation of corruption-free Pakistan by asking the most dishonest, most controversial of all to join hands and lock down Islamabad? People with no sense of personal, political, religious or financial accountability have got together and formulated a party to attack the common will of the people, to deride its institutions and to mock its way of life and government.
If by saying that you think I only blame PTI leaders for the situation that the country faces today while denying any charges against the leadership of PML-N, you are wrong. I do not defend any party. If PML-N is found guilty of financial misconduct, send them to jail. But remember, while doing that we do not want to give the keys of the correction center to a group of organized and well-recognized culprits. For justice to prevail, the criminals of PTI have to be dealt with the same way as the criminals of PML-N, an unacceptable proposal for PTI activists who believe that their members should be kept immune from investigation.Why? because they have joined the ‘righteous party.’
Their response after reading the above comments? Blame people like me for supporting PMLN, corruption mafia, status quo and so on. The truth however must be told: much more than a political party or its leaders, the political system needs to be safeguarded 24/7 like a precious jewel. As imperfect as it is, if allowed to run without interruption, the data suggests that it still can usher the country out of all its current crises with or without a Messiah. So if you threaten the democratic system by creating a chaos, no matter how clean you look and no matter how sincere you act, you are threatening the only chance that Pakistan has to move out of its problems.
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