Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani is reported as saying that “ I firmly believe that when Pakistan achieves prosperity and effectively addresses the people’s issues, then the chairman should get ten planes instead of just one,” and then further added, “ give good perks to your representatives so that they can work.” No mister Chairman, even if you are governing a rich nation, you are not entitled to any plane; have you even heard of servant leadership?

 

Enough Is Enough!
By Haroon Hashmi, PhD
Boston, MA

Will we people of Pakistan ever reach a point where we will collectively say, enough is enough, no more? Or is this concept not even in our collective conscious mind?

Why do we feel so helpless, almost fatalistic, when it comes to holding our government representatives accountable? We watch like bystanders as they go on committing one act of transgression after another against the people’s rights, plunder the national wealth, while we just keep on accepting it, why? Over the years we have created our own monster – every transgression that we let go unchecked, made this monster bigger and stronger and now we don’t know how to slay it.

As an overseas but a very patriotic and concerned Pakistani the only answer I can think of is that the masses are ignorant of their rights and have no knowledge of how public service is meant to work. There seems to be a complete lack of understanding that the people we elect as our representatives in the government are supposed to serve us and look after our collective welfare – that is why they are called public servants. A recognition that public service positions are not positions of privilege, perks, and entitlement, rather these carry an immense burden of responsibility to serve the people, and when viewed in the context of our beautiful and just faith, a form of direct accountability to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

It is not only our right but our duty, for the common good, to hold these individuals accountable when they fall short of their responsibilities in working for our interests. Instead, we let them transgress unabashedly against our rights. Inaction and passivity on our part has allowed a system of governance and public service to continue being exploited by those in power for their own interests rather than serving the citizens.

I have very little hope left in those that govern the people of Pakistan at present. It seems that most politicians and the so-called public servants do not have any moral and ethical compass left to guide them. They are intoxicated with power and wealth and seem to have lost all sense of right and wrong. It is hard to make sense of the prevailing corruption of our politicians, and those that enable them, considering that they call themselves Muslims, and we are supposed to be members of the ummah of our beloved Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

I am reminded of a book titled Men Around the Messenger by Khalid Muhammad Khalid. This book

includes short biographies of about 100 sahaba besides the four Caliphs of Islam. These included men whom the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, appointed in positions of power and responsibility over the growing Muslim communities. These sahaba would plead with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to excuse them from such duties because they felt the weight of the responsibility of being in such positions, and the consequent accountability to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. When they accepted these positions upon the insistence of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, they lived a very humble life, and were extremely diligent in managing the public wealth ensuring that they did not spend any of it on themselves – living almost in poverty.

By way of contrast, and a very glaring contrast it is, our politicians have a twisted sense of entitlement, and feel that they have earned the right to enjoy a luxurious life, supported by public funds, while governing a poor nation whose citizens are struggling for basic necessities of life. For example, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani is reported as saying that “I firmly believe that when Pakistan achieves prosperity and effectively addresses the people’s issues, then the chairman should get ten planes instead of just one” and then further added, “give good perks to your representatives so that they can work.” No Mister Chairman, even if you are governing a rich nation you are not entitled to any plane; have you even heard of servant leadership? It is your duty and responsibility to serve the people in the best possible manner, and your motivation should be your moral and ethical compass, accountability to the people you are meant to serve, and to your Creator, not the perks and planes. And talking about planes, the pictures of our politicians and leaders on chartered flights, and relaxing in expensive hotels as they and their families go on Hajj on government expense, makes me wonder if the inner voice of their conscience has completely died; how can people be so oblivious of their actions and the context in which these actions are carried out?

My hope, therefore, now lies only with the people of Pakistan. A hope that someday soon this insanity will cross their threshold of sabar and they will collectively say, enough is enough! People will have to in a non-violent, yet forceful, manner, claim their rights from the politicians and hold accountable all those in power. This is not the responsibility of one man or a few good men and women, but a job that the people of this nation must collectively take head-on for their own good and the future of their children – there is power in numbers. After all, even Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reminds us in the Qur’an, “Verily, Allah will not change the condition of a people as long as they do not change their state themselves” (Al-Ra’d 13:11).

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Dawn, June 28, 2023.