Pakistan: In Quest of Reality for Navigational Change

Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.

 

Towards Understanding the Reality of Problems

In its formative history of 70 years, the nation is fraught with tragedies. The legal dismissal of PM Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court on financial corruption provides a fresh opportunity to the nation to think critically and with an inward eye on systematic change for sustainable future-making without feudal lords and sadistic politicians. It will be a misfortune if the nation and its thinking hubs could not think out of the box to prosecute the Sharif family and other complicit for crimes against the people of the Pakistan. How strange, based on incoming media reports, the governing party is planning to bring-in another criminal figure – Shahbaz Sharif - brother of the same gang to get re-elected and assume power as PM until the next elections in 2018. There are contradictions in appearance and reality. The ruling elite lack collective consciousness and interest of the nation to be supreme in dealing with the future. The appearance of people-oriented democracy is a hoax in Pakistan except political gangsterism, backdoor political intrigues and maligned conspiracies to manage the political powerhouses. Adaptation of this strategy facilitates absolute rule over all the affairs of the nation without accountability as if there are no other conscientious and thinking people within the society. This is how Sharif brothers, Bhuttos, Zardaris and few Generals have governed and consumed precious time of more than half of a century and essentially destroyed the moral-intellectual and natural infrastructures of the nation-building. None of these were leaders as they were the by-products of the legacy of military dictatorships in a nation that was evolved over historical time on moral, intellectual and democratic principles to usher a new age of freedom and national identity. The foundation of Pakistan was a national movement and its imperatives must remain active as a living movement for continuous changes and adaptation to the challenges of future-making. If the Pakistani nation moves beyond symbolism and imagines the dream of planned political change and future-making, it must rethink and disconnect itself with the crime-riddled feudal families and their accomplices. Learning from the present and past is of utmost vitality to focus on a new strategic direction leading to harmony, peace and stability within the body politics of Pakistan. One wonders, why isn’t there an immediate concern for setting-up a non-partisan government of national unity under an able leadership and to workout systematic changes and new strategic plans for restructuring the obsolete neo-colonial systems of institutions and governance across the board. Nations are not developed by thugs and criminals but by thinking people of intellect, proactive vision and intelligence to make positive things happen.

 

Naïve egoism will persist if Sharif’s sudden departure does not lead to major political shaping up of the failed political systems. The nation deserves time and opportunities for a just and fair treatment of all the legal cases against Sharif family. Corrupt politics is not a new phenomenon in the history of Pakistan. Sahrif brothers cannot ignore the 2014 implications of political killings at the religious compound of Dr. Tahir al Qadari’s Minhaj al Quran Academy at Lahore without any accountability. Why should Pakistani nation give any importance to Sharif family in a future political order? Consequences of their planned and politically managed viciousness and crimes committed against the interests of the masses should not go unchecked and unpunished. Reasoned judgments must clarify and sort out the embedded puzzles and hold the criminals fully responsible for their share of the crimes.

 

How to Rethink about Making a Navigational Change?

No wonder, why the dead-conscience people always glorify their own dead mindset to entrap the present and future of the nation? The question is, could dead people make any difference in rebuilding the beleaguered nation? Is there any cure to the political and intellectual cruelty inflicted to the interests of the people of Pakistan? Why the Pakistani nation failed to bring forth new, educated and intellectually credible people to assume the leadership role in politics? Was it pre-determined that Pakistanis should live and breathe in a corrupt and filthy culture of governance dominated by the few? How strange, the people and nations of the 21^st century world are fostering change, new ideas and creativity across all the major domains of human affairs but not the Pakistanis? True or false, American policy makers believe that Pakistan is a century behind the norms of modern change and development agenda. Where would the change come from if Pakistanis are living in the dead past - the world of fantasy that cannot appear in the mirror?

To rethink and imagine the true purpose and meaning of the 1940 and onward the National Freedom Movement of Pakistan and its democratic outcomes and to rebuild the decadent moral and intellectual capacity of the nation, Pakistan needs a Navigational Change for the future. Such an ideal and real world priority can only be imagined by visionary, educated and intelligent leaders, out of their rational thoughts and strategic plans for societal change and future-building.

 

Few years earlier, in “Pakistan: Leaders or Criminals.” Uncommon Thoughts Journal, USA: 11/07/2014), this author offered the following observations about now indicted and defunct PM Nawaz Sharif and his corrupt governance:

 

Pakistan's worst enemies are those who are unable to listen to voices of reason and peaceful activism for political change. The ruling elite and the people live in a conflicting time zone being unable to understand the meaning and essence of the Pakistan's Freedom Movement. Pakistan faces multiple chronic problems which could undermine its future. To all concerned and thinking Pakistanis, the country needs a Navigational Change or we could end up losing our national freedom. What is the cure to the current problems? There is no magic pill to deal with all critical situations except a comprehensive new systematic approach for 'Anew Pakistan.' Few decades earlier, in "Pakistan: Enigma of Change" (Media Monitor Network, USA) and "Revisiting Pakistan Enigma of Change", this author offered proactive vision for planned political change to evolve new institutions and new-age educated leadership for a sustainable future. For too long, the masses have experienced tormenting pains and political cruelty. Nawaz Sharif and his brother must be tried in a court of law for the killings of 14 civilians and injuring 80 peaceful activists at Minhaj al Quran Academy Lahore and stolen wealth. Despite evidence, the FIR against Sharif was not registered by police. Nawaz Sharif has no political integrity and must step down or take leave of absence. There is substantial evidence for the 2013 election rigging by the election commission members. Sharif would need a powerful jolt as criminals do not exit voluntarily from powerhouses. It will provide a logical breathing space for a planned and workable remedy to a highly critical political crisis and to enhance a sustainable Change goal. A new Government of National Unity should be formed under a non-partisan and non-political leader of moral and intellectual integrity for a period of two years; a New Constitution should be framed with new public institutions under leadership of new generation of educated people; and then a new election could give meaning and clarity to the purpose of democracy and to transform the ideals of a progressive legitimate functional democracy. The Need is desperate for the Pakistani nation to think critically and see the Mirror and stand firm in raising voices of reason for accountability and political change. The people must ponder at past misconceptions and errors of judgments and to bring the 21^st century's educated, proactive and intelligent young people into political leadership role and to safeguard the national interest, freedom of the nation and its future.

 

(Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in international affairs, Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and author of several publications including: Global Peace and Conflict Management: Man and Humanity in Search of New Thinking. Germany, May 2012. His forthcoming book is entitled: One Humanity and the Remaking of Global Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution.)