Mass displacement of bureaucrats takes place as soon as the government changes, although as individuals and as an institution they are supposed to be apolitical. Senior bureaucrats are generally identified as pro one party or the other. Politicians have used the military to leverage their power and army leadership has grossly interfered in politics, even seizing power four times spanning nearly half the life of the country. This applies as much to the bureaucracy and judiciary as it is to the military. Leadership of state institutions too need to do serious introspection. But at least there has to be a realisation among the leadership how much we have drifted from the path of sanity and this dangerous and suicidal political power play has to stop. No one expects that the situation in Pakistan will change overnight and we will be capable of overcoming our weaknesses. So, it is so critical to ensure and preserve the integrity of democratic institutions. If leaders come to power through unfair means then they will pursue national and foreign policies that serve their ends rather than of the masses and the country. By this fraudulent power play they would be eventually destroying their credibility with the broad masses, lowering the country’s image abroad and pushing the country further toward anarchy and not realising that no enemy could inflict as much harm on the country as they are doing. The vilest aspect of it is that the leadership of government and opposition is deliberately fabricating facts to let down their opponents by deceiving the public for either attaining or retaining power. What is worse, truth and fair play is fast becoming a rare phenomenon. Not that one expects such leaders to be born in normal times or that the present society is capable of throwing up leaders of that caliber, but certainly more responsible and dedicated that care for the masses. It was the selfless and inspiring leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah that led to the creation of Pakistan which has few parallels in history.Įver since the death of the Quaid and soon after the blatant murder of Liaqat Ali Khan, Pakistan has been starved of good leadership. We do not have to look outside for role models. The fortunes of the people changed dramatically when a scrupulously honest leader Lee Kuan Yew took charge as prime minister of Singapore in 1959. South Africa turned the corner when the first black leader as upright and farsighted as Nelson Mandela became the Prime Minister. More significantly, only those countries have achieved political stability and economic progress and moved ahead who were led by honest and dedicated leaders. Apart from that, every religion and social norms lay the highest emphasis on it and as a Muslim majority country we have a special responsibility. Probably we fail to realise that honesty and integrity is a functional requirement of a society and a nation. He has also served as chairman of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories Board The writer is a retired lieutenant general of the Pakistan Army and a former federal secretary.
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