While having some free time to relax and stretch my arms in the office a couple of days ago, I started receiving text messages from my friends telling about some ‘Breaking News’ on all our national TV Channels. Most senior ‘Journalists’ & ‘Anchorpersons’ had taken their seats to discuss current crisis of the government and making predictions with analysts on board. Everyone was warning:
“Pakistan Tareekh Kay Aik Aur Nazuk Daur Say Guzar Raha Hai”
Instead of my usual reaction, which is browsing through different news websites and their facebook updates, I smiled and shook my head in despair. I logged on to Youtube & started listening to this famous song by Shahzad Roy “Laga Reh”. If you listen to this song as entertainment, it’s Ok but if you take it seriously, it makes you feel ashamed and embarrassed.
There is no doubt that Pakistan is facing ‘another’ difficult time in history and as the time passes the situation is getting worse for the common man. Talk to your friends, colleagues, family members or even with your political opponents, you will find the same sentiment all over & everyone is desperate for a change, some comparing the present government with the previous regime, some trying hard to prove that the things were quite good in the time of dictatorship & so on.
The question is where does the problem lie? It probably lies in ‘us’. Think honestly, how many of us really care about the honesty and sincerity of the person we cast our vote for? How many of us really spare some of our precious time and investigate the credibility and character of the contestants in our constituency? I’m sure very few of us seriously think and make this effort.
When we need to buy a cell phone, we discuss all the pros and cons with our friends; we read blogs and reviews, check out the comparison and statistics, the brand and all the hot features. But when it comes to cast our vote which could make a difference to the lives of millions of Pakistanis, our priorities take a U-turn. The things we stress upon are Ethnicity, Sect, personal relationships and so on.
If you really love Pakistan at least as much as your cell phone and if you really want to make Pakistan a real Islamic Welfare State, here are the criteria you should have in mind before you go & cast your vote
Article 62 of the constitution states:
Qualifications for membership of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament):
(d) He is of good character and is not commonly known as one who violates Islamic Injunctions;
(e) He has adequate knowledge of Islamic teachings and practices obligatory duties prescribed by Islam as well as abstains from major sins;
(f) He is sagacious, righteous and non-profligate, honest and amen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law;
(g) He has not, after the establishment of Pakistan, worked against the integrity of the country or opposed the ideology of Pakistan.
The solution is right there. Act upon it and Pakistan will fly for sure. I hope you will not violate the Constitution this time.
Pakistan Zindabad!