Waiting for a Hazare
Iftekhar A Khan
Social activist Anna Hazare, who had ended up in jail for announcing and then starting a fast unto death in protest against endemic corruption in the political and bureaucratic circles of India, is now in his seventh day of fasting. He has already lost five kilograms. When he announced his decision on Aug 14 to go on hunger strike for an indefinite period, the city police clamped down restrictions to preclude him from reaching the venue near Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
What exactly is Hazare’s mission? Is it in self-interest, in public interest, in the national interest? Or is it only to gain popularity? What is it, after all, that has earned him huge public support? What if his mission is contagious, what if it spills over into our dear land where corruption has attained new heights and where the most corrupt are the most invincible?
The battle against corruption rages in both countries, but the nature of the battle is different in each. In India it is social activism that is causing the upheaval; in Pakistan it is the judiciary that is acting against the corrupt among the high and the mighty. While the Indian prime minister’s person is untainted by corruption, the prime minister in Pakistan does everything to fend off Supreme Court edicts against members of his family and his cronies. So far, he has treated court orders as missiles lobbed at him that he could easily deflect with state power and money at his disposal. His luck is likely to hold out because in the sacred land there is no Hazare prepared to fast unto death.
Can we imagine any of our politicians introducing an anti-graft bill in parliament? Can we expect our saintly prime minister to announce: “I have realised, though belatedly, that corruption in the land has become a way of life. It is now second nature for our politicians and bureaucrats. So I intend to introduce an anti-corruption bill. To begin with, instead of using devious tactics to obstruct judicial probes into the case of Swiss Bank accounts and the Haj and ICL scams, my democratically elected government will expedite them.” What a dream!
Nevertheless, it is perplexing why corruption scandals in India have caused so much of public outcry and brought thousands of Indians out on the roads, while our public remains largely insensitive. Even Amitabh Bachchan and Lata Mangeshkar have expressed support for Hazare. What about our Lollywood figures? It is hard to believe that there isn’t a single Hazare among Pakistan’s 180 million to force the government to enact an anti-graft law. Equally perplexing it is why people, especially the educated middle class, don’t come out in support of the Supreme Court, which has vowed to protect people’s rights and safeguard the public exchequer. Unfortunately, most of us only like to sit back and talk. Why not cast the first pebble by writing a letter in a newspaper to show that you count?
There is no doubt that the government has been following a script, and the script is the immoral NRO. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has made it impossible for the government to act completely in accordance with the script. During the crucial times ahead, there is only one hope for the people of Pakistan, and it is embodied in the person of Chief Justice Chaudhry. While the higher judiciary rekindles public aspirations and leads the way against corruption and nepotism, it urgently deserves follow-up actions by the politicians.[HI] If hundreds of thousands can rally behind Hazare, why can’t they rally behind a political leader? How about seizing the opportunity, Imran Khan?[/HI]
The writer is a freelance columnist based in Lahore.
Email: [email protected]
http://thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=64191&Cat=9
Iftekhar A Khan
Social activist Anna Hazare, who had ended up in jail for announcing and then starting a fast unto death in protest against endemic corruption in the political and bureaucratic circles of India, is now in his seventh day of fasting. He has already lost five kilograms. When he announced his decision on Aug 14 to go on hunger strike for an indefinite period, the city police clamped down restrictions to preclude him from reaching the venue near Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
What exactly is Hazare’s mission? Is it in self-interest, in public interest, in the national interest? Or is it only to gain popularity? What is it, after all, that has earned him huge public support? What if his mission is contagious, what if it spills over into our dear land where corruption has attained new heights and where the most corrupt are the most invincible?
The battle against corruption rages in both countries, but the nature of the battle is different in each. In India it is social activism that is causing the upheaval; in Pakistan it is the judiciary that is acting against the corrupt among the high and the mighty. While the Indian prime minister’s person is untainted by corruption, the prime minister in Pakistan does everything to fend off Supreme Court edicts against members of his family and his cronies. So far, he has treated court orders as missiles lobbed at him that he could easily deflect with state power and money at his disposal. His luck is likely to hold out because in the sacred land there is no Hazare prepared to fast unto death.
Can we imagine any of our politicians introducing an anti-graft bill in parliament? Can we expect our saintly prime minister to announce: “I have realised, though belatedly, that corruption in the land has become a way of life. It is now second nature for our politicians and bureaucrats. So I intend to introduce an anti-corruption bill. To begin with, instead of using devious tactics to obstruct judicial probes into the case of Swiss Bank accounts and the Haj and ICL scams, my democratically elected government will expedite them.” What a dream!
Nevertheless, it is perplexing why corruption scandals in India have caused so much of public outcry and brought thousands of Indians out on the roads, while our public remains largely insensitive. Even Amitabh Bachchan and Lata Mangeshkar have expressed support for Hazare. What about our Lollywood figures? It is hard to believe that there isn’t a single Hazare among Pakistan’s 180 million to force the government to enact an anti-graft law. Equally perplexing it is why people, especially the educated middle class, don’t come out in support of the Supreme Court, which has vowed to protect people’s rights and safeguard the public exchequer. Unfortunately, most of us only like to sit back and talk. Why not cast the first pebble by writing a letter in a newspaper to show that you count?
There is no doubt that the government has been following a script, and the script is the immoral NRO. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has made it impossible for the government to act completely in accordance with the script. During the crucial times ahead, there is only one hope for the people of Pakistan, and it is embodied in the person of Chief Justice Chaudhry. While the higher judiciary rekindles public aspirations and leads the way against corruption and nepotism, it urgently deserves follow-up actions by the politicians.[HI] If hundreds of thousands can rally behind Hazare, why can’t they rally behind a political leader? How about seizing the opportunity, Imran Khan?[/HI]
The writer is a freelance columnist based in Lahore.
Email: [email protected]
http://thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=64191&Cat=9
