All is not lost!

The real crisis exists in leadership. The nation is looking for leaders who could stand above self. But what it gets in return is the same tried lot mouthing the same clichés of service to the people and rest of the garbage. What is essentially wrong with us is that our leaders keep their self-interests above the national interests. At present, our leadership's interests do not represent aspirations of its people but coincide with US interests in the region. Our sovereignty has been continuously violated; when people protest against it, they are either silenced or made to disappear. Had November 3 judiciary been in place, many missing persons would have returned to their families. Indeed, heartrending it is to see the families of the missing persons, standing in the scorching heat holding placards, begging for the release of their dear ones. Included among them are young wives with small children and old parents of the disappeared. When wailing's of the sufferers are not addressed, it only breeds more extremism. Religious extremism is attributable to absence of justice hence the clamour for the shariah law.

On the restoration of judges' issue, the society stands divided into two segments. First is the large majority comprising of the poor and the largely urban middle class that the independent, free, and impartial judiciary benefits. This class has traditionally been victimised by the powerful oppressors. The second segment is a minority of fabulously rich politicians and usurpers of power; its aims are self-serving, and it must manipulate the judiciary to protect its devious interests. Sentiments of the large majority almost border on hatred against the few blocking the restoration of independent judiciary.

Justice Ramday will live as long as God wished him to, so would those who offered him a billion and a ministerial slot for his son. In a lighter vein, had Mr Ramday accepted a billion, he need not have to worry how to spend it, he could have easily sought the help of Hamesh Khan (twice awarded Sitarai-Imtiaz), former president Bank of Punjab, who slipped away leaving the NAB boys sulking.

The writer is a freelance columnist

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