Everybody in Pakistan is talking about change, accountability and rule of law, while media has selectively launched a campaign against ‘VIP Culture’. Yet in this country, a poor girl gets raped by three sons of an MNA in Faisalabad, and police fails to pursue the case, just because influential parliamentarian succeed in silencing parents of this unfortunate victim. Have we forgotten what was Dr Shazia Khalid’s fate, who was raped in Baluchistan, and instead of punishing or apprehending the rapists the victims family had to flee the country.
The murderers of young Shahzeb and Hamza managed to circumvent law in Karachi, because their parents could bribe their way out. Almost every day, scores of innocent human beings, including policemen are brutally murdered on streets of Karachi, yet nobody gets caught, although it is common knowledge who are involved. A PIA Captain and his copilot are caught smuggling over 20 latest iPhones at the Lahore airport, and instead of being penalized and criminal proceedings launched, they are freed, because the captain is the younger brother of man who plundered evacuee property during PPP tenure and is sitting President of Pilot Union in PIA. Had this man been anywhere in the world he would have been sacked. It is an established fact that fish rots from head down, and so does any society. If the writ of law is to prevail, than top elite, of civil and uniformed bureaucracy, including politicians and traders must be punished for violation of law. For democracy to succeed in Pakistan, all that is needed is for men in power to submit to laws and pay taxes. Those holding public offices must be judged on higher moral and ethical pedestal than applicable to common citizens, because they decide fate of this country.
NIGHAT MALIK, UAE,
September 23.