Adil Najam
Once again it is the season of silly-talk in Pakistan. There are rumors. There is chatter. There are theories. And there is endless discussion. Supposedly ‘change’ is in the offing. But, then, change is always in the offing in Pakistan. If, indeed, change is coming, what would you prefer? What would you like to see happening?
Everyone seems convinced that some political change is coming. Politicians seem to be taking the talk seriously. And the media is having a field day concocting conspiracies spun around so-called ‘andar ki baat‘. Everyone seems to have a theory. If you have one, please let us know. But, before that, please vote in our poll and tell us what you would LIKE TO SEE happening (not, what you think will happen; but what you would like to happen)!
Forget about changing others.
Its time to change myself:
1. I need to stop lying and start telling truth
2. I need to stop taking bribes
3. I need to stop giving bribes
4. I need to stop doing naap tole mein kami
5. I need to start paying my taxes
6. I need to start obeying the law (traffic laws and all other laws)
7. I need to stop littering
8. I need to start respecting others and start being polite
9. I need to stop looking at what other people are doing and start looking at myself – Am I doing the right thing?
10. I need to stop telling others what to do and start doing the “right” thing myself
11. I need to start working hard and not skip work and be lazy at work
12. I need to stop listening to maulvis and start reading and the Quran myself with translation and understanding. This goes for hadees as well.
13. I need to start being honest in all my dealings
14. I need to start giving the “haq-daar” their haq
15. I need to start voting in the elections
16. I need to start respecting my elders
17. I need to start respectiing women
18. I need to start respecting other religons and minorities
19. I need to stop being selfish
20. I need to start helping the poor and needy
21. I need to stop decieving others and most importantly I need to stop deceiving myself
22. I need to complete this list later as there are a lot more points that I need to start/stop doing. I should be completing this list now, but since I am a Pakistani, I will do today’s work tomorrow…. meaning forget about it…. and hence nothing will change.
Thank you for your time.
Why is this question being asked ? Pakistanis are damn restless people.
As the governments performance is poor and is not expected to improve and in house change is not possible, a good option will be a coalition government which will take the country up to the next election at which time a new clean election should be held with people of shady characters and holders of fake degrees should not be allowed to contest.
The problem with us is that we always want a Messiah to come on his high horse and save us from ourselves. Real change will only happen if we are willing to struggle for it. We want to direct a revolution from the comfort of our living rooms and without getting our hands dirty. Unless the “enlightened moderates” do not come out and become a part of the political process we will keep getting the same people playing musical chairs with us. A nation always gets the leaders it deserves, lets face it if we were in their position we would surely be doing the same thing. So while its easier to criticize our leaders and bemoan our luck for having them, what have we done to display our dismay?
This poll gives me confidence that in general Pakistanis are not as crazy as the folks on Pakistani media are.