We have heard about boots on ground, or Nancy Sinatra’s song “These Boots Are Made For Walking”, but it is perhaps for first time, courtesy ingenuity of this government’s federal minister that Boots on Table were displayed on television. Earlier the same minister attired as a cowboy, with semiautomatic revolvers was seen on the scene when there was a terrorist attack in vicinity of Chinese embassy in Karachi.
It would be much better if this government tackles menace of poverty, illiteracy, inflation, unemployment, tax evasion, decline in exports etc. with same zeal that they confront their political opponents. The Founding Fathers of Pakistan under dynamic and visionary leadership of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal struggled to create a modern democratic welfare state, whose citizens could enjoy basic human rights and live in safety, with right to dissent and no fear or threats of intimidation. MAJ tasked First Constituent Assembly to finalize the constitution, on which foundations of modern democratic welfare state could be built. Jinnah’s Pakistan was created for self-rule through elected representatives of the people with no place for any autocratic dictatorship.
It takes planning and concrete steps to improve governance and give relief to people, which seems to be absent here. Merely referring to “Madinah Republic” or “Quaid’s Vision” and ideals which Allama Iqbal stood for and instead resorting to such tactics like putting shining boots on table makes no sense to those, who had high hopes that Imran Khan might deliver. People expect federal ministers to act with responsibility and serve as role models. Enough damage has been done and half country lost by vision-less mediocrity that has held power.
Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore
