Without protocol

PM Imran Khan recently said that he wouldn’t make private visits with protocol. Before coming to power, Imran Khan was so anti-protocol that he considered it a legacy of the colonial past, and he added that he would do away with it the moment he came to power. Alas, this wasn’t the case. In our country, civilian and military leaders always go on official and private visits with protocol – fleets of police vans accompany them. Policemen inside these vans look at ordinary people with disdain as if these people are insignificant. It is so strange to see that police officers who are paid to keep people safe from any kind of harm use their energy and resources to safeguard themselves. Similarly, roads are blocked when our leaders are on their way to somewhere important; no one cares about the fact that scores of people will suffer in either heat or cold because of their ‘VIP movement’. We have seen judges who have set out of their offices like royalty. We have seen how law enforcement personnel would push ordinary people just to ensure that no one came near the shiny limousine of the judges. Chief ministers, governors, and federal and provincial ministers are of the belief that they should have security escorts for life – this request is made so that these important people can satisfy their bloated egos. No public servant is entitled to use this protocol at the cost of public funds. No public representative can engage in this offensive act of vanity when millions find it hard to make their ends meet. People elect their representatives through their votes. However, once these politicians come to power, they try to keep their voters at a distance – be it at airports or on roads, these politicians don’t like to talk to people who elected them.

PM Imran Khan usually gives examples of how western democratic countries are following the principles of austerity, equality and simplicity. He also often talks about the state of Madina and how he wants to adopt the governing principles of the latter to turn Pakistan into a welfare state. However, it is sad to note that he has not been able to translate his words into actions. He needs to change the mode, manner and method of his governance radically, before it is too late. If he wants to make amends and set things right, he should stop using security protocol – or at least bring it to the bare minimum.

Kh Siddiq Akbar

Lahore