Politics of despair

The moral decay of Pakistan and the malaise it has created continue to have devastating consequences. Unmoored from principles, the deliberate abandonment of critical thinking is eating into the moral and social fabric, which is manifesting self-destructive narratives.

Vengeance and violence is reigning supreme over civility and curiosity. When nations embrace terminal decline, they develop what Sigmund Freud called the death instinct. No longer buoyed by human progress and the inability to build, they confuse destruction with creation.

The abduction and forced conversion of a minor Christian girl (Zarvia Pervaiz, 13) in Rawalpindi has sparked outrage and despair. It has been reported that over 1,000 girls that belong to the Hindu and Christian communities are forcefully converted to Islam every year, which reveals that Pakistan continues to fall woefully short of true Islamic principles. The most disheartening aspect of the Pervaiz case is that the Rawalpindi court upheld the ‘consent’ of a 13-year-old girl. Tragic stories like this are an example of how society has drifted so far from its ethical moorings.

Islam encourages a flexible constitution based on a just consideration of human rights and human duty. It is incumbent on the state to safeguard its citizens, regardless of social, ethnic, and religious differences. Respect for religious difference is a foundational ethical teaching in the Quran and the Hadith. It is also of fundamental importance to adapt according to the times and not remain static. Islam was meant to be far-reaching and dynamic. One of the cardinal principles of Islam is to seek knowledge, and for the state to create the right conditions which encourages its citizens to pursue knowledge.

When we look at the current political scenario, despair is the only word that comes to mind. Political machinations are taking precedence over the devastating floods which have killed hundreds of people, including children. Disturbingly, our usual suspect politicians have plumbed new depths by leveraging this national tragedy for political point scoring. Division is being encouraged over unity. In desperate times like this, nations with maturity and wisdom put their differences on pause and place all their energy into helping those in need. Rather than decreasing the political temperature, the powers that be are stoking the fire by branding Imran Khan a terrorist. A flawed politician he may be, but a terrorist? Absolutely not!

The sad part is that many of the political elite who support these absurd charges are well acquainted enough with Imran Khan to know that he is the farthest thing from a terrorist. Labeling him a terrorist only reveals that the system is broken and unable to differentiate between right and wrong. To brand Imran Khan a terrorist is not only false, but also extremely reckless. It will only exacerbate the current situation and divert attention from the torrential rains that are wiping out villages and leaving thousands homeless.

The dance macabre is already underway. Social collapse is certainly on the cards. Anything that seems to be real or authentic is immediately shut down. We talk of Islam, but fail to implement it correctly. We constantly regurgitate hackneyed democratic slogans, only to find that true democracy is nowhere in sight.

In order to turn things around, Pakistan must get its priorities straight. There needs to be more focus on policy and less on politics. This needs qualified, thoughtful, and dispassionate individuals at the helm rather than radical ideologues and rapacious politicians. Changing a nation’s outlook and psyche takes decades; if we do not start making drastic changes now the situation will deteriorate drastically.

Can the situation get any worse, one may ask? It most certainly can. When a nation is on a downward spiral, there is no such thing as rock bottom. The rabbit hole never ends. Let’s hope and pray that we see better days in the near future.

The writer is a veteran journalist, political analyst and author. He can be reached at: humayun.gauhar786@gmail.com