Politics is like salt! Too much is bad for you but you still need it
I have been writing a lot about Pakistani politics. The injustice done upon former Prime Minister Imran Khan is leading the country to a breaking point. His time in jail and the upcoming elections will determine Pakistan will make or break. Pakistanis are revolting not to the Arab Spring of the 2010s level but still protesting.
There is a saying, politics is a necessary evil. Your hands will get dirty, you will be forced to do things that goes against your moral compass, you will be humiliated, make fun of, harassed or killed. Yet, politics keep countries going.
The ruling elite are jailing anyone who speaks against them or favorably towards Imran Khan. Even Pakistanis living in other countries are not being spared. Former Pakistan Army officials, credible journalists and others who are speaking on the injustice being committed by the establishment are being questioned, harassed and monitored. All of this is giving me headaches. Yet, I cannot walk away from it given the life of my country of origin and its people are at stake.
There is a saying, politics is a necessary evil. Your hands will get dirty, you will be forced to do things that goes against your moral compass, you will be humiliated, make fun of, harassed or killed. Yet, politics keep countries going. You need a leadership that could help your country get better. Has the leadership ended in the wrong hands for most countries? Absolutely! However, if the good people stay away from politics then the bad people will come. Bad people will do whatever they can to get what they want. Look at Pakistan’s ruling elite. They have bribed, harassed, imprisoned and even killed Pakistanis to maintain their power.
Imran Khan has repeatedly said in his speeches about the dangers of neutrality. If you are not doing anything against injustice then you are perpetuating injustice. Meaning, if someone kills somebody and you are just silent or not saying or doing anything about it then you have committed injustice towards the victim. Now, I agree there are examples where you cannot speak up. You have to understand your place in society and how effective law enforcement is.
In a lot of cases of police brutality in the US, people have used their phones to record police officers violently assaulting or killing black people. If you are going to say, nothing happened, let’s just move on, that’s a problem. A lot of journalists in Pakistan are not reporting the problem. They are either misinforming the public or talking about something else. That’s a problem!
I guess the problem lies with politics being a profession rather than a public service. People run for public office for the perks and privileges, not to serve the people. They want the fancy cars, they want access to the most lavish parties, they want VIP protocol, they want status.
Politics is a dirty game. Agreed…but it’s necessary. Not all humans on earth will blindly follow laws and contribute to a more equitable society and a sustainable future for us and the planet. There will always be that one person who will go to the grass when there is a “Keep off the grass” sign. Remember that Ed Edd n Eddy episode?
There will always be somebody who will do what they want for their benefit. Now, apply that formula to the rest of the world. Believe me, I’m from Pakistan. 9/10 drivers do not stop at the red light. You need people passing legislation saying to always stop at the red light and you need to implement those laws so people can follow them.
I guess the problem lies with politics being a profession rather than a public service. People run for public office for the perks and privileges, not to serve the people. They want the fancy cars, they want access to the most lavish parties, they want VIP protocol, they want status. Going for the perks and privileges will give you so little.
It may feel much but there is so much you can earn if you serve your people, your city, your country and the world. Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was the leader of Medina. Yet, he denied the perks and privileges given to a ruler. He lived a very modest lifestyle. Caliph Umar came with a camel and a servant to Jerusalem. Instead of him on the camel, the servant was on the camel while Caliph Umar was the one bringing it.
All I can say is that politics is something we cannot avoid. I guess what we can avoid is oppression. For that, we all got to play our part.
Let me know what’s your opinion. Anything you agreed or disagreed.
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