This nation, as it stands today, cannot be expected to decide what is good or bad for its interest.
ISLAMABAD: This refers to Malik Tariq Ali’s letter of May 1 titled “In the national interest”. In it he spoke of Pervez Musharraf and Chaudhry Shujaat, who both did things which they then claimed were in the so-called national interest.
This leads me to the question that who decides what is the national interest? It certainly isn’t the (helpless) people of Pakistan. This nation, as it stands today, cannot be expected to decide what is good or bad for its interest.
Inspired by Raymond P. Murray’s poem, I feel that the great want of this age is men whose consciences are steady; who will stand for what is right even if the heavens totter and the earth reels; men who can tell the truth and look the world right in the eye and men in whom the hope of serving the national interest will run deep and strong. Such are the unknown leaders that this nation needs to serve its national interest.
Jameel Bhutto
Former federal secretary
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2011.
