KARACHI:
Nepotism, also known as partiality or favoritism, has become rampant throughout Pakistan. People no longer rely on merit, as a result of which institutions across the country no longer have any competitive edge. Progressive and healthy competition fosters progress and development. In addition, the corporate culture has become so toxic that jobs are now being bought and sold to the highest bidders.
Hardworking students are the obvious victims of this and remain unemployed for long periods before resorting to menial jobs to make ends meet. On the other hand, the rich have less to worry about since everything is already set in place for their success. But perhaps the biggest drawback is that education is rendered useless. Why would people waste their time and money on education when they know that no practical good can come from it? A country can only move forwards if merit is upheld.
The government can play an indispensable role in combating this contagious disorder by becoming more stringent on those who commit it intentionally. This, however, does not mean that we ignore those who do not fall under a certain criterion for success. Rather, in a society everyone needs to be given equal opportunities and second chances.
Mohammad Ali Soomro
Balochistan
Published in The Express Tribune, February 9th, 2021.
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