Picking up cues from the PM

The trouble with good leadership is that it demands instant and strong action, not a delayed, sluggish or even a half-hearted response. Nearly all of the grave challenges that are faced by our country today can be surmounted only by timely gestures and actions and a lot of heart and resolve. When a terror attack occurs  in Quetta, Sehwan or Peshawar, an oft-heard complaint made by the families of the victims is that they were not visited by the country’s prime minister, provincial chief minister or governor. Whether such condolence visits can console them or not, they do succeed in winning public trust and lifting morale. The assurance from someone as powerful as the country’s chief executive sends also a strong message to terrorists and  their recalcitrant  outfits and all others who defy the law and trample upon the rights of marginalised individuals,  groups and communities.

It must be admitted that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other leaders of  the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz were lethargic in their response to the recent lynching of a university student in Mardan.

The incident has already sent shockwaves through the country and continues to tug at the collective conscience of the nation. His remarks came at least 48 hours too late and  carried oblique references to mob justice which it was not.

It was little else but an act of mayhem committed in the hallowed halls of one of the up and coming institutions of higher learning. To his credit, the prime minister did make up for lost time when he appealed to all segments of the country to stand united and  condemn the incident. On a broader level, his appeal covered the daily struggle for tolerance and adherence to the rule of law. It is now incumbent upon all political stakeholders and civil society to do their part and work harder towards that cause.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2017.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.