Healing our social wounds

Two weeks ago, the Google Doodle in Pakistan honoured a woman who is among the most respected in the country. Not a politician or an athlete, nor a celebrity. She didn’t even live in the country until she was in her mid-30s. Dr Ruth Pfau was an embodiment of compassion, grace and a commitment that humans ought to live in dignified conditions. Ruth comforted those who the society hoped would disappear on their own — they were our own untouchables.

In a country of 200 million-plus, we need many more Ruths. Not just those who take care of those suffering from leprosy but those who are downtrodden because of our systematic subjugation. Those who die in the arms of their mothers, without the dignity of comfort, waiting for an injection, need a Ruth. Those whose only crime is being born poor and hence are condemned to die on a cold floor at a hospital in Lahore in dead winter, need a Ruth. So do the young girls who leave home in hopes of finding a decent job only to face the harassers on every corner. A Ruth Pfau, or an Edhi, comes once in a lifetime of nations — but we need them every day. The only way to ease the suffering of our people is if the state becomes the Edhi and the Pfau. A state that cares, does not discriminate and provides dignity for its people.

It is a task that is both urgent and one where we have failed consistently. The state has worked for only a few, and that number is shrinking. The safety nets have gaping holes, and today it is more of an infected ripped cloth than a net. Our contract with our people — which was weak to begin with — now needs a complete reset. An opportunity has presented itself with a large comprehensive programme, called Ehsaas, to heal our social wounds. It builds upon other programmes from previous governments and aims to do five fundamental things. The programme aims to create a government system that works for everyone, provides safety nets for the weak and the vulnerable, create dignified livelihoods for the poor, enable investment in human capital and finally, lift lagging areas. It is ambitious — and important questions about governance and finance ought to be asked. A first step in seeking public input and consultation in a transparent manner has been taken. It is an important step to engage the country and offers us all an opportunity to share what we think and hopefully shape the programme in a way that works for all. My hope is that not only will all of us share what we think ought to be fixed, but encourage those who are unable to read the consultation framework, to contribute as well.



I have been tremendously excited about the programme and the opportunity it provides. Yet it has failed to capture the interest of colleagues in the media. Herein lies the problem. In my world of engineering, there is a signal and there is noise. Today, the noise is stronger than the signal. The loud noises from those who have nothing better to do than take cheap shots at opponents, make embarrassing remarks in poor taste about international science programmes, and consistently hit below the belt, are drowning out the signal. They are cutting the very branch of dignity and respect we all sit on. While the news should include a robust and constructive critique of Ehsaas, it is mostly about the latest rant. Our biggest problems are rooted in the lack of our own ehsaas. Perhaps we should wonder whether we have the ehsaas to care and an ehsaas of what really matters if we do care.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2019.

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