MPA’s unfair means

Should it really shock us? An MPA caught using unfair means during an exam. Well, not really. Politics in our country has stooped so low that it makes no shakes. After all, we have had elected representatives even involved in criminal cases related to murder, land-grabbing, kidnapping, hit-and-run, theft and harassment – not to mention misappropriation of public funds. So why be surprised at a provincial assembly member “only” copying to pass a paper for a BA degree? Exactly which paper was he trying to cheat his way through? It was Pakistan Studies. Does it now make it a little bit more appalling – that a member of an elected house of Pakistan is so unaware about his own country that he has had to resort to unfair means to clear a graduate-level exam? Well, there is more to it. The MPA in question – Liaquat Ali of the PTI belonging to Lower Dir region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province – is a part of no less than seven house committees, one of which is related to higher education.

In fact, surprising is what the invigilator at the exam did. He was brave enough to mark the lawmaker’s answer sheet as an unfair means case and forwarded a complaint against him to the Examination Disciplinary Committee, despite being shouted at and threatened with dire consequences. The lawmaker’s case is fixed for hearing before the disciplinary committee on December 17, and it is hoped that no amount of political pressure shall influence the disciplinary committee from avoiding an action against the lawmaker as required under the rules. Action must also be taken at the level of the assembly so as to make an example out of him. The fact of the matter is that our politics is literally devoid of any role models. Politics in our country is all about rising to power – be that by way of comprising on principles, forsaking moralities or going back on stated positions. Responsibility also lies with the public for sending such people to august elected houses.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2020.

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