Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the “elite capture” of the Pakistan’s resources and absence of the rule of law had not only deprived the majority of the people of basic amenities but also kept the country from unlocking its immense potential.
During an online interview with American Islamic scholar Shaykh Hamza Yusuf aired on PTV on Sunday, the premier also spoke about how he had found his faith.
Yusuf is the president of Zaytuna College in California. He has authored several encyclopedia entries, academic papers, and articles on Muslim bioethics, legal theory and other topics.
The premier maintained that no society could ever achieve its potential if there was no rule of law.
“Merit is also associated with rule of law. If you do not have meritocracy in a society, you have this elite which is spoiled, rich and which did not strive and struggle, and they sit on the main positions…
Countries disintegrate because of decadent elite. People do not decay it is the elite that decays,” he remarked.
The premier said that the fundamental principle of a civilised society was the rule of law where the powerful are also equally answerable to the law.
The biggest problem in the developing countries was the absence of rule of law and discriminatory laws for the rich and the poor, he explained.
He told the interviewer that he wanted to make Pakistan an Islamic welfare state based on the concept of the state of Madina.
“We want to base this country on two principles. One, it should be a welfare state and humane state, which takes care of its bottom strata of society, and second rule of law.”
On Yusuf’s query, the premier replied that he had a very varied life. “I played international cricket while also completing my education,” he added.
"When you play international sports you have to be very focused. To excel, to become the best in the country, you need to have a tunnel vision."
He further said by studying while playing international sports, he had gained a "bigger perspective" on life.
The prime minister said he faced many ups and downs during his two-decade-long career as a professional player, and that led to a lot of "soul searching".
"The low periods in life teach you a lot. So when you go up, your feet stay on the ground because you know you are not always going to stay up there."
He added that towards the end of his sporting career, he had finally found faith.
"For me, faith is a gift of God. Not everyone has it," he said.
The premier stressed upon the need for controlling one’s ego as it was “destructive”. “True faith firmly makes you control your ego."
Talking about the climate crisis, he said the environment should be treated as sacred.
The biggest environmental disaster in the world called climate change was because human beings had deviated from the basic principle of protecting the earth, he maintained.
Quoting a Hadith, advising the humans to “work for this world as if you will live forever and work for the hereafter as if you will die tomorrow”, PM Imran said whatever the humans would do today would ultimately have an impact on the future generations.
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He added that the Hadith had completely encompassed everything about the environment and how one should be living.
The premier further stated that one would have to pursue a humane life if they wanted to get close to the Almighty.
He maintained that the leadership that came up through the political system was “just too divorced from faith” so they came in for power and compromised for staying in power and gaining personal benefits.
“I find very few politicians coming with the specific objective of looking after humanity. In most of the developing world, they come in power for self-interest and for making money,” said PM Imran.
“Unfortunately, there were very few [Nelson] Mandelas who came in for a noble cause. Our great leader Jinnah who was the founder of Pakistan was someone who came for a great cause.”
He added that the politicians were looked down upon because they claimed to help the people but on the contrary, they helped themselves.
The prime minister claimed that he had entered politics because of his faith.
“I had everything. I was already a big name in the country as a sports star and I had enough money. So for me struggling for 22 years to become the prime minister made no sense. The only reason was [that] I believed I had a responsibility towards society because I was given more than others.”
He said according to all religions, a human being would be tested based on the benefits and privileges given in life.
“I came into politics because I had faith and realised that I was so blessed, so had the responsibility towards society.”
He claimed that he was not in politics to make personal gains or get the benefits of power.
“God has given us the power to struggle. Whether we succeed or not is not within our hands,” he added.
The premier noted that after leaving Pakistan, people received a level playing field and excelled.
He added that in Pakistan only 1% had access to quality education and others did not have opportunities.
“Winning the struggle in present-day Pakistan will unleash the potential of the people of Pakistan. And the second goal is to lift the people out of poverty.”
PM Imran maintained that his government had started the greatest welfare programmes in the country’s history.
"Our objective was to lift people out of poverty, create wealth and spread it around, and break the monopoly of the elite and mafias.”
The premier said that true faith gave a person dignity and it gave liberation to a human being. "True faith gives dignity, just the fact you don’t bow in front of anyone but the One that is a liberation of human beings.”
(With input from APP)
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