Gallery of ghouls

Ever since the recent floods have caused chaos in Pakistan, we have been seeing our politicians going around the world raising donations for the affected. The PM has been ‘tirelessly’ visiting countries trying to raise ‘awareness’ regarding climate change (like the world doesn’t know what climate change is). Our oh-so-educated-for-the-job Minister for Climate Change has also adopted the stance that she’s been warning us about the incoming catastrophe for a long time. That’s like asking our PCB chairman about the intricacies of cricket, none of them are academically qualified for their respective jobs!

Reverting to the theme of this piece. Everyone’s been raising funds for the affected which is indeed a noble act. I remember Imran Khan raised Rs5 billion through an international telethon. His and his party’s obsession with overseas Pakistanis has always struck me as borderline unhealthy.

What I am saying is, everyone’s raising money but none of the money seems to be reaching those who need it. Records and visuals show that a massive chunk of people are still lying under the open sky with minimal belongings and no food. Lack of clean drinking water and shelter are resulting in widespread deaths and diseases. The question is: where is all the money going? Is this the same old story of money going into the pockets of the corrupt and the powerful?

News shows that Pakistan has recently raised more than 9 billion dollars at an international conference to address the losses caused by the recent floods that have annihilated parts of Pakistan. That is brilliant! But, will this money ever be spent for the cause that it has been raised for? We as a nation can only hope and pray.

In other news, as a result of the brilliant, tireless and outstanding work of our speedy and efficacious judicial system and our outstanding police, Dua Zehra has finally been reunited with her parents, albeit temporarily. Only if they had done this earlier, all this drama could’ve been avoided and the girl would’ve been saved from so much trauma. But who cares, we are bound to be slaves to laws which were written more than a 100 years ago. And we will continue to be.

Seneca, the philosopher was once asked why bad times befall good men despite the world being ruled by divine providence. Seneca answered that tough times harden men and make them more capable.

But Seneca forgot that providence only plays its role once men start adhering to the tenets of scripture. I don’t mean once they start praying and preaching but starting from the basics, like being kind, not lying, not teaching, being polite towards animals. We do none of this, do we? We lie, cheat and steal for fun. We kill and torture animals on a daily basis. Barbarically shooting and poisoning stray dogs and cats is our weekly hobby. Our local institutions get money for it and oh they love it. And then we have the audacity to ask ourselves, why do we find ourselves economically week, morally deprived and emotionally dead. I wonder why.

As for education, we have no education. Our education system has been dead for the past 75 years. Breaks my heart to say that it will not be resuscitated for the next 75 years either. And why would it be? Why would the powerful and the elite want to jeopardise their positions in society by educating their people. Write my words down, education is the biggest threat to bureaucracy. The day Pakistan sees its people receiving free quality education will be the day when we start progressing as a nation.

The media needs to play its role in improving the situation too. Rather than inviting clueless social media celebrities, invite academics, professors and scientists on talk shows.

We need informed, educated and rejuvenated young minds to take reins of this country. The old ones need to go, desperately.

As for Dua Zehra, go ahead and live this fiasco that we call life. You deserve it.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2023.

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