Humanity craves dignity, but Pakistan ignores it

Human evolution spans over six million years, with Homo sapiens emerging just 50,000 years ago — a mere blink in Earth's 14 billion-year history. From primitive hunter-gatherers with limited cognitive abilities, humans evolved into complex intellectual societies, developing languages and advanced civilisations rooted in philosophy, art, science and technology.

The first human settlements emerged around 14,000 BC in Mesopotamia, while the urbanised Indus Valley Civilisation began in present-day Pakistan about 3,300 BC. Human evolution began with collective identity and governance; it has now reached a pinnacle of honourable coexistence in the metropolis of the modern state. Now, humanity aspires to reach the distant planet Mars.

Dignity, the foundation of civilised societies, ensures that individuals feel respected, valued and important, both in their own eyes and in the eyes of others. Yet, Pakistan's history offers a stark lesson in what happens when this principle is neglected.

From Homer's poetic ideals to Aristotle's societal principles and Cicero's assertions of human worth, dignity has long been a focal point of civilisation. The Qur'an declares: "We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam" (Q. 17:70) and "Of all creation, humans are deemed worthy of honor because they alone chose to accept the trust of free will" (Q. 33:72). These verses underscore that dignity is not granted by one human to another; it is an inherent right bestowed upon all.

The Enlightenment era aligned the role of dignity with governance. Kant rooted it in merit, moral integrity and universal humanity - the idea later enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, which outlined 30 articles of fundamental rights globally.

Regrettably, human rights in Pakistan remain a neglected aspect of governance and judicial enforcement. Pakistan is labeled a "Partly Free" country by Freedom House, ranking 35 out of 100, trailing behind Bangladesh (45) and Sri Lanka (58). We are placed below the lower half of the spectrum, where Finland (100) represents total freedom and Turkmenistan (1) represents no freedom.

Humanity entered into a social contract laying the foundation of the Modern Democratic State with its three pillars: Parliament, Government and Judiciary. The art of governance depends on political activity, inclusivity, representation and unity for collective welfare. The democratic system thrives on division due to the interests of various groups or parties and their competing manifestos but uniquely promises unity for the collective welfare of the people and the state.

The classical view of political activity is "who gets what, when, and how," which is further refined by ideas suggesting that the problem of national resource distribution is profoundly affected by how it is framed. While political contestation is not only about resource distribution but also about cultural identity and recognition, this exposes the gap between idealistic theories and messy realities (Boswell, 2020). Unfortunately, Pakistan neither provides adequate space for different ethnicities in national affairs nor fairly allocates resources to them.

Jinnah planned a democratic government for Pakistan united by justice and equity — warning against governance by cliques or mob rule. He advised national unity; "We are now all Pakistanis… we must act as one" reflected his hope for harmonious coexistence among the country's diverse ethnic groups. Sadly, his vision remains unaccomplished.

The reality begs the question: Who is responsible for our predicament? The politicians and their successive governments formed by shifting alliances entrenched in corrupt actors' and ethnocentric political interests who select power over progress. Instead of honouring democratic constitutional principles and nation-building, misgovernance has been the obvious result — forcing the military to bring order at times.

Most politicians and party leaders choose to act in an undignified manner without moral conviction — they avoid criticising their party's unethical governance and are indifferent to their own actions. Unquestioning loyalty often results in adherence to party directives without question, frequently overriding personal integrity as seen in the passage of constitutional amendments — they lack autonomy and have no standing within their parties. Rampant corruption prompts them to eagerly seek development funds that are siphoned off instead of addressing their constituencies' needs; they also seek favours such as licences, contracts, promotions, transfers and other undeserved gains.

Above all, they committed the Original Sin: a deep-rooted neglect for merit is a profound flaw, as politicians prioritise ethnicity and loyalty over competence - inducting loyal individuals into bureaucracy, government institutions, judiciary and security apparatuses.

The loyalists misuse state power to facilitate politicians in retaining power while ignoring corrupt practices that ensure their impunity rather than serving the public good. Besides, they neglect official work while escaping accountability. Outsiders without legacy relationships or experience, unfit to lead large and complex setups, are hired solely to serve their masters.

When citizens face undignified treatment and systemic neglect, disillusionment grows and they react with protests. Rather than addressing root causes, the state often responds with force — a short-term approach that fails to resolve underlying grievances. The marginalised and discriminated citizens disproportionately suffer more; some protesters turn to extremist behavior willing to create micro-rebellions against authorities.

Weak politicians and a dysfunctional governance structure lack the tenacity to handle such matters readily shifting the burden to security establishments. The state's failure to govern effectively has pushed security forces into roles they should not be playing - supporting government stability while actively dealing with political and economic crises rather than focusing on devising and strengthening national defence.

Decades of neglect are painfully reflected in Pakistan's global governance ranking in the Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) 2024. Pakistan ranks 112th in Governance, 99th in Political Inequality and 112th in Economic Impairment out of 137 countries. While honour killings, an utmost disgusted act, evoke outrage, our global dishonour barely registers — Pakistan ranks 89th out of 92 in passport power alongside Somalia.

Even so, rebuilding Pakistan requires embedding dignity and moral integrity into social, political and educational discourse; enforcing fundamental rights; and instituting merit-based appointments to ensure that state and public officials prioritise national interest and citizens' welfare over political expediency. Only then can we achieve social cohesion and genuine progress and restore our status as a civilised nation - a hope against hope.