Is this a Muslim state and are we Muslims? Take a good look at yourself. Do you fear God? Do you follow all the Commandments of God? Justice is a paramount and integral part of any society especially a Muslim one. However in Pakistan there is no justice; there is a whole lot of lawlessness and corruption throughout the society. Our banking system is based on the charging of interest. But hey the Quran says that anyone who charges interest or feeds on interest are both enemies of Islam. However that does not deter us from going against the will of God.
The Quran states that anyone who offers or accepts a bribe will be thrown into Hell. However that does not deter most Pakistanis. Bribery has become a part and parcel of our society and yet we are an Islamic nation. There are alcohol breweries within the country and yet we are an Islamic nation. The last I read was that alcohol production or consumption is a sin. However in Pakistan, a lot of men and women, young and old consume alcoholic drinks. The question is what sort of Islam we are following.
The Holy Quran lays great emphasis on the education of every man and woman but hey there are 40 million children aged 5-19 years old who don’t go to school. There are many hard headed men who believe that women should not be educated. What sort of Muslims are they who don’t follow the Commandments of God as given in the Quran?
In the Holy Quran, great emphasis has been laid upon the accountability and punishment of men and women who commit wrong and evil deeds. However contrary to that most of our politicians, bureaucrats and rulers seem to be devoid of any ethics and morality. They have looted the national exchequer and caused grievous damage to the fortunes of the people and the country. However instead of punishing these men and holding them accountable, these men still hold power. My question is that if we are an Islamic nation, then why do we have corrupt disbelievers and hypocrites in power? If these men and women remain in power, the nation may cease to exist.
A lot of men and women sitting in important positions within the corridors of power often testify in the name of God and the Holy Quran, that they will serve the nation. However once they are elected or nominated they do a 360 degree somersault and work to do whatever is not lawful.
We are a nation where men find it convenient to murder women under the pretext of honor. Is that Islamic? The concept of Karo Kiri is Un-Islamic as well and yet men and families take it upon themselves to murder men and women who have dared to marry on their own against the will of the families. The Quranic verses suggest lashing of the adulterers, nothing is spoken about murdering them in cold blood. Hence Karo Kiri and murdering in the name of honor are all Un-Islamic and yet these practices are allowed within our society.
I find it hard to swallow that young and poor women who are raped by influential men can’t find any justice in this so called Islamic Society. The question is why. Rich and influential men guilty of wrong-doing are protected by our law. This is not Islam or Islamic law. The poor and the rich should be treated in the same manner by the law and yet that does not happen within our so called justice system.
The Quran speaks against intermixing of males and females. ‘Dating’ is a concept that is against Islam. However it is being propagated within our society as if it is a part of Islamic culture. It is the first step towards promoting adultery in our societies. Adultery opens the door to other sins. And yet the people remain mum on the subject.
It is a crime that there are many video stores in Pakistan that sell x-rated movies to the general public irrespective of age or sex. These movies are a poison that will destroy the moral fabric of a society on the verge of collapse. And yet pornographic websites on the web are frequented by men and women who may not be in their teens as yet. This should be checked and yet is not being done.
There are over 200,000 prostitutes in the country. Men, young and old frequent brothels to satiate their lusts. Pimps and their rackets are protected by police officials in turn for bribes. Men in the corridors of power are patrons of prostitution.
There are plenty of social evils present within our society that need to be removed. And foremost within it is the presence of men and women who practice magic and those who offer their services to cast a spell or to cause the death of someone. These men and women used different modes and media to advertise their services. As an Islamic Country such men and women should be put to death but they are not. Why do we allow such men and women to operate within our societies?
Then there is the case of palmists and astrologers who offer their services to naïve buffoons who engage their services to study their future. This is a Hindu tradition that has found way into our Muslim society.
Apart from that there is the case of devotees who visit the shrines of the saints. The act of praying to God is alright but when men and women pray to the dead saint to pray for them to God, it becomes ‘Shirk’ or the act of associating partners to God. It is said to be the only sin that will not be forgiven by God.
Many men and women also frequent the abodes of ‘pirs’ or ‘spiritual doctors’ but so many times I feel that to depend upon these men for help is a thin line close to the act of ‘Shirk’ whereby we attribute the powers of God to a man.
So many times there are men delving in the black magic that pose as religious men and are frequented by the blind and the ignorant.
Other than this we have shop keepers and retailers who love to hoard food commodities such as wheat and sugar to earn an extra buck. This is a tradition amongst the producers of sugar, wheat and other essential commodities. Hoarding of these products is a religion amongst mill owners. For money and profit they are willing to set aside their faith and commit crime and sin.
It is essential that black marketers and hoarders of commodities are strictly punished and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment.
The law is weak and is not being properly enforced by those concerned. Too often those concerned with enforcing the law are either bribed or if they prove to be honest, they find that the goons and the bad guys often have contacts in the corridors of power. Honest police and government officials often find that they have been transferred to another city or town. Many efficient and honest working policemen have been suspended and fired for being too ‘honest’.
This is a country where it has been seen that men and women can be bribed to appear as false witnesses. For a certain amount of money, they are happy to swear by Quran and offer a false testimony. As a consequence a lot of men and women may be wrongfully convicted for a crime.
Seventy percent of a population of 160 million people in Pakistan lives in abject misery and poverty. They live on less than 2 dollars a day. Therefore they have little access to health, sanitation, education and justice. Because of growing inflation and high unemployment, the lives of the poor become miserable by the day. They have little access to proper nutrition. And the sad part is that no one seems to be concerned about their plight. Neighbors may be well aware of the suffering of a neighbor and yet they do nothing to help them. As a consequence many poor families are resorting to selling their children for money. Others commit suicide in desperation.
Five percent of the population possesses the entire wealth of the society. The rich get richer by the day and the poor struggle to survive. Today 40 million children aged 5-19 years are out of schools today. They can’t afford education. They are instead employed in various forms of labor to support their families.
The transformation of a society can only take place through their education or through teaching them skills that will help them earn a decent living. Pakistani governments have been bastions of corruption. After the death of the founding father namely Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan has been hostage to feudal lords, politicians, bureaucrats and technocrats who have been involved in building personal fiefdoms through corruption. Many of the esteemed politicians of Pakistan hold fake degrees and they hold important positions in the government. What sort of role models are they? They are certainly not Muslims in any way. They are hypocrites, liars and deceivers.
Many of our politicians are not educated and many possess fake educational certificates and degrees. Without any qualification or knowledge, these men head important ministeries and as a consequence the national railaways, airlines, steel mills, water and power development, etc are all in doldrums.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan is fighting a lone battle against corrupt men and organisations. However it is a shame that the government is placing hurdles in the way of the apex judiciary.
Only a sweeping revolution can change the fortunes of this nation. Unless and until corruption is weeded out from society in all its forms and faces, Pakistan can’t progress or survive as a nation.
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