THE international community maintains a false impression about Pakistan that it is a undemocratic, close-minded, and restrictive society. They feel that freedom of thought, expression and action is limited here. There is an urgent need to remove these false notions about the Pakistani people, who enjoy abundant freedom in every aspect of their lives, across social and economic levels. I have gathered a short list of examples that should prove that no nation, Western or Eastern, rich or poor, can match the freedoms that Pakistan allows its citizens to enjoy.
Let us begin by examining the rights of our ruling classes. These individuals enjoy tremendous freedoms. The Constitution of Pakistan is supposed to govern the affairs of state. Our rulers in uniform have the freedom to suspend or amend the Constitution whenever they feel that the ideology and security of Pakistan is threatened. They are also free to make any changes in the system of governance and impose their own political formulae whenever they consider it in the national interest. What democratic nation has an armed forces with that level of freedom?
Our civilian rulers, the politicians, also enjoy immense freedom regardless of whether they hold office or not. They have the freedom to form their own political parties, or create factions of the self-same party. When their party comes into power they are free to ignore their party manifesto and the promises they made to the voters. When important issues come before them, they are free to sell their votes to the highest bidder. While in power, they are free to use their official powers to promote private interests. When out of power they are free to agitate and make life difficult for the government and society at large. What more political freedom can any statesman ask for?
The vital organ of our government, the bureaucracy enjoy this freedom wit impunity. They make rules and procedures and run the government machinery as they please, and they feel free to delay government orders, until their demands are met. They also have the freedom to exploit all government assets, be it real estate, transport, telephone or development funds without being taken to account. No government, civil or military, has been able to make a dent in their freedom in the last 55 years.
We cannot forget the police and their freedom to arrange ‘police encounters’. They can also get away with custody killings. In fact, their freedom as the custodians of law and order is so uninhibited and unlimited, and cannot be fully covered in a short article such as this.
Now coming to the elite segment of our society, the rich, the famous, and people with connections, influence or clout. They are above the law and are free to ignore the laws and rules that govern larger society. They have the freedom to borrow huge sums from government agencies or banks and never have to repay their debts. They are free to decide whether to declare their assets and pay their taxes and tariffs. They enjoy the freedom to transfer their wealth to foreign countries, buy property there and not declare it.
Our government shows particular deference towards multinational companies that invest in this country and help our economy. These companies have been given the freedom to set their own prices, and to increase them without govenment approval. After all, they are our guests.
We Pakistanis are well aware of the low literacy rate here. We have therefore allowed full freedom to our countrymen to establish all type of private schools, colleges or even private universities with affiliations to foreign universities (fake or real). These education experts have the freedom to charge exhorbitant amounts of money in name of tuition and other fees. No one questions these practices for these institutions are providing much needed education facilities and employment.
Freedom in the field of education is not restricted to general education alone. Our religious organizations, parties and individuals are free to open their own madaris to impart religious education according to their respective interpretation of Islam. They are free to set their own syllabi and make their own rules for running these madaris, which translates into a steady source of income. To generate funds, these madaris are free to use their students to collect donations in the name of religious teachings. Like other educational institutions in the country, people running these madaris are free from accountability. One should not think that freedom is restricted only to rulers, rich and men with clout. Our society is very considerate towards this largest segment of our population. Poor have the freedom to move around the country to seek employment particularly in big cities. They are free to beg if they do not get their livelihood by any other means. They are given freedom to establish their own residential colonies known as kutcha abadis and get free electricity connection using the kunda system. They are also free to get water by intercepting the main water conduit passing through their area.
Books can be written on the freedoms our people enjoy. Is there any other country in the world, that can match the freedom we enjoy?
THE international community maintains a false impression about Pakistan that it is a undemocratic, close-minded, and restrictive society. They feel that freedom of thought, expression and action is limited here. There is an urgent need to remove these false notions about the Pakistani people, who enjoy abundant freedom in every aspect of their lives, across social and economic levels. I have gathered a short list of examples that should prove that no nation, Western or Eastern, rich or poor, can match the freedoms that Pakistan allows its citizens to enjoy.
