HOW can there be change if one doesn’t have a clear vision of change? This election season all everyone could talk about was bringing about change — but what change are they talking about when there is no clear alternative system to replace the old one?

If change was meant to eliminate corruption or dispense justice, then there was no need to change the old system; these goals could have been achieved through some institutional reforms. But if they were meant to change the prevalent super structure of society, then I am sorry to say that the proponents of change have no idea what they are doing.

The revolutionary party proposing change was completely devoid of intellectual grounds. Moreover, those who were supporting the slogans of change were also lacking required intellectual understanding of change. For example, before the French revolution, it was Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire and other philosophers who came up with the concept of equality, rule of law and supremacy of parliament. These ideas became ideological foundations for which the French struggled and changed their aristocratic system. This element is missing in Pakistani politics.

It is normal that if one wants to bring change, one must believe in that idea. The proponents of change were those who were the very symbols of the status quo.

Another thing I noticed is that the leader of the revolutionary brigade was so obsessed with corruption and money laundering that he could not spare time for Pakistan’s real and perennial issues: over population, religious extremism, low productivity, military involvement in politics and our arms race with India. He claimed that by eliminating corruption will be the solution to all our problems.

If the government fails to bring any change, it won’t have anyone to blame but itself. Those who do not support this government will begin to support it if the government successfully reforms institutions, minimises corruption, and enables people to live with respect.

Tayyab Butt

Sialkot

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2018