EVER since I grew out of my childhood, the echoes of accountability have been around. I have seen political workers misusing their strength in institutions to murder merit, law enforcement agencies taking bribe from poor citizens, journalists abusing their power and bureaucrats taking advantage of their positions.

Repeatedly, we all have heard that the poor has no value in this country, but when this individual gets into a position of authority, he/she becomes another cog in the machine. When was the last time a political party formed to dismantle the quota system acted on it after assuming power?

It seems that the whole nation has accepted the culture and has got accustomed to living with no self-respect. Even more alarming is the fact that many of us do not have the time to think about what we are offering to the next generation.

Syed M.H. Baqar Rizvi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2021