KARACHI, Dec 5: The only way to bring about a positive change in society is electing good people to represent us in assemblies. If our learned people continued to stay away from politics, the vacuum could be filled by undesirable elements

These views were expressed at a reception held in honour of a known poet and storywriter, Peer Mohammed Kelash, who has recently returned from Dubai. Speakers on the occasion pointed out that about 90 per cent of our educated class, including those from upper class, dislike indulging in national politics for no valid reason.

Such people, they observed, did not fully subscribe the ideas and views of any political figure or party. "Their approach is regrettable," said Nooruddin Sarki, a Supreme Court lawyer and political analyst.

He was of the view that majority of professionals, including lawyers, engineers and doctors, would avoid taking part in active politics which created a room for unwanted people, eager to serve their own causes, in this field.

Highlighting importance of assemblies, Mr Sarki said that legislature, executive and judiciary were vital pillars of a state and if any of them became weak or corrupt, this would adversely affect the other two.

If legislature did not function properly, the executive and judiciary could also not play their due role, he elaborated. "This is the very situation that prevails in our country at the moment,'' he observed, urging people to elect right people for the parliament and assemblies.

Comrade Rochi Ram, a lawyer and human rights activist hailing from Mirpurkhas, criticised the jirga system and observed that tribal courts under the jirga system had flourished because judiciary was not functioning properly in dispensing quick justice to aggrieved people.

The jirga system has been there since British rule and remained under the control of state for a certain period. However, now the chieftain of every tribe has become self-styled supreme authority of his tribe showing no regard to the law of the land, Rochi Ram said.

About law and order, he observed that nobody felt secure either at home or outside. The situation needed to be giving a serious thought, he added. He stressed on organizing an effective forum that could influence the policy-making bodies of the country in this regard.

Chander Keswani said that the concerned authorities were deliberately neglecting the public sector schools to prevent a future leadership emerging from the lower class.

Most of the speakers were of the view that Sindh had a rich culture, creativity, art, and literature, but the province was not being portrayed as such by electronic media. They urged professionals and intellectuals across the province to play their due role in this regard in order.

Those spoke on the occasion included Aga Saleem, Rauf Nizamani, Haider Bux Gul Hakro, Aftab Abro, Liaquat Rajpar, Anwer Abro and Amir Abro. Mr Kelash recited his fresh poetry which was widely appreciated. -PPI