By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
This was remarked by Senator Nisar Memon, a former federal minister for Information and Broadcasting, during an interview with PNFS.
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
“Pakistan is no exception where the government leadership is out to justify their policies, programmes and personal conduct, while the opposition engages in pointing out the weaknesses and flawed policies of those in power. The phenomenon is the same in all continents but with varying degrees and in different forms. COVID-19 is telling it all in different ways.”
“The citizens, who send legislators to manage country by electing them, are not to be found at the core of war of words. The sitting government desires to retain all the power of decision making while the opposition continues eyeing them to replace them to gain the same power. Other than that, most of the leadership hardly has any motivation to leave behind the legacy that lives on. Therefore the elements for legacy to live on are missing,” he opined.
“Legacy is what lives on. Some examples of outstanding achievements that live on are like the creation of countries such as Pakistan, feat of art like Picasso, architecture like Pyramids, cities like Moen Jo Daro, security wall like Great Wall of China, scientific discoveries such as Newton’s law of gravity, and the great Islamic civilization. They remind us of grandeur and scientific development and natural disasters which buried them to be excavated later,” he explained.
“Behind each of these achievements was the leadership, which by sheer dint of their characters achieved them. Leadership with strong moral character, knowledge, power over people by force or strength of honesty, sincerity, genuinely humble, truthful, open and transparent personal life, ability to command respect and trust for people to obey, good heart with no ego and arrogance. Humility is visible in walk and the talk of the leadership,” Senator Nisar Memon reckoned.
“The leader must be consistent in his life. Just see the life of our beloved Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah who was an embodiment of strength of character with patience and perseverance in his cause to achieve a nation for Muslims after a political struggle of about half a century. Nelson Mandela is unparalleled not only in his perseverance by living in small prison room in Robin Island for quarter century and after release did not talk of revenge but built a nation of oppressed and oppressors free from apartheid,” he recalled.
“History tells us that when the leadership gets the divine guidance with the Holy Quran, a complete code of living and ethics, like that of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), it brings the civilization that lives on eternally. People, particularly the Muslim leadership, should be very careful in taking the name of such a leader and not only know what he said and where he said but be able to practice before qualifying to give sermons on Islam and Islamic teaching. The Turkish and Iranian Presidents are good contemporary examples of the Muslim world to follow,” he pointed out.
“A lesson for any leadership wishing to succeed is to possess a character with no contradictions, conduct of practicing truth which is visible and does not need to be justified, earn admiration of citizens and not of hypocrites, be grateful to Almighty for the chance He gave to serve and not to those who used their power and money to put one in position of responsibility, select a team and support them to swim together, promote ideas, build positively on ones merit of character and not on weaknesses of others,” the former federal minister added.
“How can the legacy of Pakistan leadership live on? Even if getting to power some principles are compromised, but once in power focus on delivering was what promised to electorate. Espouse sovereignty principles by self-reliance rather than foreign aid and loans, remember nothing is free and has to be returned by the coming generation,” he cautioned.
“In the country, strengthen state institutions and not the party or leadership personality. The country needs genuine democracy and dialogue and no monologue. Media freedom is a must in democratic dispensation therefore decontrol it and let it give space to all. Hounding opponents with state institutions has never helped. The way forward is to have private think tanks researching on sovereignty subjects to guide and unite nation for its security,” he advised.
“Behind each of these achievements was the leadership, which by sheer dint of their characters achieved them. Leadership with strong moral character, knowledge, power over people by force or strength of honesty, sincerity, genuinely humble, truthful, open and transparent personal life, ability to command respect and trust for people to obey, good heart with no ego and arrogance. Humility is visible in walk and the talk of the leadership,” Senator Nisar Memon reckoned.
“The leader must be consistent in his life. Just see the life of our beloved Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah who was an embodiment of strength of character with patience and perseverance in his cause to achieve a nation for Muslims after a political struggle of about half a century. Nelson Mandela is unparalleled not only in his perseverance by living in small prison room in Robin Island for quarter century and after release did not talk of revenge but built a nation of oppressed and oppressors free from apartheid,” he recalled.
“History tells us that when the leadership gets the divine guidance with the Holy Quran, a complete code of living and ethics, like that of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), it brings the civilization that lives on eternally. People, particularly the Muslim leadership, should be very careful in taking the name of such a leader and not only know what he said and where he said but be able to practice before qualifying to give sermons on Islam and Islamic teaching. The Turkish and Iranian Presidents are good contemporary examples of the Muslim world to follow,” he pointed out.
“A lesson for any leadership wishing to succeed is to possess a character with no contradictions, conduct of practicing truth which is visible and does not need to be justified, earn admiration of citizens and not of hypocrites, be grateful to Almighty for the chance He gave to serve and not to those who used their power and money to put one in position of responsibility, select a team and support them to swim together, promote ideas, build positively on ones merit of character and not on weaknesses of others,” the former federal minister added.
“How can the legacy of Pakistan leadership live on? Even if getting to power some principles are compromised, but once in power focus on delivering was what promised to electorate. Espouse sovereignty principles by self-reliance rather than foreign aid and loans, remember nothing is free and has to be returned by the coming generation,” he cautioned.
“In the country, strengthen state institutions and not the party or leadership personality. The country needs genuine democracy and dialogue and no monologue. Media freedom is a must in democratic dispensation therefore decontrol it and let it give space to all. Hounding opponents with state institutions has never helped. The way forward is to have private think tanks researching on sovereignty subjects to guide and unite nation for its security,” he advised.
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