The Pakistani Spectator

A eon couple traveling from a far area back to their nest land disembarked the journey due the night fall.  They stopped in a thick jungle with no bird around.  “It is wilderness around and I feel too alien and disappointed,” said the female eon.  “I wish there had someone around and we could talk to, no matter an owl.”  “Yes it is frustration and alienation too” the male eon answered.  “I wish someone could be around”.  Soon after they finished the conversation, a owl from a near distance hooted and welcomed them. “Come here, the tree I own can accommodate you and I can provide you company.”   The couple accepted the offer and joined him on the tree in nearby.   The next morning when they were ready for departure and begged for leave, the owl manipulated by saying that female eon cannot go as she was owl’s wife and owned it through an agreement.

The eon argued with him and told him that it was not possible or how come it could be his wife.  There was no agreement between them. The owl did not listen to him.  The poor eon went to court and asked for justice.  The court listening to arguments and witnesses the owl had manipulated gave the verdict in favor of the owl.   The eon in disarray and sorrows found no way but to leave the place in despair.   Before he could leave, the owl reached him and patted him by saying, “Friend don’t be disappointed. Take your mate back and be happy.  You were my guest over the night and I have no claim over her. But, however, I wanted to teach you a lesson which I heard from the conversation before you joined me on the tree.   Frustration, depression and alienation neither due to nor in wilderness/jungle  but in the society where there is no justice and system derailed as you witnessed in the decision against you.

The story has moral lessons for us  all as the society we live in is going through the process of instability and chaos due to the lack of justice.    We can hope that the strengthening of judiciary can restore many of the woes we are encountered with in the day to day life.  Had the judiciary been strengthened and independent there might not have been disarray and corruption we face today, but  society needs justice.   Judiciary and judges can be an important instrument in the restoration of justice in  society, but it is not possible until we have the system and values, system being of primary importance.  The things which have made us instable is the unfortunate loss of both: system and values.

System is made up of  the smooth functioning of the four pillars of statehood : judiciary,  executive, legislature and media.   We need the activation of  executive and  legislature.  The supremacy of parliament is an indicator of  strong statehood with  check and  balance on executive.  The constitutional arrangements and provisions are the legal arrangements designed to protect the integrity of the pillars under separation of powers & check and  balances.   A disequilibrium in any pillar can make its functionary role disturbed.   We drive more carefully and honestly on Motorway than an ordinary highway in Sindh and Balochistan because of the surveillance and monitoring system on  Motorway.

A person following traffic rules and ethics on roads where there is no traffic police is following the values.  Values can be religious, social, cultural, nationalist etc.   Values provide guideline and code of conduct from military to insurgents.  Had our religious  values been intact there would not have been corruption.  Name the institution  where values have not been perverted.   They can  be restored by system.   For example, one of the major factors for load shedding, causing day to day disturbances on  road and frustration amongst public,  is the electricity theft which inflicts the loss of  revenue of billions.  This is against religious value which has been facilitated by the lack of system and executive enforcement.

A person living in his/her own  meager honest resources is considered an anomaly in society.   We need the regularization of the system which generate revenues.    The major public sector which can generate revenues are at loss,   i. e.  PIA, Pakistan Railways and Telecommunication.  The existing educational system is producing a class of have and have-nots which in longer run is fueling the alienation against state.  Talibanization no matter have been imposed on thousands, but there are others who opted for or allured to due to the have and have-nots of society.