Layarai, mabrook ulf mabrook (congratulations but 1000)
President Asif Ali Zardari while chairing a high level official meeting, which cannot be construed as political meeting, in Karachi at Bilawal House on Sunday 24th July announced that his son, or more correctly heir president, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will eventually return to Pakistan in coming September this year to contest in next national general election from Karachi but not from the posh locality of Clifton where he is born (if I am not mistaken) and brought up rather from one of the poorest and economic trodden constituency named Layari.
There simply cannot be any argument whatsoever so far as Bilwal contesting election is concerned and, therefore, the news up to this point should not be given any twist or color or even any other meaning provided it is nothing more and nothing less both inwardly and outwardly in spirit as well as planning. We must not forget that come what may on one hand various civil and political rights are automatically conferred on each and every citizen by the state while on the other hand the same rights have been fully endorsed and guaranteed by the constitution and, therefore, Bilawal being a certified and a bona fide citizen of Pakistan cannot be an exception to the established rule and thereby he enjoys exactly the same inborn rights what his compatriots are enjoying. No denying the fact that breach if any, so far as rights are concerned, can rightly be challenged and contested in a court of law seeking redress to the grievances.
The president in the meeting which was attended by Chief Minister and different ministers of Sindh in addition to other top rankers also announced that immediately 500 rickshaws must be given as a gift to the poor people of Layari so that they are a bit eased up. On this point I am fully with the president even if some of you are opposing me instead of supporting and I will not even give it a second thought what to talk of changing my mind for the very simple reason that the president enjoys inborn prerogative to dish out any money either in cash or in kind or both. We should not forget even for a fraction of a second that the president is not for any city, region or province but for the whole country right from east to west and north to south and thus he exercising the authority vested in him has ordered to issue rickshaws for the poor dwellers of the neglected and deteriorated area of Karachi. What crime, if any, committed by president to gift 500 rickshaws for the poorest of the poor?
It must be appreciated whole heartedly that the president was too very kind to Layarites who terribly lacked in certain civic facilities and amenities and the moment he came to know of it he instantly issued orders to the authorities concerned to embark upon development and uplift plan for Lyari. If at this point of time, Lyari is a backward and under developed, it does not mean that it must be kept in the same situation rather on the contra it demands for improvement and therefore hats off for the president who in the meeting took cognizance of the fact and issued orders to the officials concerned to look after the plight of those unfortunate ones who happen to be the residents of the slump. I am sure that as and when this news will be made public, each and every resident of Lyari area must be over joyous not only to thank but pray also for none but the top boss of all the bosses.
It will be too immoral if not criminal on my part if I completely ignore and do not mention that the president had gone to really an unimaginable extent by announcing in the meeting that he will himself supervise the development plans of Layari which in other words mean that he must has some inherent fears that if he leaves it to the officials only to carry out the works, the job will not be done with the same speed and quality as it can be accomplished under his own supervision and therefore he was not reluctant at all to exclude others so far as supervision is concerned though the execution still remains with the authorities. Now after such an announcement by the president it is quite but natural to understand that the authorities concerned irrespective of their official titles and responsibilities will be on their guards to really put in their heart and soul into the developmental programs of Layari unless someone is his or her own enemy.
The president was not only awfully shocked to learn that the present elected legislative members of Layari do not visit the area but also he could not digest that the all those who took votes from the residents of Layari can shirk their responsibilities. What a fine and refined president he is, I simply cannot help using adjectives but how many and which ones for him, who cares for his people and not self which is the case with most of us, and hence thought none but his own son to elevate the population of Layari. May be Bilwal had preferred to continue enjoying the royal and aristocratic facilities and amenities which he has enjoyed from the time he is born and hence he had not at any point of time even thought of undergoing the rigmaroles of contesting parliamentary election but ever since it had touched the heart of the president, he had no alternative but to field his own son to come to rescue Layarites. The life of London where Bilawal had been stationed for a long time or for that matter Dubai where too he had been quite long simply cannot be even compared what to talk of equating with Lyarai. The more you think about the life of London, Dubai and Layari, not only more perplexed you turn but also feel choked tinged with numbness as to how the three cities can be drawn on same one line. Who questions the national and patriotic love of the president, I will ask quite publicly?
So far so good rather excellent and I must very openly and warmly congratulate the residents of Layari as the time of their sufferings is gone and now they will enjoy such a life which they had not even dreamt of and the whole credit goes to resident Asif Ali Zardari to extend his personal patronage to the people of Layari. However, I would dare to suggest and if I am not allowed to suggest to our head of state, I will mention that the president must ask his beloved son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to contest from other constituencies as well which is very much allowed and even the president himself has contested in the last election from more than one constituencies. It will be nothing but purely childish on my part to hint either the president or the son or both as to from which constituencies he should field his nomination papers. There are two options available to him and them in this connection. Bilawal can contest from many constituencies of Karachi itself meaning by he takes care of our truly cosmopolitan city if he likes or alternatively he contests from different cities of all the four provinces. The crux is that the fate of the residents of the constituencies he contests election will be changed and they can be brought equal to Layari if not more than Layari.
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With my honest and solemn prayers
Sincere Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Pakistani in Kuwait since 1978