KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari decorated Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad with Nishan-i-Imtiaz, the highest civil award, at a simple ceremony held at the Governor’s House here on Tuesday.

The award is in recognition of Dr Ebad’s services in the field of public service as governor over the past 10 years.

Federal ministers Rehman Malik, Naveed Qamar and Dr Farooq Sattar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain, Federal Ombudsman Salman Farooqui, provincial ministers Pir Mazharul Haq, Manzoor Wasan, Syed Murad Ali Shah and Syed Sardar Ahmad and Adviser to the Chief Minister Sharmila Farooqui attended the ceremony.

The citation read out on the occasion said that Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad, who was appointed as the youngest governor of Sindh on Dec 27, 2002, had become the longest serving governor in the country. At the time of his appointment the province was facing major socio-cultural, economic and socio-political challenges. He envisioned Sindh as a harmonised developed civil society and worked hard in that regard.

Governor Ebad made significant contributions in diverse sectors, such as foreign investment, infrastructure development, law & order, education, interfaith harmony and relief activities.

During his tenure a massive infrastructure, in terms of road networks, flyovers, bridges, underpasses, water supply schemes, public transport system, public housing and support facilities were built.

Earlier, according to official sources, President Zardari exchanged views with the governor on the political situation, and law and order and stressed the need for taking every measure for restoring peace in Karachi.

He also called for timely completion of development projects.

Matter of shame and not pride

At times one reads a news which itself simply does not ask rather on the contra it not only forces but even ignites the readers to speak aloud and this is what exactly has happened with me when I read the news that in Karachi at Governor House on Tuesday 25th December, 2012 President Asif Ali Zardari had the guts to bestow Nishan-e-Imtiaz on Governor Irshadul Ebad.

Without prejudice to the inborn prerogatives embedded in honorable President Zardari or for that matter honorable Governor Ebad let me say it bluntly without any hesitation and reluctance that I am really much shocked to see that Zardari decorated the same governor whose province is leading in worst law and order situation where killings of innocent people has become a fashion and that too for many long months altogether. Due to paucity if time as it is already 1650 my time and 1850 PST, I will only touch about human killing leaving apart the rest of the crimes of which some are very serious and grave. I have my very serious doubts that any organization or a person  knows exactly as to how many thousands have been killed in Karachi alone leaving the rest of the province since Ebad has taken over as Governor of Sindh. Which week, forget about month, if any when none was killed in Karachi is a very simple and easy question which I am posing and would like to hear from the governor himself? I know he has no answer to it and even if I ask him answer the question says after a month or so he will be absolutely answerless in any case for the very simple reason that Karachi has become the most famous graveyard of the country where people are killed on daily basis for one reason or the other which is terrible and most shameful to be honest. 

Needless to mention, internationally speaking decorations like NI etc are bestowed upon on those who excel in providing meritorious services towards the community or the cause and not otherwise. If we go history pages we will find that in each and every country people have been honored and decorated for certain exclusive reasons and this is being practiced since time immemorial. You decorate someone when he or she does something extra ordinary and exceptional. For example each student is to pass examination so each one who passes in examination is not honored alike but the one who tops and gets gold medal is to be decorated. A soldier is to fight against enemy which as such does not need any recognition in any case but when the same khaki is left alone to defend the territorial borders of the country and he under such off circumstances kills many forcing them to retreat and not advance then he deserves to be honored and not ignored in any case whatsoever.   

As a governor it is primary obligation on the part of Ebad to ensure that human life is secured in the province but very much regretfully he has completely failed on this venture to be honest. It will be absolutely be immoral on my part not to recognize his so many merits like many a time he has issued condolences which are already written in advance in any case but since he offers condolences I must commend him on this account. Governor has also constituted inquiry committees, investigation boards to dig out why people are killed and hence this too is being appreciated by me. Many times he has paid even cash compensation to those who have been killed which as such is plus point for him and not minus so my hat is off for him. It is nothing but show of good-will gesture on the part of the governor to visit the site where people are killed and hence again I am with him and not against him. So far so good but still he does not deserve to be honored with NI.

In crux, I think there are more failures in his account than successes which as such do not merit him to be decorated and honored like this. As a matter of fact pursuance to above explanation Governor Ebad should have very plainly told the President Zardari that when I as governor have failed in stopping the killings I am ashamed of myself and hence cannot accept NI decoration but very much surprisingly instead of being ashamed he felt truly proud to be honored with NI. What do you say, may I dare ask?