Qadri’s Quandary

Sensing danger to their political empires most political leaders especially the MLN, the PPP, the JUI (F) and ANP groups are in the forefront in castigating Maulana Tahir Qadri for his March for the Change. They question his dual nationality, his source of funding to the tune of Crores, his call for the Change at such a belated time and hurling personal attacks on him of all sorts.  I will not defend him for any of the accusations against him as he himself has done it many a time publicly and on media under the oaths of the highest order.

Whether he is a Saint or a Scoundrel doesn’t make a difference to me.  I am just concerned with what he says and demands, that is;  Clean and Honest Electoral System to give us good and honest people to elect from.  I sincerely hope and pray that our present political leaders shall not oppose such an Electoral System. My question to his ALL detractor is a simple one.  Do they want the candidates for the coming elections to be Honest, Sagacious, Non-profligate and Ameen or not?  If yes, then how to find one measuring up to the Articles 62 (f) and 63 of the constitution. One way of doing it could  be to ask the candidates to proffer the followings also along with their nomination forms to the ECP:

1.  Assets Returns including of the spouse(s) and children
2. Tax Return (fully paid)
3. All Utility Bills (fully paid)
4. Property(ies) Tax (fully Paid)
5. Vehicle(s) Tokens (fully paid)
6. Bank Statement(s)
7. Bank Loan Statement, declaring that the candidate has neither gotten any Bank Loans ever written off nor has been a Bank Defaulter ever.
8. Brief details of the litigations in the courts and their present status.
9. A “Good Character Certificate” from at least 40 persons duly endorsed by the Khatib of the mosque of the area where he/she lives.
10.  An affidavit by the candidate declaring that he/she or ANYONE else on his/her behalf has NOT paid anything in any way or in coin or kind to the Political Party or to anyone in the Party for securing the Party Nomination and Ticket.

By doing so most of the undesirable ones could be weeded out and we would have good and honest politicians to choose from.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)