A Probable Solution

Abubakr Ayesh

The bleak conditions in Pakistan-I do not need to quote the evidence here-have been effective enough to motivate people to bring about a change-they direly await a change, yet it has proved inefficacious in making people focusing on the methodology entailed to achieve this objective. A recent four day cameo in Islamabad validates my claim: people were willing to endure the chilly weather day in and day out for the rewards of electricity, gas, basic necessities of life and an honest-and a representative-government. Nevertheless, their plans were always in an amorphous state and they “just searched for the change.”

What people do not understand is that quality leadership may bring about the desired effect through a revolution but it will only be a short-lived one; once the leadership is gone the situation will revert back. The crux of the argument is that the maturity of a human mind is only possible through “evolution” not “revolution.” History suggests that revolutions only provide fleeting solutions. Accomplishing the task of Pakistan would have been impossible for Jinnah and his contemporaries had the minds of the millions not evolved enough to realize that Muslims need a separate homeland, it would have been improbable without the evolutionary work carried out by the poetry of Iqbal and the vision of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. Besides, the most prominent evidence is of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who attacked the inhumane ideologies of the people first and convinced people for twenty years, before conquering Makah, that Islam is the best lifestyle.

The common man dreams of a society where there are no suicide attacks, where women who want to pursue education can do so fearlessly, where there is no injustice, where everyone can afford the basic necessities of life, where no one hears the stories about kidnapping, robbery and murders and where people live in peace and harmony. Nevertheless, he himself-on a petty level-is involved in one or another of these deeds that are regarded unethical and inhumane-for example if we carry out a critical review of ourselves, we shall conclude that dishonesty has become an inherent part of our personalities. The common man’s thinking has degraded to an extent where he takes pride in interfering with the law-breaking traffic signals is one relevant example.

It is therefore, the onus of those who understand this fact that they not only set an example by initiating the procedure of becoming honest and moral themselves but also by spreading awareness amongst those around them. The common man needs to understand that changing a whole system is not possible in four days; it takes years to do so-it demands loads from writers, preachers, leaders and social workers so that the common man can contemplate what “change” is required and how it is to be brought about. Once this is accomplished, the common man would not celebrate a treaty that he did after suffering four days of cold in Islamabad.

The point is that the leader alone cannot do anything-he can only provide guidance. It is the people who have to strive to become a better individual themselves -instead of peeping into the collars of others and carrying out their detailed post mortem. Furthermore, those looking for the change-particularly the youth-should realize that it will not come today or tomorrow; it will require patience, forbearance steadfastness and consistency-the qualities I want to see in them.