Are they all Non-Issues?

by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani Sahib

Longer spell of slavery has deprived us of our right of independence. Clad in three-piece suit with beautiful necktie hanging from the collar, posing in absolute English style, speaking English language in Western accent, unattractive reforms, statements coming in such a way that could be contradicted easily, and which could neither be considered true nor false, ideology which could be given any shape, sense which could perceive the thrust of storm before it hits the power lobby, conscience which could be sold in the share market, formal association with religion which could protect against being called atheist or fundamentalist, criticism on steadfast people and greater efforts to declare oneself ultra-modern and broad-minded.

These are the qualities, which make it mandatory to become a politician. There were politicians of similar qualities who gave fascism on the name of politics, dictatorship on the name democracy, and cheat, vulgarity and loitering on the name of well-being. People have become sick and tired of such jugglery of politicians and now they are left with nothing to lose any further at the hand of these cheats. Whenever the history of fascism, dictatorship and loot and plunder will be written by impartial people, many well known and prominent figures and writers will top the list to startle the readers. There are many bigwigs in the field of journalism who presented the cheats, dictators, fascists, and anti-state elements in the guise of angels and saints. Who were unaware of their responsibilities of protecting the national boundaries.

Who had loot, plunder of national wealth, working for personal gains and spending life beyond their means, only aim of their life. Their lifestyle reminded the days and nights of Rangeelay Shah who never lived without vulgarity. Their palaces narrate the saga of broken pianos. How cum such people could run the national affairs who were unable even to take care of themselves. It is understood that when one is unable to stand, walk, see, listen and talk properly, he cannot look after the national interest and it is his time to take complete rest leaving the affairs for others to take care. After experiencing decline, they are informed about their past. Newspapers, magazines and other publications carry their right or wrong doings with greater prominence. When it happens? When the powerful chair, as usual, says good bye. As long as the sun or power remains above the head, the writers and intellectuals remained bowed before them. On one hand they left no stone unturned in proving the ruler the most pious and extra wise person, while on the other hand as soon as the power is snatched, the same sincere, patriotic and people-friendly ruler, are turned anti-state elements and agents of enemies. They are declared incapable, incompetent and unaware of facts. This reminded a situation when a man with beautiful nose entered a village where people had cut noses and whole town echoed with slogans of ‘Naku, Naku’ (a man with full nose).

Similar situation was witnessed in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) when Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal swept the general election and formed its government in the province. Majlis has been in power since many months but certain quarters are still unable to digest this reality. Whenever Majlis takes step to eliminate vulgarity and promote simplicity as per its promises it had made at the time of election, or whenever it opts to legislate some law, those who are close to the kings (ruling party), term the steps ‘non-issues’ and make efforts to prove the measures of lesser importance. At this stage they forget that those who played no role in making the Majlis successful in the general election, who prefer Western culture, jerk at the Western music, like obscenity and vulgarity, never care of religion and culture, and who give no importance to Halal and Haram in their lives and who dislike Islam and believers of Islam, but they are serving their purpose by opposing Majlis and its reforms. The opponents of Majlis must better understand that the believers of Islam want to see proper implementation of Islamic laws all over the world, they never like vulgarity and love the humanity. It is alarming that if Majlis remained unsuccessful in keeping its promise, then it would have very tough time in the next general election and it might not win the support of those who voted it to power in the past election.

So called broad-minded people term certain realities ‘non-issues’ which are real issues in the sight of followers of Islam. If the performance of NWFP government is viewed impartially, it would be revealed that this government (the government of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal) is not only making efforts promote religion, but it is also making efforts for the promotion of education, health sectors and also adopting measures to provide more and more job opportunities to the unemployed people at the earliest. And this is all happening at a time when the Majlis government has limited resources. There are a number of elements, including various ministers in the Centre, who are creating hurdles in the way of Majlis.

Under the prevailing circumstances, making education up to metric level free, declaring education up to middle ‘a must’, providing books and uniforms to students free of cost, establishment of women colleges, beginning of postgraduate classes, announcement of establishing separate university and medical colleges for female students, provision of quality medical facilities to the poor and middle class people in the government-run hospitals, construction of small dams for irrigation purposes, construction of roads while maintaining international standards and providing better tourism facilities to the tourists in the province are the hallmark of Majlis-e-Amal’s performance. This performance has no precedence during the past 55 years. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, minorities, women and all other classes of the society have been given equal rights. Women members of the provincial assembly on the minority seats are given equal rights in the house. They are provided equal share in the development funds. Moreover, the Majlis has also taken up the case of share of province in the profit of electricity at the Centre. Can all these steps be called ‘Non-Issues’?

If it is taken for granted that some people consider binding of prayers, simplicity in dressing, playing vulgar music in transport vehicles, obscene presentation of women in television and print media advertisements, lavish spending of national wealth, and adopting Urdu as national language, as ‘Non-Issues’, then there are a number of people who made the Majlis successful in the general election on the condition of eliminating such evils which are termed ‘Non-Issues’ by certain quarters. May Allah bless our journalists with a sense and courage to write truth only and expose the real evils of the society.