Kudos to Mohammad Sarwar, who recently resigned as the governor of Punjab in Pakistan. The 62-year-old close aide of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif quit from his post as a protest against the country’s “deep-rooted…injustice and corruption.” Feeling dejected that he had failed to deliver on his promises, Sarwar pointed out that Pakistan’s political system favored “only the elite class” and left the masses struggling for survival. While his resignation has stirred controversy in the country, it could very well be a defining moment in Pakistan’s political scene. He has joined Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).
Although Sarwar did not have a political background in Pakistan, he was not new to politics. However, he was not appointed to the influential post merely because of his strong connections with the Sharif family. He was a notable politician in Britain, elected as the first Muslim MP in 1997. After sweeping the 2013 general elections, Sarwar had specially been invited by Sharif to return to Pakistan and become the governor of Punjab. A few days before his resignation, Sarwar was at loggerheads with the federal government over his remarks about Obama’s visit to India while ignoring Pakistan. He had criticized the government for failing to establish a closer working relationship with the US and termed it a “diplomatic failure of Islamabad.”
By quitting his post, Sarwar has made a strong political statement. He has set a rare example of openly accepting the shortcomings of his governance and shown intolerance toward the unjust system. As a result of the systematic institutional failure in Pakistan, equal access to basic rights and justice in the country has been hampered. The social sector has been unable to deliver quality education, health and economic opportunities to a wide segment of the society. Consequently, the socioeconomic gap in Pakistan has widened and sharply increase criminal and terrorism-related activities in the country.
Unfortunately, the glaring social and economic injustice has not moved the selfish politicians in Pakistan. While the masses suffer, they have continued to enjoy lavish perks and plunder national resources with impunity. Sarwar may, perhaps, set the precedent among local politicians of resigning out of a political conscience. His decision may have been inconsistent with the country’s political traditions, but that was the right thing to do. He probably had the guts and conscience to step down because of his background in Britain’s politics. Local politicians are a hardened lot who dare not irk the powerful bureaucracy and those pulling the strings of a self-serving system.
Recent nationwide protests and rallies against the government sparked a change in Pakistan with people shifting from their typical apolitical stance to demand far-reaching reforms in the country. As more Pakistanis gain political consciousness, it is hoped that political conscience will awaken among politicians and help the country become secure and prosperous. It is high time that politicians in Pakistan showed maturity and took lead in resolving problems that affect the common man. Rather than clinging on to their jobs, they should work together to develop solutions for these issues. For democracy to flourish, it is important that ordinary citizens start believing in the system. The only way people of Pakistan can place their faith in democracy is when the actions of politicians reflect democratic ideals of freedom, liberty and justice first.
