Strengthening national dialogue
THE rationalization of human intellect and rationality requires a peaceful environment. When the rationality of human beings is suppressed by the personal desires, chaos, antagonism and anarchism become the destination, the prevailing socio-economic and political disturbances in Pakistan are impediments in the way of pursuit of national interests.
The chaos and antagonism at home have an adverse impact on domestic and foreign policies of a state.
Pakistan has enough natural and human resources. Unfortunately, both kinds of resources are mismanaged due to irrational personal desires of a few.
The contemporary socio-economic and political destabilization is the outcome of the clash of interests of a few throughout the political landscape of the country.
The mess created by human beings needs to be tackled by human beings with rational capabilities and decisions.
It requires avoiding personal desires and grudges. It needs to render personal will to the will of all for the welfare of all.
It is merely possible through renewal of the social contract after comprehensive discussion, fruitful debate and conclusive dialogue at national level with rational minds.
The pages of history have been marked with numerous problems and conflicts which have always been ended through dialogue.
For instance, Europe was destroyed by the two catastrophic world wars. The leaders of the time shared their respective minds to avoid such catastrophes in the future.
League of Nations 1920, United Nations-1945 and European Union-1993 are the products of the dialogue to end certain crises.
Similarly, Magna Carta-1215, Treaty of Westphalia-1648 and Catholic-Protestant Reconciliation-1541 were made in the UK in order to bring stability.
In the same way, the severe political crisis in the USA has always been tackled through dialogue and discussion.
Why not us? Unfortunately, unlike other sovereign nations, Pakistan could not develop an inclusive and conclusive debate and dialogue culture at national level.
The major issues remained unresolved due to the lack of ways and means of discussion.
The political polarization, social segregation, religious extremism, ethnic chauvinism and economic disparities are gigantic issues in the way of resolving other fundamental issues.
Due to these problems un-constitutionalism, un-democratization and power illusion have become a business of the day in Pakistan. Politically, Pakistan has been confronting numerous internal problems since inception.
The political institutions particularly Parliament, provincial assemblies and political parties have become big cats with no teeth. The political powers and authority have been messed up in the country.
Party politics is merely engaged with exposing, blaming and abusing one another; revenging, pulling legs and pushing to the wall each other at the expense of common people have been their best hobbies.
They have hypnotized the poor minds in the country. They constantly throw the masses into a mess of complexities and unachievable hopes.
The hapless and hopeless people are at mercy of non-serious elites. Politics in Pakistan is known as deception.
They prioritize self-glorification more than serving the people. Political polarization, radicalization and ambiguity in Pakistan have puzzled common people.
Likewise, social segregation and disharmony are also hurdles in the way of building a national consensus.
The social division of Pakistani society has catalyzed antagonism and chaos in the country.
Since inception, Pakistan, as a state and Pakistanis as a nation, has failed to develop consensus social codes, values and norms.
Social dispersion contributes negatively to the process of national integrity and prosperity. Till date, 98 % people are out of power spectrum. They have been confined as the means of power grabbing for the elite.
The elite of the society deliberately keep the social segregation at peak in their power struggle realm.
It creates more problems in the society that ultimately bears a negative impact on the country as a whole.
In addition, the prevailing economic crisis has weakened the state institutions. Judicial, security, health, administrative and educational institutions have been at the lowest ebb.
Even efficient normal delivery of services by the institutions has become a day-dream. The common masses have lost their purchasing power due to high inflation.
Labourers come out of their homes in the morning to earn bread but go back with miseries in the evening. Neither the state nor the people have any solution to the contemporary economic crisis.
People merely observe the blame game of black sheep in the country. The beloved state is on the verge of default.
Undoubtedly, the grievances and issues are severe and hard to address at once but not impossible.
The contemporary socio-economic and political upheavals and crises need a comprehensive strategy and mechanism to be addressed.
These problems must be taken into account in the light of past records, present impediments and future prospects.
The entire socio-economic experts, activists, political leaders, civil and military public servants, educationists, religious scholars, traders, businessmen and stakeholders of other walks of life need to be united.
It needs an inclusive process of sharing knowledge, experiences and intellect to tackle the common threats for common goodness of all.
In a nutshell, social segregation, economic crunch, religious fanaticism and political polarization can only be curbed with the sword of national dialogue.
National dialogue is crucial to national integrity, constitutionalism and democratic norms in the country.
Merely national dialogue with rational minds and decisions can save the country. If the world can resolve their problems through dialogue, why not we?
It is the time to address the prevailing issues through national dialogue. Otherwise, the worst days are advancing.
—The writer is a PhD scholar at International Islamic University Islamabad.
