THE elite power structure in Pakistan is so deeply entrenched that it will just not allow any change or reform to take place. The class remains inimical to any change in a privilege-based status quo in the country, and resists any reform that it fears will erode its power and influence base. The elite class makes constitutional amendments for self-serving reasons only, and, instead of removing all the systemic weaknesses, the ruling class converts governments into kingdoms.

Today, the country stands destroyed, plundered by its own rulers. The practice of treating the privileged ones above the law is common in the country. As a nation, at this critical juncture, we cannot leave ourselves to the vagaries of time or at the mercy of systematic aberrations.

Things cannot be fixed magically. To have fruitful results, we need to have a serious and meaningful national debate involving a review of our entire govern- ment system. It is high time the country moved towards having broad-ranging political, economic, social, judicial, educational and administrative reforms.

Shafi Ahmed Khowaja
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2024