Mindless contradictions

Sometimes it’s quite frustrating to see persistent mindless contradictions among Pakistani elites whether they are political or religious leaders or judges of the top court. On Feb. 13, several news reports caught my attention that prove the point. Pakistan’s religious parties have once again been persuading the government to open dialogue with Taleban while blaming India, Israel, US and other Western countries for ongoing terrorism and killings in the country.
No one can dare ask these religious parties that if the West is responsible for terrorism in Pakistan, then why Pakistan needs to strike a deal with Taleban.
It was reported on Feb. 13 that a first ever Pakistan-origin lawyer and parliamentarian, Yasir Naqvi, has been sworn as the minister of labor in Canada’s most populous state — Ontario. Yasir was elected to the legislative assembly in 2007 and within five years he is now a minister. It came on the same day when Pakistan’s Supreme Court gave Dr. Tahir Qadri a dressing down and dismissed his petition against the Election Commission. Interestingly, Qadri’ petition was not discussed on its merits. In fact there were no discussions at all on the petition’s merits while court kept questioning Qadri’s loyalty with Pakistan as he holds both Pakistan and Canadian nationalities. Dr. Qadri’s arguments that he has been working all across the globe to promote Pakistan’s soft image and his stand against Taleban has been widely appreciated, but all went in vain. When Canada does not question loyalty of an immigrant-turned-national while making him a minister, then why a Pakistani court is so much interested to question loyalty of its own son of the soil. Sadly, the Supreme Court has forced millions of overseas Pakistanis to worry about their rights in their mother country.
Unless we as a nation come clear of inconsistencies and contradictions in our thinking and deeds, we will keep questioning why our progress is in reverse direction. — Masood Khan, Jubail