QUAID-E-AZAM'S IDEALS ARE NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED!

QUAID-E-AZAM'S IDEALS ARE NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED!

BY: FAISAL ANWAR, CCEP-I

AUGUST 14, 2020

As Pakistanis, we all love to quote the ideals of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, our Father of the Nation, on various occasions -- his birth anniversary on December 25, death anniversary on September 11, and on our Independence Day anniversary on August 14. Many of us have even memorized several of his quotes for our speeches, essays, articles, etc., but I doubt if they are fully understood, let alone followed. In any case, his ideals are not for the faint-hearted as it could mean taking a road less traveled, sacrificing personal interests, getting out of our comfort zones, and even suffering for honest actions or views.

It has become an annual ritual for most of us to shed crocodile's tears on our national commemorative days and, as if by reflex action, say (while sobbing artificially): "Oh our Quaid, we can't thank you enough for getting Pakistan for us but we are ashamed of ourselves for not having been able to live to your expectations"! By doing so, we feel good and then move on to our BAU (Business As Usual)! I wish we could confidently claim: "Quaid, we are proud of taking our country to new heights by adhering to your vision and principles".

It is again the 14th of August, our Independence Day Anniversary, and amid the celebrations and thanksgiving, as we honor our Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, I take this opportunity to highlight some of his views about the scourge of bribery/corruption and his expectation from the public servants to always do the "right thing". Let us contemplate and pledge to act upon his advice that he gave to the public servants in Peshawar in April, 1948.  I quote below a few extracts from his address:      

"..If you want to raise the prestige and greatness of Pakistan you must not fall victim to any pressure but do your duty as servants of the people and the state, fearlessly and honestly". 

"... I hope that each of you will understand his own sphere of duty and responsibility and act with others harmoniously in complete cooperation, keeping in mind that each has to do his duty within the sphere to which he belongs, if on your part start with that determination and enthusiasm – and I hope the other side will also realize what a terrible evil they are raising up and how it demoralizes the services to try and influence this department or that departments, this office or that officer-and if you stick to your determination you will have done a great service to your nation".

".....Maybe some of you may fall victim for not satisfying the whims of ministers. I hope it does not happen, but you may even be put to trouble not because you are doing anything wrong but because you are doing right".                  

In my humble opinion, the advice that Quaid-e-Azam had rendered to public servants applies equally to people working in the private sector too which is infested with unethical practices and compromises at the behest of unscrupulous CEOs and Boards. During my entire career, I hardly had any Pakistani role model in the banking sector that I could follow in terms of Ethics, though there were many from whom I learned a lot in purely technical/professional terms.   It was a difficult-to-please American boss who expected pretty much what Quaid-e-Azam had stated and asked me to "Do whatever is right, even at the risk of your job"!   And I did suffer (and continue to suffer) for speaking up my mind and "going against the current".                                                                    

Mohammad Ali Jinnah was an incorruptible and unpurchasable leader, the likes of whom we do not find today.  He practiced what he preached and his entire life epitomizes the principles or ideals that he had professed. His abhorrence for corruption was well known even before the independence.  For example, it was in 1945 that he had said: "Corruption is a curse in India and amongst Muslims, especially the so-called educated and intelligentsia. Unfortunately, it is the class that is selfish and morally and intellectually corrupt. No doubt this disease is common, but amongst this particular class of Muslims, it is rampant".   He had also said: "One of the biggest curses from which India is suffering - I do not say that other countries are free from it, but I think our condition is much worse - is bribery and corruption. That really is a poison".     

As professionals, to the extent of our own ambits, it is incumbent upon ourselves to raise our voice and take a brave stand against bribery/corruption and other unethical practices if we find them in our organizations and communities. None of us is a saint but we must try to be as close as possible towards meeting Quaid-e-Azam's ideals; otherwise, there is not much use in cleaning up or polishing expensively painted or engraved Quaid-e-Azam's portraits that adorn most of our corporate offices and meeting rooms. The idea should have been to feel embarrassed or fearful as if Quaid-e-Azam was keeping a watch on us as we make a hash of his expectations; however, most of us seem to be happy with emitting only the perception of being his staunch followers.  Meanwhile, the corporate world continues to fleece its customers; mislead the public through its false and highly exaggerated marketing campaigns/messages; misrepresent commercial deals as "giving back to the country"; breach regulations under the guise of "playing in the grey areas"; cook the books through creative accounting; discriminate -- against or in favor -- on the basis of belonging to one community or the other; short-change the employees; resort to nepotism; aid & abet CEOs and Boards to escape accountability; victimize employees who try to speak up, etc.  Not anything to be proud of at all! 

Anyway, before members of the "Positivity Brigade" start brick-batting me, let me just conclude with the slogan - "Pakistan Zindabad" along with some hope for a better future!

Author: Faisal Anwar, CCEP-I