Power is Power

“What will you do if a policeman hits you publicly without any reason”, was the question asked by elders while trying to convince me for CSS. Honestly speaking, the answer is one can’t do anything as the mantra of “Might is Right” is followed in its true letter and spirit in the land of pure.

Historically, positions in CSS and the Armed Forces were considered to be prestigious. Strict meritocracy coupled with the sense of serving the nation, attracted many competent individuals to apply for the so-called sacred institutions. Subsequently, they were professionally groomed by sending them to even Oxford and Cambridge universities for training in the 60s era (Hussain, 2018). So what went wrong?

A small tweak in the legislation, allowing political inductions in one professional stream, besides rewarding heavily in another category, ?polluted the system and killed the merit. As a result, people now wanted to join the sacred institutions for Power and to become wealthier, and as the saying goes on “Power Corrupts”. This leads us to the second question i.e. is this approach sustainable? Yes, as it benefits individuals at the cost of institutional decay.

The present situation in Pakistan reminds me of the scene from “Game of Thrones” where a minister tells the Queen that knowledge is Power. On hearing this, she orders her soldiers to behead him but as soon as the sword reaches his neck, she orders them to stop. Looking into the eyes of the frightened person she says “Power is Power”. Similarly, once a rival is frightened, a mighty person can achieve wonders in the land of pure.

?In the recent past, I had a little chat with students, confused about choosing a career. Coincidentally, a news channel in the background was showing armed men dragging a populist leader to dungeons. I asked these curious minds “What will you do if a policeman hits you publicly without any reason”. They thanked me a lot for true straightforward advice.