Jahangir's World Times First Comprehensive Magazine for students/teachers of competitive exams and general readers as well.
After a hard, trying phase in its history, it is quite heartening to note that this Independence Day brought along some propitious omens for Pakistan’s bright future. This was the first 14th August, after years of gloom and despair, when Karachi, the City of Lights, and Balochistan, the Eldorado of Pakistan, like other parts of the country, witnessed massive independence jubilations. This, indeed, is a manifestation of hope that has permeated the Pakistanis especially after a drastic reduction in acts of terrorism and a substantial improvement in national economy. All this has been possible only because the state and its law-enforcement agencies have started to realize that they have to exterminate the rogue elements from society and ensure the rule of law.
It is an undeniable fact that the very existence of a country in today’s modern world directly hinges on rule of law which, in essence, means that all citizens of a country are equal before law — an idea espoused also by the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 in Article 25 which guarantees that “All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law.” But, regrettably, this noble idea was virtually buried by the ruling elite. Since independence, the rulers of our country, democratic and dictators alike, remained largely indifferent to the problems, hardships and miseries of the masses.
Adding fuel to this fire was the lethargy and apathy on the part of our civil servants — the best minds of our country — who were supposed to serve the people of Pakistan. But, ironically, these bureaucrats, with some honourable exceptions, served as stooges to their political bosses, in sheer contrast to what Quaid-i-Azam had told them by saying, “You are not concerned with this or that political party; that is not your business.”
But, are they the only ones to be blamed for this fiasco?
No, they aren’t! The politicians too are equally responsible. They advertently kept Pakistan’s education system backward. Plato was absolutely right when he said, “The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life.” An education system that tacitly encourages students to indulge in a race only for marks cannot bring fertile minds to the top. In such a system, education is not for education’s sake rather it is for the sake of getting a job. Probably this is the principal reason why our universities bear no comparison with the Oxfords and the Harvards of the West. We have to admit that we, as a nation, have failed in providing the right education to our youth. One critical factor that we are completely oblivious to is career counselling. Every year, we see students obtaining outstanding marks in matric, inter or graduation exams but we lose many of these jewels only because they are not provided with requisite career counselling as to what profession or career they should join to make the most of their abilities, not only for their own advantage but for the greater benefit of the country as well.
This situation calls for a complete overhaul of Pakistan’s education system so that our students may get educated in such a way that they are equipped with abilities and skills to exploit their innate talent instead of carrying out the wishes of their parents or elders. It is true that we do need doctors and engineers but the life does not end here. We need brilliant minds in other fields too; we need scientists, researchers, bankers, economists, so on and so forth. Civil Service of Pakistan is also in dire, urgent need of spirited and enthusiastic officers who are endowed with abilities and talent to make Pakistan a country that is strong internally and does also command a great respect in the comity of nations.
