SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

 

 

Human Society is not something static, it changes and evolves, with the passage of time. The change may be for better or for worse.

 

As the circumstances of a country, at a particular time demand, the people of the country are prompted to put their heads together, work for it and bring about a desirable change.

 

A view of the world map reveals something interesting. As we move from west to east, we see that in addition to the geographical changes, the mental approach to life and social behaviour drastically changes in almost all eastern countries. The people of eastern countries are more religious, more formal and more emotional than those of the western countries. It is very interesting phenomenon that as soon as you enter the eastern region, most of these countries are found to have a remarkably poor economy, poverty, ignorance, backwardness, as if the geographical changes have something to do with the difference in man’s attitude and approach to life..

 

When things get worse, economy reaches the stage of total collapse, the country reaches the brink of bankruptcy and life becomes miserable, then the people wake up, start thinking, and according to the circumstances and available resources, they make joint efforts and bring about a desirable change. But this does not happen in Pakistan.

 

The  recent figures of foreign exchange reserves in Asian developing countries are like this: (In billion US$) Peoples Republic of China: 3,240, Japan: 1,272, South Korea: 312, Brazil: 372, India: 289, Pakistan: 6.59.

 

Not until very long ago, the Chinese nation was literally in deep slumber under the influence of opium. A huge population, with too many mouths to feed and very little food available. They realized the seriousness of the situation, made plannings and started working on it and today they are the largest exporters of the world and a booming economy.

 

South Korea sought advice from Pakistani economic and industrial experts and with the advices and suggestions so obtained, they planned and worked hard and today, after Japan, they are the most industrialized country of Asia.

 

Until recently, Brazil was known to be in the grip of corruption and poverty, but now they too have come out of their economic depression and are already moving towards a better economy.

 

Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia have come out of their economic recession and are now exporters of their industrial products to the international market.  Even Bangladesh is recovering from a poverty stricken economy and is moving towards economic prosperity.

 

Nothing in Pakistan happens like this. Conditions in Pakistan are ripe enough, perhaps more ripe than in any other country to make the people realize the seriousness of the situation and urge them to act, but nothing happens. We suffer and groan under the burden of corruption, greed, unemployment, poverty, ever rising cost of living, lawlessness, crimes. But it never crosses our mind, like other nations, to think and do somethi8ng to change.

 

What you have is not important. It is whether you utilize, and how you utilize what you have, is what matters. What we have in Pakistan, we do not use it for our welfare. We either leave it unutilized or plunder and squander it away.

 

Nature has gifted us with the natural resources like minerals, natural gas, oil, agricultural lands, rivers, sea ports, toiling manpower and talent, needed to put any country on the road of progress and prosperity. With these resources, we can make this country as one of the most prosperous countries of the region in a very short time. What we are lacking is the will to act.

 

A question that keeps recurring in mind is why this is so. Why we Pakistanis do not ponder and act. Are we doomed? Are we left with not even an iota of self-respect? Can nothing wake us p? Is our conscience completely dead?

 

I think Pakistan will make a very good subject for the psychologists and sociologists, and it will not be a bad idea at all for them to conduct researches to trace out and identify the roots and causes of our insensibility. Why are we unmindful of and unmoved by our pathetic conditions? Why are we so insensible, impudent and complacent?

 

 

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