Perhaps the caption might startle the reader! An obvious question that would immediately seize you for an answer is on what exactly is the co- relationship between a human trait and a country named Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The two must reside on opposite poles; so why have they been clubbed? I shall explain.

Men are greedy of other’s property and are extravagant in acquiring their own. A rare punishment, it is said, of avarice to itself. Greed is a self-taught trait. Those who have it in great quantum consider themselves lucky. The more you get, the more is the ask. More is always less. The vaults of greed are like one big Pacific Ocean, which refuses no water from any river.

Pakistan was born pure and neat. Since the decades of the fifties, the nation has been loitering and wandering upon the world, with no meaningful harm to others, except ourselves. We have failed to guard our innocence that we were blessed with on that blessed day of August, 1947.

Then, our politicians, bureaucrats, judges, parliamentarians, teachers, businessmen, students, and all men, women and children were focused selflessly in building the nascent state, which was facing huge challenges of Partition and of course of the neighbouring enemy, which was bent on undoing the country. The squander since then has been progressive. Every single period of economic growth has brought in its wake new heights of greed for acquisition of wealth, by any means. The end has been predominant, the “means”, a thing to be forgotten and buried, eternally.

As a Nation, we have indulged by choice, exercised by a few and most by virtue of no option, into self-flagellation. Misery hasn’t descended without the active participation of greed. We have none to blame except ourselves for destroying the social fabric of purity that we began with in our journey at independence. “I brought myself down. I gave them a sword. And they stuck it in.” (Richard Nixon, US President).

In this environment of greed all have abused the system, the entire strata and all segments of........

© Business Recorder