An overwhelming number of Pakistanis may be illiterate and disempowered, but their acumen and wisdom are on the mark. They are a conscious nation, and resilient too. That is why they never lagged behind in making an honest appraisal, as and when desired, be it in the realms of politics, tribal or communal adjudication or standing fast in adversity. Talking to men on the streets is real learning, especially with cab and auto-rickshaw drivers, as well as vendors. They know the pulse of the society, and at times vent out in all humility.

Recently, I had an interaction with a layman on the sidelines of a gathering. He narrated his ordeal suffered at a government office, and tongue-in-cheek remarked: "Allah bachaye thana, katcheri, aur hospital se." That piercing utterance was a preamble in itself and led me into introspection over the issues at hand in our jaundiced civic life. That disenfranchisement was a manifesto, as the edifice of governance has not been able to inspire the common man, and their grievances widely remain unattended.

With a........

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