Last week in September, there were two apologies. The first came from Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who tendered an apology to the seasoned workers (jiyalas) of his grandfather’s party. The second apology was made during the PTI jalsa at Lahore by a member of the Lota Union surrounding Imran Khan. There were impassioned appeals to forgive and forget the past and move on. But, can they be trusted? Has there been a major transformation, or is this just a ploy to retain power and prestige.
For the progressives, the elitist background of comrade Chou-en-Lai has always been a topic of debate. While Chairman Mao Tse Tung was the undisputed leader of the Chinese revolution, Chou-en-Lai was its manger, honestly following the leader. In fact, Mao was lost when his right hand man was not there to guide him. The miracle of China could not have happened without the two working in tandem.
From an apology for past misdeeds to a lasting legacy for the future, a lot needs to be done. Perhaps the name of Dr. Akhtar Hameed Khan, the founder of the Orangi Town Pilot Project (OPP) stands out on this front. He joined the prestigious Indian Civil Service (ICS) in 1936, and served in important positions. When he was convinced that the government could not serve the people, he resigned in 1945 and embarked on a mission for poverty alleviation. He was married to Hameeda Begum, daughter of Allama Mashrigi, the leader of the Khaksar Tehreek who was a leader of the new world order of his time.
For his service to humanity, he was conferred an honorary doctorate of law by Michigan State University and was nominated for the Nobel Prize. The Orangi Town Project stands out as a model for urban development for the poor. Dr. Sahib died on October 9, 1999 at the age of 85 years.
Legacy is based on giving, not taking. Apologies without retribution are meaningless. The Urdu word ‘talafi’ overrides ‘maafi.’ The deprived and impoverished nation expects ‘talafi’ from its leaders, who indulged in loot and plunder. Broken promises and meaningless apologies have been the norm in Pakistan. Our dreams have been repeatedly shattered by the entrenched forces of the status-quo.
Asif Zardari was in town to win back Bhutto’s jiyalas. Bilawal’s apology, though not enough, still carries some appeal due to the blood sacrifices of his mother and grandfather. The Lota Union has no case; they stand exposed and cornered and no party or its leadership can reinstate their political futures. There has to be visible retribution. They cannot eat their cake and have it too. The nation demands accountability and a return of the wealth plundered from it; not through courts but voluntarily and with real remorse.
Both common law and representative democracy have failed to lift the common man. Human development in China has been achieved without them. While the numbers of billionaires continue to increase worldwide, the poverty graph is falling in the opposite direction. The recent elections in India were termed free and fair, yet individuals with criminal backgrounds were elected; thus negating the spirit of representation and rule of law. Prime Minister Modi himself faces serious charges of genocide in Gujrat while he was the Chief Minister. Yet, he managed to win the top leadership slot of the nation.
No nation can survive without a proper reward and punishment system. For over six decades, the rich and powerful have managed to cheat the system and gotten away with it. Loans, perks, conflicts of interest, misuse of authority, money laundering, influence peddling, grants, and all shades of white collar crimes have been committed. A simple apology cannot wash away the stains and scars of such blatant human exploitation.
These days, an email highlighting the first trip of Ayub Khan to the US is being circulated. It is indeed strange that he is being compared with the leaders he produced and not with the ones he toppled. Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan also travelled to the US in simplicity, did not sell national interests or sign unfavourable treaties like the usurper. Until today, the first mansion built in Islamabad on a hillock with its back to a park stands out. When the Khan Brothers could not settle the inheritance, it was sold to Hashwani. A twelve storey plaza is being built near Lalik Chowk in DHA Lahore, and it is rumored that it belongs to an Ex-Army Chief.
Massive cleansing is the only way forward, together with an untainted leadership that can pass the baton on to the next generation. This charade must come to an end; there has to be a drop scene for the old players while the new ones are introduced. Old wine in new bottles or new wine in old bottles has lost its efficacy. Pakistan deserves a sober, able, honest leadership that can deliver without the proverbial wine being served in goblets of deceit. The “Kaptan” has an opportunity to build Quaid’s Pakistan with real comrades like Dr. Akhtar Hameed Khan; not the apologising turncoats sharing the stage with him.

n    The writer is Ex-Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation