While many people would not know the meaning of the maxim, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” literature buffs and lovers of politics can easily understand this.

Even though written long ago, it’s still very much applicable now, particularly in Pakistan. When I studied Animal Farm as part of my Bachelor’s degree I remember having annotated all the characters in the book with who in my mind was the corresponding politician of that time. And I am sure that if I read it today I will be able to correlate these characters again with the present leaders of Pakistan, which is what I find unfortunate.

Just yesterday Imran Khan and his party were making headlines after headlines over a matter taken seriously by all, which eventually turned out to be a farce. I have started to wonder if politicians are actually just attention seekers or do they have anything substantial in their bag to show the electorate.

For a while this leader said that his members had resigned. However, they silently waited to come back, giving the excuse that the resignations were not accepted. And just yesterday they took their salaries worth millions – for actually not doing anything or even attending the assemblies[i]. According to their reasons it was because they did not want to waste the money of the “awaam,” by letting it go in non-developmental expenses.

In my office leave rules say that I can have six offs, including weekends, in a month. If I want a seventh day off I need to submit a leave application giving a logical reason to get it approved from the supervisor. Only then I can have the day off or else my salary is deducted.

No matter how senior an employee is, the rules cannot, and should not, be molded to suit their wishes. My question to the Speaker of the Parliament is why was the salary of the PTI members approved?

When these politicians want to save their skin they hide behind a piece of paper called the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and cry to the skies about the Parliament being supreme. But when it comes to following the law why do they violate the rules themselves?

Whether it is using the “green number plate” cars or “flag cars” for their personal use and needs; or amending texts to become the Prime Minister for the third time, the rules are breached to suit their needs. When they, or their family members, violate even simple traffic rules they get away with it by flaunting their “cards.” Even with their names in drug trafficking, murders or other heinous cases, they can get away scot free and then hold “honorable” posts of the state.

I would love to take my pet animal in a plane or train or even an intercity bus, but I cannot do it. It has to be carried in the cargo and that too properly caged. It’s just a harmless cat, but no one will let me break the rule. But these pillars of the establishment can not only get on a plane with their entire huff and puff, they can even get it delayed, and then misbehave with the crew and passengers. No can give a convincing answer as to why this happens.

These things may appear petty to many readers, yet to me this is the core of the mess we are living in. One should be very clear about what one is doing.

You can’t ask your voters to obey the rules and not follow them yourself.

Maybe they think that like before they can again take the public for a ride with slogans of “change,” “roti, kapra, makaan,” or “shair ek wari fer”. They will always fool their gullible followers, workers, and die-hard supporters.

I just hope to be able to see the day when this stops happening, and we the people get our due by the people who are supposed to do it for us.