Pakistan’s Hypocrite Class
In my observation of Pakistanis, I have noticed that we are full of hypocrisies. Whether it be a political ideology or religious, our criteria of judgment is full of double standards. Though this problem is not confined to any one particular class, it is very common within the urban middle-class, who so loves to imitate the elites, and indulges in whatever fraudulent activities to bring their social status to the level above what they can afford. Now that is the first hypocrisy.
The people representing the middle-class of Pakistan are in the constant struggle to outdo each other by showing themselves better and above the other. Not by their acts of righteousness but by their finical standings, they are in a race to the top. The hypocritical thing about this attitude is that, they hate the poor, envy the rich and consider the middle-class pathetic. Now there is nothing wrong with raising your social status, but doing it illegally and to belittle others is what corrupts a society.
The same class is the most vocal against the corruption of ruling elites, but never fails to bribe a clerk or for that matter accept a bribe to do a job for which they were hired. It is this extra under-the-table income that lets them raise their standards above their means. The most corrupt gets to surpass the others in this constant struggle towards the top. Doing so without paying a single rupee in taxes.
This middle-class claims to favor democracy, but does not agree with any of the political party or their ideology. They feel comfortable under a dictatorship. It is when the grassroots politics are shut, these people can relax in their air-conditioned offices and pile stacks of cash. Only under a democracy is the grassroots politics active, whose “stinking poor” off the street leaders get these officers out of their offices and on the fields to get some actual work done.
They like to claim that the rich, feudal, and elite politicians can never care for poor, since those politicians are not poor themselves. For which they call out the whole political system and its institutions. But when their wishes are fulfilled and a MNA’s like Jamshed Dasti – from a very humble background – is elected, they seem to not like the way he looks, dresses, or for that matter, how educated he is. So now they are hypocritically supporting Harvard graduated elite politicians over someone who “understands the poor.”
This shameful act of hypocrisy by our countrymen is not only displayed in social and political matters but also in religion. They seem to chant religious slogans, wear Arab styled garments, keep a beard, and at times pray and fast as well. But when it comes to follow the holy scripture, which they have decorated in their shelves, their acts are only limited to a show-and-tell contest. Their deeds are plagued with corruption and looting others in order to excel beyond their means. I do not believe any religion teaches this.
If the society starts to change its attitudes towards any of these matters, it will be a beginning of a long journey towards a better future. Otherwise this hypocrisy will chew off the fabrics of Pakistani society, and leave it paralyzed beyond treatment.
very well written..straight from my heart..n i m very sure most of de ppl affirm it but wont apply de right directions becoz v r hypocrites.
Yes we as a society need to work on that.