Message of sacrifice

I am currently in Canada where preparations for Eidul Azha are in full swing by overseas Pakistanis residing here. I have also been invited to participate in several events in connection with the upcoming Eid festival, and I am happy to know that the talented Pakistani-origin Canadian citizens are playing a pivotal role in the development of Canada.

However, during my ongoing visit, I have observed frustration on the faces of many Pakistanis. Apparently, they are dissatisfied with the policies of the rulers in Pakistan. According to them, every government asks for their cooperation, but their selfless sacrifices are not yielding any positive results. I have studied every religion in the world and found that the concept of sacrifice is present in all of them. Even in ancient times, human beings used to offer sacrifices for the sake of pleasing God. However, thousands of years ago, Hazrat Ibrahim (ra), made the most difficult decision to sacrifice his beloved son, Hazrat Ismael (ra) in the way of God.

Similarly, Hindu dharma, Christianity, Judaism and the tribes of Africa have traditions of sacrifice on special occasions. In my view, every major festival in the world carries a great message. The holy festival of Eidul Azha teaches sacrifice, and in this regard, we need to understand the true meaning of sacrifice.

Pakistan is going through a critical situation, and every Pakistani must be ready to offer sacrifices. In my view, this is the narrative that has been presented to the people at the government level for the last 75 years. Undoubtedly, the people have always responded to the call of the government but despite this, there is no positive development so far.

The Imran Khan government came to power on the slogan of change. Unlike previous rulers, Imran Khan has portrayed himself as an honest leader committed to fight against corruption. Before the election, he made many promises. Unfortunately, all such promises were never fulfilled. The problems of vulnerable people increased day by day, and the country moved further backward during his tenure.

Similarly, the present PML-N regime claims that it is a government of experienced politicians, who not only understand the problems of ordinary people but also have sustainable solutions. However, the ruthless manner in which the IMF has gripped them has created a new wave of panic among the people on a large scale. Presently, the price of petrol has reached close to Rs250 per litre, and this price will continue to increase gradually in the near future. The value of the US dollar has climbed to Rs210. The government is promising tax hikes to international organizations while the fact is that the rising price of petrol has significantly put a negative effect on the purchasing power of the people, resulting in a reduction in its consumption.

As a student of history, I have found that all the problems that Pakistan is facing today were faced by other countries as well, but their leadership showed commitment to first offer sacrifices by themselves. Unfortunately, our rulers demand sacrifices from the people and do not give up the luxuries they enjoy against all ethical norms.

Today, our government officials must follow the difficult decision made by Hazrat Ibrahim (ra) thousands of years ago, to sacrifice their perks and privileges, servants and protocol, from taxpayers’ money of poor people. This can help improve the people’s well-being and restore their confidence in the leadership.

On the holy occasion of Eidul Azha, it is my appeal to every Pakistani to understand the real meaning of sacrifice. If our rulers succeed in presenting themselves as role models, our beloved country would be able to move forward on the path of development and prosperity.

The writer is a member of the National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council.

He tweets @RVankwani