Pillars of State

March 2, 2017 OPINION/NEWS

Reuters photo



Muhammad Shoaib Khan

Ever heard about a society which is entirely polarized, but people are living for their interests instead of a cause? Heard of a country having the sixth largest army and is an atomic power, where the government didn’t have many resources to run the country but the politicians have investments in foreign countries more than in their own country? Do you want to hear about a country rich in minerals, having more coal than the oil in the Middle East, but is still under international funds or wants money from the IMF to run the government? In the world one country exists; Pakistan.

Every developed society has certain pillars which strengthens the state, the stronger the pillars the more stable the state will be. The Politics, Economy, Judiciary, Military and Media (a major and powerful information tool) are all the fortifying pillars of the state. The Media however can be considered as a middle man serving as a bridge between society and the state.

These pillars form the foundation of a smooth system, so every individual gets the desired rights. In a democratic system, the government is changed every five years. A strong political turnover will help in strengthening the state and the system. Along with politics, bureaucracy plays a pivotal role in policy making with respect to the society. Unfortunately, in certain systems a lack of political strength takes the country far behind. Every government tries to put the blame on the former government instead of making an effort to move forward or even try to do so. Every individual tries to maintain his hegemony in the organization, referred to as an interest game.

The economy develops the base of the society, hence it is considered one of the major pillars. A stronger economy will help in the development of society such as UAE. If the basic needs are fulfilled, the individuals will contribute towards nation building and for the development of the society. Maslow’s hierarchy is the best example to understand this scenario. Pakistan’s economy is mostly based on agriculture as well as other resources. Every year, Pakistan loses billions of rupees due to floods in different areas. Fields are destroyed, which ultimately affects trade. Even then, from 2005 our GDP increases 5% per year. Despite Pakistan generating revenue every year however, overall progress is still not up to the mark.

The third foremost pillar of the state is judiciary. Judiciary was restored in the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) regime after the long march movement by the lawyers. With such developments in progress, justice is still not provided at grass roots level. Even if it is provided, the process is so slow, giving the individual no hope.

Pakistan has the sixth largest army in the world. It is the only Muslim country to have nuclear technology. Skilled security systems, professional law enforcement agencies and the Pakistan army are defending the country internally and externally. They are carrying out various operations with the terrorists in different regions of the country to combat terrorism. So far several military operations have been conducted by Pakistan to counter terrorism, the world acknowledging the efforts of Pakistan. The soldiers have sacrificed their lives for the mother land and protection of the people. The army is guarding the borders be it navy, air force, army or any other security agency of the state. Due to a strong army none of the external forces think of attacking the country, in fact they try to destabilize Pakistan. But with the efforts of the security agencies, our enemy has not yet been able to succeed.

The last but not the least, or you may call it the chief important pillar of any state in modern societies, is the media. It’s the most powerful tool in today’s world. The media is providing the services of the middle man and acts as a bridge between society and the government. It helps in providing information on each and every aspect of society to the individuals. In recent times this tool has strengthened so much that it has the power to direct society as what to think, when to think and how to think. It has the authority to divert the attention of society towards any major or minor issue. Though the media is considered an information tool, it can also help in accountability and providing justice to the common man by highlighting the social issues. But somehow this tool has been overpowered by multinational corporations, advertising agencies which only result in sensationalizing the issues and creating hype among the masses. With all the cons, it is still considered a major pillar to protect the national interest.

All these pillars; Politics, Economy, Judiciary, Military and Media have their own importance and are interlinked. These may be referred to as the five fingers of one hand, without any of which a hand cannot function properly. If all these will work in collaboration, it will be a positive sign for Pakistan, since these pillars form the foundation of any state.

United we succeed, divided we fall.









Muhammad Shoaib Khan

Muhammad Shoaib Khan



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