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Friday, March 29, 2024

Encroachment in Pakistan: A national psyche

An encroachment occurs when part of a building or fixture from one property intrudes onto adjoining land. It is also common to see the encroachment of ideas into religious ideology and defining ideas that can be good business propositions while playing on the superstitious beliefs of common people.

Encroachment as an idea is appealing to the society of this country, as it feels that it’s not equalling to the illegal land grab and of course whenever someone will ask, one can always give the land back or may take a status quo order. Encroachment on government lands by shopkeepers or kiosks or extending the lawns on government land is a common sight.

It is also common to see the encroachment of ideas into religious ideology and defining ideas that can be good business propositions while playing on the superstitious beliefs of common people. Again, it’s always easy to spin the intrusive ideas and with the faith that if someone will challenge one can always bow back. But with the passage of time, huge walls are made in the name of religious traditions make it harder rather impossible to break these encroaching ideas. These ideas then become a way of life and no one dare to question the authenticity of these ideas.

Read more: Are we a failed state or a failed society?

Encroachment of ideas is not only limited to religion

It is present in ethnic identity, but it also prevails in the cast to develop falsified superiority. The trespassing ideas generated become so deeply ingrained that it becomes a way of life as it serves the purpose of certain families or their petty politics.

The encroachment of power is deep-seated among all the national institutions. The institutions belittle the constitution and are always on the lookout to create their supremacy by infringing on the other institute’s domain. The only concern even the institutions have is self-righteousness and developing strong egos. The men living among various institutions conveniently forget that they are part of the struggling ignorant poor society.

A false superiority complex is forcefully built in their DNA since they are wearing uniforms, judicial wigs, or holding huge bureaucratic offices. All of them feel they are the best of the best and belong to the best and they are entitled to encroach powers.

These so-called loyalists of the institutes conveniently become blind to the bigger picture and only zoom into the myopic thought to benefit their institute at the cost of other institutions and some time at the cost of the constitution. Their aim remains to get of bigger budget or bigger salary or bigger perks while there are many who are struggling for basic needs.

Read more: Why non conformity is important for a prosperous society?

The policy formation is to benefit their fraternity and not the common men

It’s ironic that even politicians impinge upon the ideas of freedom, equality and change while having no knowledge as to how they will implement the slogans into formidable actions. They have neither training nor qualification to make an impression in the lives of millions of fools who believe them and tolerate their maneuver upon ideas of hope.

The standoffs between egos of powerful men have taken us backward and derailed the nation from the path to progress. The standoffs have gotten many killed, the standoffs helped the egoistical aspirants to play with religious and ethnic ideologies. The standoffs have made the egomaniacs give in to the business elite and play havoc with common people’s daily lives. They ensured that universities diminish thinking ability. The standoffs happen because of encroachment of power and believing the institution or a person belonging is blue-blooded.

Read more: Battling the challenge of dying faith in Pakistan’s youth

The encroachment of judiciary into executive, so-called establishment into legislation arena or religious mythology into science has continually regressed the society and country. The clash of egos can be eliminated if people believe in the rule of law and there is no tolerance for intrusive mindset. This can happen if only mindsets can accept that egos are mortals and the point of having all these big institutes is to develop and nourish the people of the country. Will we see another abhorring egoistic war or will we see the green flag will fly higher than the egos of high and mighty!

 

Moied Javeed is a senior telecom executive in Pakistan and can be reached at mj@tptglobal.net. The views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.Â