As the sun set on the British Empire, our part of the world got rid of the so-called Sirs, Khan Bahadurs and Khan Sahibs. But unfortunately they, with some new entrants, immediately formed another privileged class to look and feel above the common folk.
They can be identified today from their prefixes such as sardars, Nawab, khan, Chaudhry, wadera, Syed, pir, Mir and rais. These people quickly established an alliance with the civil and military bureaucracies to keep the masses under their feet.
In the last half a century, some voices have been raised to end this slavery but to no avail, as with time this ’unholy’ alliance of the ruling classes has become stronger taking the shape of a greater menace. It is hiding behind the tribal and feudal facade keeping the population as illiterate as possible.
As a face saving, there have been three land reforms to break the back of feudalism in Pakistan. But as the ruling classes have been insincere in their efforts, these reforms were never implemented and they made no impact. The ’sardari system’ was abolished through the System of Sardari (Abolition) Act, 1976, which says in the preamble:
"The system of Sardari, prevalent in certain parts of Pakistan, is the worst remnant of the oppressive feudal and tribal system which, being derogatory to human dignity and freedom, is repugnant to the spirit of democracy and equality as enunciated by Islam and enshrined in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and opposed to the economic advancement of the people."
The system couldn’t be done away with as all the paraphernalia is there that tribalism and feudalism thrives upon. There is a great need for a movement to end these outdated systems which are at the root of many ills in our society. One way to expedite their decline and eventual demise is to educate our masses, many among them being surprisingly given to slavery.
The media can greatly help in this cause. It could start with stopping the usage of the abominable prefixes. Why can’t a so-called ’Sardar’, a ’Nawab’, a ’pir’ or a member of this new class of the elite, a retired general, brigadier or a colonel simply be addressed as mister?
AZIZ NAREJO
Corpus Christi, TX, USA
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