Of perks and privileges

Let me begin by stating that I had to suppress the temptation to title this article as ‘pomp and splendour’. The official name of our beloved country is Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The official religion in Article 2 of the constitution of the country is stated as Islam. There are roughly 96.35 percent Muslims in an overall population of 240 million people.

By virtue of being adherent to the religion of Islam, almost 97 percent people are fortunate to declare for themselves as being followers of the ‘Last Messenger’ (PBUH). It has been ordained for all of us to lead a life which has to be modelled upon his (PBUH) ways of living.

The Lord refers to him PBUH as the Best Model to emulate. The fundamental question that arises from this premise is, did he (PBUH) avail to himself any privileged social status or any mark that would render to him (PBUH) a distinct, a distinguished and a prominently pronounced social or economic status? The answer is an emphatic ‘No’! He (PBUH) led a simple life.

Now when we compare the entire Muslim world, Pakistan in particular, we can conclude with a deep sense of anguish, remorse, and regret that the entire Ummah is guilty of being bad followers — the ideals and standards of governance of life that are cardinal cornerstones of our expected way of living are, at best, completely repugnant to the teachings received.

Equality is a symbolic expression. Equality under current day and age is a concept that is alien and utopian. We have the freedom to indulge in wholesale illusion that status, opportunities, and rights are available equally to the citizens of the world.

Voltaire emphasised on equality before law and in freedom of thought, speech, and action. He argued for equality but conceded that innate human desires and characteristics to dominate others and to look distinct and different to others would always stand in the way of ensuring equality in society. He also argued that poverty alone is a single dominant factor for the continued existence of inequality in laws and systems, in any society.

Voltaire stood for the concept based on what he stated, ‘All men are equal’; it is not birth right, but virtue, alone, that makes the difference. The underlying edifice to this thought being the need for a society that dwells upon the principles of meritocracy and not upon an inherited status. The entire nation is guilty of being violative of Article 25 of the constitution of Pakistan — there is no equality in any respect.

Including this scribe, we all love to take full benefits of the legally permissible and all the imaginable illegal benefits. All pillars of governance starting from the executive branch to the legislative bodies; and from the judiciary to the bureaucracy, are blatantly taking the frills of pelf and power. The private sector and the media aren’t any exception.

There is pomp and splendour in holding a public office and hence the temptation to title this piece accordingly, but sensibility prevailed. Possibly there is none who does not desire for oneself a privileged status in our country. If it is not extended, it is demanded. If any dares to not accord protocol, the threats hurled are real. These are actually executed.

No one in this country likes to stand in the queue. I love it when I don’t have to stand at the immigration counter at the airport. I justify to myself on the flimsiest ground to avail this and numerous other privileges by quoting that the entitlement is earned by hard work. Utter nonsense.

Perks and privileges refer to extra benefit in addition to salary like retirement benefits, compensation for medicinal treatment, etc. We have surpassed other nations by voting in favour of enjoying the perks and privileges outside the terms of employment or on an early retirement. Percocet described ‘perks’ as a prescription painkiller that sometimes people misuse. It can lead to addiction, overdose, and other serious problems.

Chief ministers and ministers of our province move from point A to point B that wouldn’t take more than 5–10 minutes of distance to cover, yet the royal convoy including police vans exceed more than 30; there is a convoy of Land Cruisers, Prados, etc., all of which are manned by law enforcement personnel and whose guns are threateningly pointed towards the Awaam (public) who in their foolish exercise of right to vote continue to make Himalayan error of electing the already ‘tested and failed’ contestants.

If all public office holders were to travel in similar fashion and most do, we can just imagine the burden they are upon the exchequer. The wastage of fuel, the salaries of staff and the gun-totting soldiers are just a few expenditures to quote. As true adherents to the oath taken to abide to the constitution, why can’t they refuse the privilege? Article 25 talks about equality — is this forgotten or held in abeyance? One doesn’t know.

Security concerns are a major smokescreen for availment of extra benefits. One armed guard or a hundred of them are the same because they cannot prevent the clutches of the angel of death to prey upon.

Recently at Lahore, where an overseas women’s cricket team was staying, the look inside and outside the hotel was one of being under siege — a complete overdoing of the need. I kept wondering if the scenario creates confidence in the minds of the cricketers and spectators, or does it create more terrifyingly horror possibilities? Unlike and in contrast, I was attending few years back a conference in Frankfurt, where Angela Merkel, the then chancellor of Germany, arrived with no fanfare of hooters or even armed security guards putting a cordon around her — very casually with her speech tucked under her arms she headed to the rostrum, welcomed the delegates, made the speech and left again without tantrums of privilege.

Public office holders indeed do need to have some form of security apparatus around them, although our ‘Model’ moved around with no security. Those who are serving the public at large can take care of security without being outlandish and vulgar.

The British prime minster moves with one pilot in a chauffeur-driven car followed by 2/3 men in uniform who make no effort to seek the attention they draw. We all love the attention, the focus, the light, and the camera.

The power of the office held is so powerful that even the illegal and inadmissible perks are taken as ‘rights’. Even the process of meeting legal requirements is ridden with the element of self-interest; otherwise, how can anyone explain the massive increase in salaries, perks, and privileges of the parliamentarians who passed a resolution to do so. The process of approval achieved in a nanosecond.

The element of conflict of interest is consigned to the backyard of a warehouse, which is a depository to all the finest standards of governance. This warehouse was opened after the assassination of the first prime minister of Pakistan, Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan, and since then it hasn’t shut its doors. We as a nation continue to deposit our sense of values, traditions, customs, etc. — brick by brick, step by step. The malaise continues.

Bureaucracy is worse or at least stands at par with the politicians/parliament in the abuse of facilities. Civil servants, who of late have ceased to be both, that is, neither are they civil nor are they servants. They are demigods who are the real rulers.

In the corporate and private sector too, there are massive fissures of financial manipulation arising out of the abuse of the perks and privileges. The manifestations of perks and privileges can be simple aspects like reserved car parking; almost personalised use of office lifts. This can give rise to setting new levels of seeking self-glorification, where doors are opened, cigarettes stuffed between the lips of sycophants, and briefcases are carried.

Almost incapacitated will be a leader who falls prey to such social fraud — the leader is only a few steps away when he or she is actually carried on the shoulders of the colleagues. A corporate paralytic officer.

In the early part of the 90s’ Fidel V. Ramos (former president of the Philippines) hosted a luncheon for over 1000-plus delegates to an international conference. The president arrived on time with minimum security arrangements, which was so welcome to notice, as against what we experience in Pakistan with the VIP movements.

The menu at the luncheon again was delightfully simple, a 3-course meal. Austerity practiced and not merely preached. There is so much to learn.

Simplicity is a virtue valued most in the religion that Pakistan refers to as its official religion. Yet the glitter, glamour, and ostentatiousness and a vulgar display of wealth, perks, and privileges are nauseating in the least. President Eisenhower had remarked that valuing privileges over principles can lead to the loss of both.

Proud nations, who grow upon own strength and not on borrowed money, lead lives of simplicity — no one can claim precedence over others. All are treated alike! We are still very far away from that possibility, even at the mature age of 78 years. We need to grow up. We cannot escape the responsibility for creating an equitable society for tomorrow, if not for today.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025