Daily Times

Sometime back Dr Usman W. Chohan asserted that Pakistanis are a very sober society. He was referring to the role of the people of Pakistan during crises like earthquakes, floods, and pandemics. I agreed with him and quoted him at various forums. However, now I realise that our society may be able to put up a brave face during crises, but that is not enough for the society to grow and prosper. I think our society is composed of interesting cultural norms. For instance, we are very good at criticising others’ work, even if we are qualified to comment on the issue or not. It is usual in our culture that whenever somebody presents an idea of doing things differently, a counter-narrative is always available from those who are not experts on the subject. Perhaps, this is one reason that we do not encourage debates on any sociocultural issues. And, more so, when it comes to security-related issues, everything is declared sensitive and confined to certain institutions, and not in the public domain. Incidentally, this causes uneasiness among the people, particularly the academics, and media, and therefore, the flow of requisite information gets disrupted leading to speculations. Moreover, half-baked knowledge leads to inconsistent writing that reflects poorly on the writer as well as the institution. Interestingly, these days quite a substance is available through the open source for the purpose of research and elaborate discussions.

Moreover, we are good at identifying and analysing our problems and several think tanks based in Islamabad, are regularly producing documents of prognosis of national-level issues, including national integration, strategic fallouts, policy failures, and lack of governance, etc. However, most of the documents fell short of recommending a workable solution, and if certain recommendations are doable, unfortunately, it does not see the light of the day due to domestic political compulsions or impediments.

Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi’s music became equally popular in households as well as on the streets because he kept creating content that suited the evolving industry.

In my opinion, 75 years down the lane, it is time that we the people of Pakistan, look for game-changers instead of routine workers or leaders. In my last week’s article, I elaborated on the significance of teamwork, which is essential in putting up a joint effort in building institutions and the state. Whereas, in this article, my focus is on looking out for the game-changers to come forward in every walk of life. There are hundreds of examples of successful people around the world, but I would rather give examples from Pakistan’s recent history so that our younger generation gets inspiration from within, instead of getting impressed by outsiders. Starting from the sports, Roshan Khan and Hashim Khan were the game-changers on whose performances Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan ruled the world. However, when the World Squash Federations were changing the rules of the game to make the Asian art of the game difficult, the two Khans did not change their playing style and did not produce the younger generation of squash players and hence, failed to sustain the mastery of the game. Perhaps, the same happened in Field Hockey as well. The European nations constantly do research in every department of the game for two reasons: to make it interesting to keep it financially viable and make the rules that are best suited to their environment and hence the players.

Come to the entertainment industry, Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi is

a game-changer, who in the mid-1980s introduced popular folk in a different style. His music became equally popular in households as well as on the streets of Pakistan over the last four decades because he kept on creating content that suited the evolving music industry. For instance, his participation in Coke Studio gave sustenance not only to his popularity but also inspired a number of folk singers who adopted his style and are thriving.

Abdul Sattar Edhi was a game-changer in the field of philanthropy. While his efforts in handling the unknown dead bodies before the burial could not be replicated, his vision of establishing the largest network of Ambulances at an affordable cost will go a long way in assisting the poorest of poor to help reach hospitals, perhaps in time. Many people from the sports and entertainment industry were inspired by his works and are now doing a great job in different parts of the country.

In fact, we need game-changers in our society at every level. It is not the prerogative of only national leadership to change the destiny of the people. Rather, leaders are needed to form teams for projects or organisations, large or small, and think differently towards the accomplishment of the desired objectives.

The benefit of developing leaders who can change the game does not only serve the organisation only but the state as well. The game-changers are inherently decision-makers, who can take tough decisions including calculated risks. Leaders of small organisations can grow and assist large organizations and thereby contribute to the growth and furtherance of the national cause. Perhaps, the only qualification required is the sincerity of the purpose, passion, vision, integrity, and courage.

The writer is the author of the book ‘Nuclear Deterrence and Conflict Management Between India and Pakistan’. He is presently working as the Director of the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS)