The Verdict
I want to be a sipahi

I want to be a sipahi

Everyone wants to be a general but noone wants to be a sipahi! But it is the soldiers of this world who work, often thanklessly, that make a real difference.

Faheem Khan September 04, 2010

To enjoy power is human. Political leaders enjoy power while fooling the public enough to get them to vote for them; a cleric enjoys this power while issuing fatwas; a jirga-head enjoys this power while awarding punishment to a criminal according to his law; a police inspector enjoys this power as he orders riot police to engage protesters; a teenager enjoys this power while driving his car at 160 kilometres per hour while a poor labourer enjoys this power as he beats his wife.

As a researcher I conduct field surveys across Pakistan and recommend policies to decision makers for better development outcomes. Over the years I have realised the tremendous potential in our nation. Our people are patriotic, informed, tough, and have a good-heart. The only limitation I found is that everybody wants heaven but nobody wants to die, in other words, everybody wants to be a general but nobody wants to be a sipahi.

The reason why I use the term sipahi in place of political worker or karkun and general’ instead of political Leader is because a sipahi has nothing to lose nor does he have anything to gain - yet he is always ready to help. He does not have any personal or political motives.

Sipahi's are ‘silent angels’ who live among us in peace and only appear when there is a need. Whereas, generals enjoy unlimited power and have no accountability. This mind-set prevails not only in our leaders but in our youths as well. I would not blame the youth - they are patriotic and want to bring about change for their people. The only way they think it can be done is if they have the same powers as that of a general - to impose their doctrines.

We are a tough nation. We have seen millions migrating in 1947; have experienced the ‘fall of Dhaka’ in 1971; gave home to 3.0 million Afghans in 1979; have faced hatred since 9/11; have tackled the massive earthquake of 2005; have accompanied 0.25 million IDPs during Swat Operation in 2009 and we will face these unprecedented floods of 2010 with dignity.

I am filled with pride when I realise and see so much good in ourselves; however, the challenge is to bring the potential of Pakistanis out into the open. I don’t have any power to enjoy or any resources to offer but I do have knowledge and spirit to offer to this country.

What I want is to be a sipahi!

WRITTEN BY:
Faheem Khan A PhD public policy candidate following Iqbalâ€™s concept of khudi

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (12)

Sarfaraz Iqbal Cheema | 13 years ago | Reply @ Muhammad Ilyas Khan its only how one look at things.... its not the people who were effected by floods who seek help form outsiders, they know well enough that the only those who care for them will answer their cries.... its the political leaders who are asking for money which everyone knows will never end up with those displaced by this natural calamity.... we as a nation might have got corrupt but the foundations for this nation were laid on an ideology that has survived the wars, separation, earth quakes and floods... even if the people fail (not saying that we have failed or that we will fail, but to the forces acting on to see us fail) you will still see us growing stronger as we always have.... just one thing, if you want change then be the change you want!!!!

Sajjad Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply A very well written article that pretty much sums up the way forward. Individuals MUST realize their own responsibilities and there are a billion things that depend on a single basic entity - the individual himself. If that basic entity choses to bring about a change in its environs, InshaAllah good things will soon follow. Excellent work Sir Faheem Khan. I'll surely wait for your future blog posts.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Whatever | 13 years ago | Reply I think the message is pretty clear. Its not about soldiers. Its about selflessness

ashfaq | 13 years ago | Reply A blind follower of the commands of a general was Iqbal's idea of khudi and Sir Syed's intellect?

s.s from london | 13 years ago | Reply I think "sipahi" is the term chosen for a reference, perhaps the true essence isn't grabbed by most of my fellows here . every one of us should work selflessly as a sipahi for his country , not like Generals who are opportunists and hungry for power all the time.

Faheem J. Khan | 13 years ago | Reply The inspiration for 'Sipahi' is lost somewhere during the editorial screening. Sipahi is the spirit of Iqbal's Khudi; the product of Sir Syed's intellect; a worker of Jinnah's independence movement; a follower of Mahbubul Haq's welfare ideas; a Jaan-Nisaar soldier of Salahuddin’s army; and a student of Al-Andalus. To become a Sipahi is to trust in your individual abilities, aim to ‘rise and shine’ and to keep faith in collective success.

zahid | 13 years ago | Reply It is nice idea to be a siphai but more than that we need spirit of a siphai i.e. to serve till the last gasp of life. As a nation we are no doubt rough n taugh but only at micro level. On macro level, we are really pigmies. We are rather dwarfs morally and spiritually.

shy | 13 years ago | Reply sipahi of army or police.

Talha | 13 years ago | Reply Excellent piece. I like how you've combined the belief and hope that is the bottom line in our situation as a nation with one of the most important traits we need to develop in ourselves if we are to achieve what we set out to achieve seven decades ago.

parvez | 13 years ago | Reply I am a firm believer in my country Pakistan. You have in a nut shell summed up my feelings. Thank you so very much.

Muhammad Ilyas Khan | 13 years ago | Reply What do we make of this paragraph by the blogger: "We are a tough nation. We have seen millions migrating in 1947; have experienced the ‘fall of Dhaka’ in 1971; gave home to 3.0 million Afghans in 1979; have faced hatred since 9/11; have tackled the massive earthquake of 2005; have accompanied 0.25 million IDPs during Swat Operation in 2009 and we will face these unprecedented floods of 2010 with dignity."...Have EXPERIENCED the fall of Dhaka? Does that make us a 'tough' nation? How? What lessons have we learnt from that, if any? Have we reversed the course of history? Have we mended our ways? Are we in a better position today? How does that 'experience' translate into our 'toughness'? Facing 'floods with dignity' means what? Asking no one to help us ? Are we not doing that from day one of the calamity? Did we do much of what is happening on our own to assist our people out of the floods and teh consequent hunger and disease? Aren't our rulers asking everyone on the face of the earth to 'help us'out of the engulging water? (and poverty and disease and bigotry and violence and extremism?). The metaphor of 'sipahi' feels to be the outcome of a nice sentiment but it would be even better if we become 'khaadims' and 'servants' rather than everyone becoming a 'sipahi'...a 'sipahi' is a term more useful for a time of 'war', a 'khaadim' and 'servant' is a term that associates with the time of 'peace' that is what we are in real need of. We have millions of 'mujahids' already swarming our country. What we need are 'khaadims', 'servants'...those who can 'serve' the nation towards development, peace, prosperity and harmony and peaceful existence with the rest of humanity.

Haris Masood Zuberi | 13 years ago | Reply Good perspective.

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