To eventually become the heady bureaucrats, Who catch all the smart professionals like gnats. PHOTO: SAAD MALLIK

Who is atop the chain of command?

The clique of students who in the same class, Despite family influence just managed to pass...

Saad Mallik December 17, 2017
There wasn’t any challenge they could not surpass,

The best of the breed, at the top of their class,

Who knew the importance of hard, honest toil;

Didn’t waste their time, burned the midnight oil.

They went on to excel as professionals, engineers,

Doctors and lawyers with promising careers.

 

While those who were ordinary, average at best,

Graduated and did well in the civil service test,

To eventually become the heady bureaucrats,

Who catch all the smart professionals like gnats.

In a web of paper work to drive them insane,

And control their existence with utmost disdain.

 

The clique of students who in the same class,

Despite family influence just managed to pass,

Turned into our leaders, ministers, assemblymen,

Who know that networking is mightier than a pen.

They are so powerful, even their kids and wives,

Dictate the obedient bureaucrats’ lives.

 

And the one at the bottom of the class in school,

Who failed every test and defied every rule,

Found useful alliance with criminals and thugs,

Engaging in extortion, kidnappings and drugs.

He controls our leaders as puppets in his hand,

Since he is at the top of the chain of command!

 
WRITTEN BY:
Saad Mallik The author is a retired environmental engineer and lives in New York. His interests include reading, writing and travelling, especially to see old Islamic architecture and civilizations. He has authored poetry e-books including Zarina is three, Cherished Stories, and Nawab of Punjab.
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (3)

Q Nikala | 6 years ago | Reply Very good analysis of the situation. A job well done.
Amir Rasheed | 6 years ago | Reply Well said, Sir and irony is this practice is also very prevalent in western society also as our sub-continent. I have a friend of mine who topped the Inter exam, competed in the prestigious IIT entrance exam and later became IAS and currently serving as a Joint Secretary for the Government of India. His boss is a State Minister for Health who happened to fail his inter exam but managed to pass on the second try and now give instruction to an IAS.
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