Meritocracy

THE Holy Prophet (PBUH) is believed to have said that 'paradise lies under the feet of mothers'; therefore, one must be good to their mother.

- BY AMIN VALLIANI

The mother is the source of our coming into this world; she has supported us throughout her life.

Similarly, the state is also considered to be a 'mother' of all its citizens. Here, 'the state' refers to a country or a government that is seen as a nurturing or protective entity, akin to a mother caring for her children.

Every citizen, therefore, ought to be supportive of the 'mother' state's efforts at developing the nation. It is also true that the state has a responsibility to oversee the welfare of all its citizens and defeat fissiparous tendencies. All citizens need state protection and fair treatment in official policies.

Currently, many states face divisive problems due to their unfair policies. States officially assert meritocracy in their policies, but in fact they promote nepotism and favouritism. Recently, a state-owned entity invited bids for a construction project. The bids were received and opened and the name of the lowest bidder was announced. But due to political pressure, the approved bid was cancelled. In Pakistan, some major state agencies and corporations have failed to achieve their business objectives because of the absence of merit in their policies.