The Constitution of Pakistan is an expression of collective thinking. That is why, right at its very beginning, it has been clearly stated that sovereignty here shall belong to Almighty God, and government shall be the representative of the majority of human beings. Unfortunately, instead of learning from the experiences humans have accumulated over centuries—particularly the ups and downs Muslims have witnessed in the ideological struggle between Islam and democracy—and instead of acting upon constitutional principles, the government has begun to exercise sovereignty itself, turning the divine concept of supreme sovereignty into a human practice. This very inversion of concepts has created chaos. Instead of the clear clauses of the Constitution, deliberate ambiguity is still created so that concepts may be mixed up and powers expanded as much as possible, while despite the Constitution’s clear provisions on rights, doubts are manufactured to reduce them to a minimum.

For sustainable prosperity and peace, governments must operate with patience rather than coercion. A government that lacks patience and relies on force does not last long. President Trump may be extreme in many matters, yet when New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, won despite all his opposition, Trump was compelled to try the strategy of patience. By inviting his fiercest opponent Mamdani to the White House, President Trump proved that governance means tolerating the opposition. Both set aside political rivalry and personal animosity, met each other, and tried to find a way forward. This is the conduct of civilized and democratic societies.

The difference between elected civilian governments and martial laws has always been that martial law is characterized by sovereignty and coercion, whereas the governance of an elected government is marked by patience. Generally, martial laws are hot, and democratic governments are soft. The soft appear weak but last a lifetime; the hot appear strong but last very briefly. The soft remain green for a lifetime and for a long duration, while the hot wither quickly. All martial law rulers became politically dead with the end of their tenures. Politicians, whether good or bad, revive their breath even after deep dives into oceans. Even if power is snatched away, politicians learn the art of survival. Softness contains flexibility; heat contains fire, which burns itself and its companions as well. Hardness carries rigidity; softness carries adaptability.

Harsh governments are stubborn and obstinate; when pressure comes, they break. Fragile governments contain flexibility and expediency; when pressure comes, they bend, they reconcile. Harsh governments move with arrogance but shatter under pressure. Fragile governments are temporarily suppressed, they bend and turn, yet they continue to move—because movement itself is life. Hard metals must be cut; soft metals are easily molded. If every ruler or government keeps these historical experiences in mind, improvement in circumstances is inevitable.

The confusion of concepts creates many practical problems. For example, Pakistan’s bureaucracy is sometimes called “officialdom” and sometimes “servant-dom.” If you go to the root of this term, you find the concept of a government servant or civil servant, which clearly means a servant of the government or a servant of the people. Unfortunately, the servants have adopted royal colors, and most of them are not even aware of their original role. If only someone would tell them: you are not kings, you are servants; you are not rulers, you are servants of the people. Your doors should not be closed but open. You should come out beyond half-hand handshakes and meet people with open hearts. Trying to prove your greatness before visitors through lofty words or cold tones of conversation makes you small. This world is not of officialdom; monarchies have breathed their last. Now it is the era of service and humanity. You too should transform from officialdom into human beings.

Another wrong and inverted concept is that this nation can only be run with a baton. When a ruler has a baton-like temperament, peace and order are immediately established, but then history has repeatedly witnessed this scene: against tyrannical batons, the wise and cool-headed ultimately win, while mercury-like leaders burn and extinguish. Enlightened minds always spread light slowly and steadily. The rational Abraham Lincoln defeated violent leaders with the power of argument. A sword may wound an argument, but an argument, even wounded, retains the strength to rise again. If a sword breaks, it cannot be rejoined; a sword has no heirs. Argument has many offspring. Dry wood ignites quickly and burns out quickly; wood whose roots are moist burns slowly and for a long time.

In this land of contradictions, the practice of overturning concepts and assigning them false meanings has crossed all limits. Through these false and incorrect notions, sovereignty, the baton, coercion, bureaucracy, monarchy, and obstinacy are presented as good and positive, whereas all of these are negative attitudes that give birth to the decline of nations. Service, patience, and flexibility are the attitudes through which nations rise. Making the state harsh weakens the people’s love for their country, while adopting a soft attitude toward the public strengthens the state.

The most incorrect attitude and concept of all is that by hiding and suppressing the truth, speculation ends—whereas suppressing the truth gives birth to lies, rumors, and misleading anecdotes. Since the dawn of humanity, humans have had a habit of listening to entertaining stories; acquiring information or news is ingrained in human nature. If truth is blocked, humans will listen to lies. When such a situation arises, the slight difference between truth and falsehood also disappears, and humans begin to consider truth as falsehood and falsehood as truth. Every state that blocks the truth actually hollows out its own foundations and opens the path for lies. If truth is free and falsehood is also free, and both compete, then according to the command of the Holy Qur’an, truth ultimately prevails over falsehood. If truth is grabbed by the arms, its eyes blindfolded, and thrown before falsehood, then inevitably falsehood will win. Falsehood can only be defeated when truth’s hands are free and its eyes are not bound. At present, falsehood is free and truth’s hands are tied. If this incorrect concept continues, truth will inevitably lose.

The lesson of history is this: a state may continue to function through coercion or sovereignty, but sustainable development and prosperity are possible only through adherence to and enforcement of the social contract between the people and the state—namely, the Constitution. Despite martial law, General Musharraf could not build the Kalabagh Dam, nor could six canals be extracted; so how will new provinces be formed without reconciliation? The amount of effort and foreign visits made to attract foreign investment has no parallel in history, yet no major success has been achieved because the environment itself is not conducive. Dozens of meetings have been held to promote industry and exports, yet the industrial wheel has not begun to turn. The reason: there is no trust. When orders are issued, the weak and fearful may move, but if the destination itself is unclear, which destination will they reach?