Absolute power should never mean absolute privilege; it must mean absolute responsibility.
- Sindh, the land of Shah Latif’s wisdom and the Indus River’s generosity, has been robbed not by fate but by its own guardians
By Abdullah Usman Morai | Sweden
There is an old truth that history never tires of repeating: power is a privilege, not a prize. It is meant to serve people, not enslave them. Yet, the irony of our age, especially in societies like ours, is that power is often celebrated for its authority rather than its accountability. Those who sit on the thrones of political, administrative, or social power frequently forget the moral burden that comes with their position. They enjoy the comforts of command but shy away from the consequences of their choices.
The phrase “Absolute power means absolute responsibility” is more than a moral warning; it is a reflection of the balance that keeps a society just and humane. When one has the authority to influence lives, to control resources, or to make decisions that shape futures, then one also bears a sacred duty to act wisely, selflessly, and transparently. Without responsibility, power becomes arrogance; and arrogance, unchecked, becomes tyranny.
The True Meaning of Power
Power is not just political exists in every form of leadership: a minister signing a policy, a bureaucrat approving a project, a landlord managing his tenants, or even a headmaster controlling a school. Power, in essence, is the ability to affect others. But when that ability is detached from conscience, it breeds exploitation.
A responsible leader understands that power is borrowed from the people, from the system, from trust. The public’s faith is not eternal; it must be constantly earned through integrity and service. The misuse of that faith is the first sign of moral decay.
Unfortunately, in Pakistan and especially in Sindh, this decay has become systemic. The power elite, whether political dynasties, bureaucratic networks, or feudal structures, have treated responsibility as optional. They enjoy the privileges of position, the convoys, the protocol, the influence, but they evade the moral and civic duties that come with it.
Pakistan’s Dilemma: Power without Accountability
Pakistan’s history is a story of power enjoyed without consequence. The country has witnessed rulers, both in uniform and in suits, who built empires for themselves but failed to build institutions for the people. Each regime came promising reform, progress, and justice, but left behind more inequality, more debt, and more despair.
In Sindh, the tragedy deepens. The province, rich in natural resources and cultural heritage, remains shackled by mismanagement and corruption. Feudal lords and political families dominate the landscape, inheriting power as if it were ancestral property. Instead of representing the people, they often exploit them, trading votes for favors, promises for loyalty.
Where clean drinking water should flow, we find dry canals. Where schools should thrive, we find ghost buildings. Where hospitals should heal, we find empty shelves and absent doctors. Yet, those in charge still talk about “service” and “sacrifice,” as if mere words could replace responsibility.
Absolute power, in this context, means absolute neglect because when responsibility dies, power loses its legitimacy.
The Mirror to the Powerful
Let us hold a mirror to those who wield power in Pakistan and Sindh today.
To the politician who campaigns on hope but governs through favoritism, remember that every rupee stolen from development budgets steals food from a poor child’s plate.
To the bureaucrat who delays files for bribes, remember that your inaction could mean a village without water or a patient without medicine.
To the feudal lord who demands loyalty but denies dignity, remember that leadership is not inherited; it is earned through compassion and justice.
To the minister who flies abroad for treatment while local hospitals collapse, remember that public office is not a privilege for comfort, but a platform for reform.
To the social leaders who use their influence to divide rather than unite, remember that moral power carries the heaviest responsibility of all: to enlighten, not to exploit.
Sindh’s Silent Suffering
Sindh, the land of Shah Latif’s wisdom and the Indus River’s generosity, has been robbed not by fate but by its own guardians. Shah Latif taught humility and service; today’s rulers preach development but practice domination.
Every year, billions are allocated for education, health, and infrastructure, yet the ground realities remain frozen in poverty. Schools exist only on paper. Appointments on political recommendations, not merit. Roads are inaugurated, then forgotten. The poor man’s voice remains unheard while the powerful multiply their wealth.
When a leader claims to love Sindh but cannot ensure clean water or electricity even for hospitals that love rings hollow. True responsibility is not in speeches; it is in results.
The tragedy is not only that the powerful have failed the people, but that they no longer feel ashamed of it. That loss of shame is the most dangerous form of corruption; it turns wrongdoing into normalcy.
Responsibility: The Soul of Power
The great leaders of history understood that power without accountability is like a sword without a handle; it harms both the wielder and the world.
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, despite immense authority during the foundation of Pakistan, lived simply, respected law, and demanded discipline. His power was guided by purpose.
Contrast that with today’s power brokers, who treat national resources as personal assets. Luxury cars, foreign trips, and offshore accounts are the new symbols of authority. But true power, as history shows, lies not in wealth or fear; it lies in moral strength and service.
Responsibility means asking difficult questions of oneself:
- Have I used my authority to help or to harm?
- Have I made life easier for the weak or just more comfortable for myself?
- Do I see power as trust or as entitlement?
If one cannot answer these questions with honesty, one does not deserve power.
The Path Forward: Building a Culture of Accountability
For Pakistan and Sindh in particular to break free from its cycle of stagnation, power must once again be tied to responsibility. This requires:
- Institutional Strengthening: No one should be above the law. Accountability must not depend on political rivalry but on justice.
- Public Empowerment: Educated and aware citizens are the greatest check on power. When people demand transparency, leaders are forced to act responsibly.
- Moral Reawakening: From schools to seminaries, the idea of responsibility must be taught as the essence of leadership.
- Civic Courage: Whistleblowers, journalists, and citizens who speak truth to power must be protected, not punished.
If we do not reform this imbalance, we will continue to see powerful people enjoying authority while the powerless suffer its abuse.
A Power That Serves, Not Rules
Absolute power should never mean absolute privilege; it must mean absolute responsibility.
It should remind every leader, every officer, and every influencer that their position exists only because the people allow it.
The day we, as a nation, begin to demand responsibility with the same passion with which we admire power, Pakistan will begin to change.
And perhaps then, Sindh will reclaim the spirit of Shah Latif, the spirit that teaches service, humility, and justice.
Until that day arrives, the powerful must look into the mirror and ask themselves:
“Do I deserve the power I hold, or have I betrayed the trust that gave it to me?”
Only the honest answer to that question can lead us toward a better tomorrow.
Read: Suicide, Depression, and the Hope
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Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. A frequent traveler, he also does podcast on YouTube with channel name: VASJE Podcast.
