As Pakistan’s political rivals sharpen their proverbial knives ahead of next month’s parliamentary elections, their ability to lead the country meaningfully towards change remains in doubt.

Barring the PTI and its leader Imran Khan – both out of action for now – other mainstream political parties racing ahead to the polls are doing so merely to grab power.

In contrast to the huge and rapidly mounting challenges surrounding Pakistan’s future, the main contenders are geared up effectively more towards preserving the status quo. Promises of turning a new leaf for Pakistan through a series of reforms at best sound too hollow to be taken seriously unless they are backed by powerful changes to the structure of power.

The vested interests in place have little to gain by embracing unprecedented change through unprecedented reforms, given their interests in place. As in the past, the upcoming scenes around the federal and provincial parliaments are set to be no different. While the new powerful overlords of Pakistan prepare to seize political power, the opulence surrounding them will speak volumes about their wealth and interests.

In a widely celebrated letter written by Hazrat Ali (a.s) to Hazrat Maalik Ashtar upon the latter’s appointment as........

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