Our Landlord System...Good or Bad?

Landlord system has been woking in sub-continent for more than 500 years. The importance of this system in agriculture field has been very important. It has not only allowed to manage the vast agricultural area but ir has also allowed to ger the maximum possible yield. The sub-division of land always cuts the production of crops down. Landlord system keeps the hands under the control of only one family. It lets them allocate the land for various crops not only in different seasons but also in the same season. In agricultural field, this system has been the most advantageous for people.

Pakistan adopted this system 55 years back at the time of independence. Government of Pakistan helped Landlords producing more crops. Government helped them in every respect. This help and sincere work of Landlords paid off in just one year. Pakistan increased agricultural production by 20% and agricultural area by 8%-10%. Success of Landlord system made the government invest in such systems. Gradually these sytems took over whole agricultural land of Pakistan. They benefitted Pakistan too much. As they worked more, they also got money and in the end of 1980’s, these Landlords held more than 70% money of whole of Pakistan.

This wealthy Landlord system, hence, started to affect the other systems of the society. It captured the political system, educational system and other social sytems. The became so brave that they tried to flow the society according to their wished. These uneducated landlords also used the force for this purpose and soon held control over 90% villages of Pakistan. They didn’t stop here but made their own justice courts called "Panchayat."

The beneficial Landlord system at the time of independence has become suddenly failed in 35-40 years. 500 years long and strong roots of this sytem weakened in just 35-40 years. The worst of this system has paid during 1984-1990, when the brutal attitude of Landlords towards farmers and their families crossed all the limits. Thousands of people were killed, and worst that has been done were the opperession against women and children. Government didn’t pay much attention to this issue and just punished them nominal fines and 6-12 months jail.

Even after punishment, when they were set free, they opperessed them more brutely and punished these farmers and their families through their Panchayat (justice court). These Landlords took their own revenges from farmers through Panchayat and made all their actions legal. Government of Pakistan has not taken any action against this illegally created legal system of Panchayat. This led the situation go to furthermore on the wrong direction. Innocent people were punished inhuman punishments. Why did government not take any action in the past against these landlords.

If any harsh and lessonful action had been taken in 1984 when a 22 years old lady was compelled to walk naked in a village as a punishment for talking to the 16 year old boy of "Vadera" (Landlord), would the incidence of Gang-rape punishment for a 18 years old girl have happened in Meerawala? If some action had been taken in 1986 when a boy and girl aged 17 and 14 were punished to death because the boy was helping the girl in fetching water from the well, would the incidence of marrying girls of 6 month, 1 year and 3 years with 24-30 years old man as a punishment have happened?

In the end of this article, I like to review my own poem again here that I wrote within 10 minutes after I heard about the incidence of Meera wala.......


Aaj bhi jal raha hai mera yeh kamzor badan
Kanton se bhar diya hai meri zindagi ka chaman

Meri bhi zindagi thi meri bhi khuwahishein thi
Bewa thi tau kya huwa mera bhi tau tha aik maskan

Meri jaan nikalti rahi meri rooh tarapti rahi
Meri abru raizi karne wale mere ham watan

Mere bhai mere dost mere baap jaise log
Inhi logon ne kar diya barbaad mera jeewan

Bohot baisukun hoon andheron mein jii rahi hoon
Koi nahi jo karsakey meri zindagi roshan

Jageer dari khatam karao faqeer shahi band karao
Koi nahi sunta ae khuda tu tau kar rehem

Khudara band karao yeh zulm ham aurton par
Aaj mein huun tau kya kal tumhari behen