Tariq Mahmood Awan
Just browsing my Twitter account, suddenly, I came across the essay paper for the CSS special examination. Again, I casually scrolled over the different topics. However, one of the topics, a famous Shakespearean quote, intrigued me to write something on the topic. Yes, the aspirants would have written their hearts out on the sublimity of honesty; however, being a civil servant, I find it challenging to write on honesty, to say the least. To begin with, the intent of the papermaker seems at least bewitching. The paper setter would have thought that the very topic would inspire the aspirants to take the concept of honesty earnestly. However, the intent seems innocent because once the aspirants become civil servants, they will develop their own choices. Then, they may need help finding the legacy of honesty to learn from the civil services. Even with this, they may not find an invocation to develop their legacies on honesty amid multiple challenges. Let us talk casually about honesty, legacy and civil services in Pakistan.
“No legacy is so rich as honesty” is a famous quote by William Shakespeare. It communicates two perceptions. One is the legacy of honesty that one proceeds from different role models. Then, learning to be honest and portray a truthful character is more consequential than any other trait. The second perception is the legacy that one leaves behind from withholding an honest figure and lifestyle. If everyone worldwide looked to others who have shown or left behind this value, a chain reaction would occur. One after the other, our entire community would carry honesty as another part of our personalities. Honesty’s impacts are life-changing in many ways, as well as those created by lying.
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The Shakespearean statement “no legacy is so rich as honesty” comes from the play All’s Well That Ends Well, Act 3 Scene 5. It is spoken by Mariana, a friend of Diana, who warns her to be careful of the French earl who is pursuing her. Mariana advises Diana to value her reputation and virtue above all else and to avoid being deceived by the promises and oaths of the earl. She implies that honesty is the most precious and lasting quality that one can have and that it is more substantial than wealth, fame, or power.
This statement can be interpreted and applied in different ways depending on the context’s social, cultural, administrative, economic and other perspectives. For civil servants, who are public officials entrusted with the responsibility of serving the common good, honesty can be seen as a core value and a professional duty. Civil servants are expected to act with integrity, transparency, accountability, and impartiality in their work and to uphold the public trust and confidence in their institutions.
Honesty can also be seen as a source of personal satisfaction and pride for civil servants, who can derive meaning and purpose from their work.
However, honesty can also pose challenges and dilemmas for civil servants in certain situations. For example, civil servants may face pressure or temptation to compromise their honesty for personal gain or advantage, such as accepting bribes, favouring relatives or friends, or hiding mistakes or wrongdoing. Civil servants may also encounter conflicts between their honesty and other values or interests, such as loyalty, obedience, efficiency, or effectiveness. For instance, civil servants may have to choose between telling the truth, following orders, disclosing information, protecting confidentiality, adhering to rules, or achieving results. Civil servants may also have to balance their honesty with other considerations, such as cultural norms, social expectations, administrative procedures, or economic realities. For example, civil servants may have to adapt their honesty to different cultural contexts, respect the social customs and beliefs of others, follow bureaucratic protocols and regulations, or cope with resource constraints and demands.
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Therefore, civil servants need to exercise their judgement and discretion in applying their honesty in their work. They need to consider the ethical principles and professional standards that guide their conduct, as well as the consequences and implications of their actions for themselves and others. They need to be aware of the potential risks and benefits of being honest or dishonest in different situations and to weigh them carefully. They need to be prepared to face the challenges and dilemmas that may arise from their honesty or dishonesty and to take responsibility for their decisions and actions.
Lastly, honesty is a valuable and paramount quality for civil servants, but it can be challenging to practice in the administrative, cultural, political and social circumstances of Pakistan. Civil servants need to be mindful of the various perspectives and factors that influence their honesty in their work and to make informed and responsible choices that reflect their commitment to serving the public interest with integrity.
Returning to the Shakespearean quotation’s core, firstly, do aspirants hold integrity for honesty? Why do they want to join civil services? Different aspirants have different preferences. Then, they can not be related to anything good or bad. Importantly, what matters is the legacy of incumbent civil servants and what they leave for the new entrants of civil servants. The entrants will learn from the legacies of their seniors. Then, whether they will find the legacy of honesty from their seniors is a matter of debate. However, I wonder if the aspirants will be acquainting the legacy of honesty.
Civil services in Pakistan are in crisis for multiple reasons. There is also a moral crisis besides structural, constitutional and administrative crises. There are three generations of civil servants in Pakistan. One is from 1954 to 1973, and this generation of civil servants would join civil service for prestige. The generation between 1973 and 2002 followed the earlier generation, and this generation of civil servants would join civil services for power, perks, and privileges. The third generation is between 2002 and the present; however, this generation is unique, as most civil servants join the civil services for money-making.
Accordingly, almost all three generations do not symbolize honesty. However, the last and young generation of civil servants have straightforward concepts. Therefore, in an environment where honesty is the biggest challenge, and the young civil servants do not care about the core value of honesty, it will be a great challenge for new entrants to uphold the cannons of honesty. The aspirants who have attempted the topic of honesty might have written a beautiful essay, but the practicality of the essay will be daunting.
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