Public entry fee at Quaid's mausoleum?

10 Apr, 2008

Many people around the world live and die but very few of them sacrifice their life for a selfless cause, create history of a heroic achievement and the living nations in recognition of their achievements preserve their place of burial, which keeps on receiving homage from all walks of life in all the days ahead.
One of such figure is Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, for achieving a sovereign state of Pakistan, enabling us to live in independence. Around the world, many countries are providing public access 'free of charge' such places. However, in Islamic Republic of Pakistan, its own citizens are being charged 'Entry Fee' for access on offering 'Fateha and Homage' at the Tomb of their 'Father of Nation' in Karachi.
The act of restricted entry into the tomb of 'Father of Nation' tantamounts to charging a son or daughter for visiting the tomb of his/her own father. Moreover, the charged entry of citizens into a tomb for Fateha is against the teachings of Islam, inappropriate and un-justified in all respects.
But why the public entry into it, is restricted by payment of entrée-fee? Why not FREE? If government can bear great expenditures on maintaining huge lawns of Presidency, Prime Minister House, Governors Houses, Chief Ministers Houses, Residences of Ministers and others; then why not for the 'Mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam.'
Why the maintenance charges of the mausoleum are subjected to 'Entry Fee'? Why government dignitaries and political leaders chosen by public voting, are exempted from paying entry fee to visit Quaid's mausoleum? Why each common citizen of Pakistan is not given equal right? Why this discrimination, disparity and double standard of fundamental rights?
No doubt, ever-since independence of Pakistan, each government in its tenure has paid attention for proper maintenance, security, sanctity and improvement in preserving our Quaid's mausoleum at Karachi. But why none of the leadership of Pakistan, so far, considered it proper to fix-up the bearing of its maintenance charges from government's treasury without any direct share of public, though the taxes being paid by citizens and foreign remittances feed national exchequer.
In fact, it is not only the predecessors of governmental machinery but the present political leaders and all publicly elected representatives, in their speeches, themselves quote, praise and claim to be the true follower of the founder of Pakistan and they have been representing said feelings by hanging a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in their offices.
Will all present elected representatives of public in national assembly would like to debate and formulate 'Free Entry' of all citizens of Pakistan, like them, into the Tomb of Quaid-e-Azam? Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan is requested to personally intervene in this just cause of 160 million citizens of Pakistan.

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