President Barack H Obama's decision to restrict his team from involvement in role of lobbyists has set a code of ethics, which members of his political establishment will have to follow. Washington has for many decades been inundated by lobbyists, who mint billions by getting legislation passed to benefit their clients, or mould its foreign policy through the much controversial intervention of these lobbyists.
It was the unregulated greed of Washington's ruling elite and controversial lobbyists, which have dented its economy and resulted in a recession which has led to collapse of its powerful economy. President Obama has set himself high goals by following in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln or men of vision like John Adams who wanted a republic based on laws, not on men.
Pakistan, unfortunately, after the demise of Quaid-e-Azam, has been the victim of politics dictated by individuals, inspired by their political agendas instead of policies regulated by collective consultation and national interests. This unfortunate country suffered from this misfortune right from the very onset, when the Constitution making process was deliberately delayed, to the intervention by its army in politics from 1954 onwards.
In Pakistan the controversial role of lobbyists has been assumed by business partners and family members of the ruling elite, both civil and military, or by a select few members of the print and electronic media. Pakistan's weak economy does not have the resilience or capacity to endure the onslaughts and institutionalised corruption of these lobbyists, who have made law, the constitution and our national interests hostage to their evil designs.