All systems in Pakistan appear to be in a haste to achieve

Hear the solemn voice of Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who warned a restless nation with these words: “All systems in Pakistan appear to be in a haste to achieve something, which can have both positive and negative implications. Let us take a pause and examine the two fundamental questions: One, are we promoting the rule of law and the Constitution? Two, are we strengthening or weakening the institutions?” These words are not mere counsel for a single land, but an admonition for all peoples who race ahead without reflection, who seek progress without asking whether the foundation of their house is secure.

The origin of this saying lies in the turbulence of Pakistan’s political and social life, where ambition and urgency often clash with patience and stability. Kayani, once a guardian of the state through military command, saw that rapid change without direction is like a river in flood: it moves with power, yet destroys what it should nourish. In urging the nation to pause, he spoke as one who understood that haste can build, but it can also tear down, and that true greatness requires the discipline of reflection.

History has given us many lessons in this regard. Consider the French Revolution. Born of noble ideals—liberty, equality, fraternity—it surged forward in haste, seeking to destroy tyranny and birth a new age. Yet in its rush, it trampled its own principles, replacing one form of oppression with another, birthing the Reign of Terror. Only later, when institutions were rebuilt with deliberation, did France find a measure of stability. Kayani’s words mirror this lesson: positive change requires not only passion, but the steady guidance of law and the strengthening of just structures.

The deeper meaning of his counsel is that a nation’s destiny rests not on fleeting victories or loud declarations, but on the strength of its institutions and the sanctity of its Constitution. If the rule of law is ignored, then even the most glittering achievements turn hollow, for they rest on sand. But if law is upheld, and institutions are fortified, then even slow progress endures, for it is built upon rock. A people must always ask: in our haste to build, are we creating permanence, or are we scattering ourselves upon the wind?

The lesson for us is clear: whether in the life of a nation or the life of an individual, one must temper ambition with wisdom. To run forward without reflection is to risk stumbling into ruin. To pause and ask the right questions—am I building upon truth, am I strengthening what matters, am I laying down justice—this is the path of lasting success. Haste may dazzle for a moment, but patience builds legacies.

To the youth, I say: do not be intoxicated by speed, but be guided by purpose. To the leaders, I say: your worth is not measured by how quickly you act, but by how justly you govern. To all citizens, I say: guard your institutions and cherish your Constitution, for they are the pillars upon which freedom rests. A nation without them is a tree without roots, destined to fall with the first great storm.

Practical action lies before us: cultivate reflection in both personal and national life. Before great decisions, pause. Ask the questions Kayani posed: does this uphold the rule of law? Does this strengthen or weaken the structures upon which our society depends? In homes, in schools, in governments, let these questions be the measure of progress. For in answering them rightly, we build not only speed but strength, not only growth but endurance.

Thus, Kayani’s words endure as a timeless teaching: beware of haste, for it can both create and destroy. Anchor your actions in law, in constitution, in enduring institutions, and your progress will not vanish like mist at dawn. But if you neglect them, then no matter how far you run, you will find you have been moving in circles. Let nations and individuals alike remember this truth, and walk forward not merely with speed, but with wisdom.