Public trust in the political leadership is a tough sell in Pakistan, as decades of unmet promises and opaque governance have left an electorate inherently leery about any new initiatives or policy. In such conditions, symbolic actions like federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal’s recent move to alleviate concerns about the HPV vaccine carry transformative weight.
Last week, Kamal appeared on TV with his teenaged daughter, noting this was the first time in his decades as a politician that a member of his family appeared in the limelight. However, he stressed, he felt it was necessary amidst widespread disinformation and cultural resistance to the vaccine. As his daughter was administered the HPV vaccine in full public view, Kamal’s move sent a powerful message that not only must science lead policy, but leadership must begin at home.
All too often, politicians in Pakistan follow a policy of “do as I say, not as I do.” This has nurtured low trust in society, with even appreciable initiatives such as the free administration of HPV vaccines for teenaged girls inciting baseless rumors and fearmongering, discouraging countless families from protecting their daughters against cervical cancer. According to estimates, around 5,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in Pakistan annually, with more than 3,000 women dying from it. Preventing this requires administration of the vaccine in young girls. In openly endorsing it through his own family, Kamal has taken a necessary step toward normalizing the vaccine’s uptake, and breaking the stigma that surrounds it. Pakistan needs more examples of similar political courage.
Earlier this year, Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat similarly enrolled his son in a government school. For decades, public education in the country has suffered from neglect, underfunding, and the exodus of political elites to private institutions or foreign systems. By placing his child in the same system he oversees, Hayat has demonstrated both accountability and confidence in public schools. This is leadership by example, a longstanding demand of many in the country.
Such actions, while seemingly small, reflect a significant shift in the public-political relationship. Pakistanis are tired of leaders who legislate for them while themselves living by a different set of rules. Politicians who align their private lives with public policy build credibility that no campaign slogans can buy.
There is no doubt that naysayers will persist despite the apparent sincerity of these optics. Decades of hypocrisy cannot be erased overnight. But if enough politicians follow the examples set by Kamal and Hayat, Pakistan can commence a slow but essential march toward restored public trust and democratic maturity.