The following passage is a perfect illustration of the art of sycophancy, and how, if practised in a suitable environment where it is not only well received but expected, a dose of sickening smarm can get one a long way - from a mere courtier, to minister, to president, to the unique position of civilian martial law administrator, and to prime minister. But there is a lesson to be learnt. The catch in this case is that the writer's journey upwards ended on the gallows 21 years later, and the person to whom it was addressed was, within the space of six months, deposed and exiled from his homeland.

"I would like to take this opportunity to reassure you of my imperishable and devoted loyalty to you. Exactly four months before the death of my late father, he had advised me to remain steadfastly loyal to you, as you were 'not an individual but an institution'. For the greater good of my own country, I feel that your services to Pakistan are indispensable. When the history of our country is written by objective historians, your name will be placed even before that of Mr Jinnah. Sir, I say this because I mean it and not because you are the president of my country.

"If I have the conviction and courage to enter into a dispute with a former prime minister I do not think I could be guilty of the charge of flattery." (From a letter sent to President Major-General Iskander Mirza by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in April 1958, from Geneva, where he was leading the Pakistan delegation to the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea.)

And, as a perfect example of nasty one-upmanship and the unsporting characteristic of having a dirty dig at those no longer around, is a note sent out of the blue, apropos of nothing other than to gloat, by Bhutto as prime minister in August 1976 to his foreign minister, Aziz Ahmed, his cabinet secretary and his army chief of staff:

"I will tell you how Ayub Khan became a field marshal. When he promoted Lt Gen. Mohammad Musa to the rank of general and made him commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, he told me in Nathiagali in 1959 that he was worried over the quarrel between General Musa and General Habibullah. He told me that he was worried about Habibullah's intrigues and ambitions. He asked me for my advice on how to place himself head and shoulders above their squabbles. I told him that one way of doing it was to show complete impartiality, fairness and justice, and I made the other suggestion rather cynically. I told him that since it was essential for him to be head and shoulders above the others it would be better if he elevated his own rank from that of general to that of field marshal. He thought it to be a brilliant idea. He was simply overjoyed but as all his reflexes were influenced by monetary consideration, much to my surprise he said, 'The idea is brilliant, it will create stability but we will have to persuade Mr Shoaib, the finance minister, to agree to the financial aspects of the proposal.' Of course, Mr Shoaib agreed. Ayub Khan became field marshal in October 1959. At that time I was leading the Pakistan delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The formalities were completed in my absence. The cabinet willingly agreed to the proposal. All members of the cabinet, except Moulvi Ibrahim, the then law minister, agreed. I was informed that Mr Manzoor Qadir tried to give the impression of not being wholly in agreement but that was only for the sake of showing his convenient integrity. After the decision was taken at Karachi, Ayub Khan told his military secretary to phone me in New York and to thank me for making such a sound suggestion. I am therefore the hero of Ayub Khan's valorous battles. Of course, the object of this note is not to dismantle the man. Some of us can still refer to him with respect. I am only setting the record straight."

This is all highly relevant today, and from Bhutto's note also there is a lesson to be learnt. Our present president general is corralled by sycophantic "advisers" - and as we know from history it takes an exceptionally strong and level-headed man to remain unaffected by outpourings of flattery, hour after hour, day after day. We also know from history that the objects of sycophancy who succumb ultimately, when their day is done, bring only ignominy upon themselves. As for the sycophants, they are worthless men who more often than not, if they survive their offices, end their days as lonely ciphers.

New subject: We move on to the present "new heights" of sycophancy. During the past week to 10 days, gross grovelling advertisements, some half-page, some quarter-page, inserted by the champion destroyers of our environment - the building and development community - have appeared on the front and back pages of our daily newspapers. Centred therein are large photographs of the president, in mufti, underneath which are captions such as: "To the builder of the future, it takes one to know one. We are indebted to the inspiring leadership of President Pervez Musharraf, which is spearheading Pakistan into a new futureThank you, Mr President, for showing us new heights." Even more sickening: "The man who serves millions deserves accoladesfor the interest he has shown in creating employment opportunities for the millions and making housing affordable We are confident that the future of this country is secure and bright in his hands."

Sycophancy we understand. It is part of the national "ethos", the local "genius", it is expected and it is expended. But at some point, someone must take a stand, truly in the national interest, bearing in mind the reality of the times. Why are these people being allowed to attempt to destroy a good leader? If no one else, let the leader himself step in and put an end to these ugly displays of toadyism.

As for Karachi, General Pervez Musharraf's initial handpicked governor of Sindh, Mohammadmian Soomro, promulgated a most damaging building ordinance. Apparently, certain sycophants have now managed to convince the president that in order to revive the economy many environmental and development checks and balances will have to be withdrawn. So be it, but then let the president order that when selling commercial plazas and apartment blocks the crafty careless developers make it plain to those purchasing that:

"We offer the accommodation for sale on a bare 'as is where is' basis. We will provide no parking space, we will bear no responsibility for any traffic blockage, we guarantee neither the supply of water nor of electricity nor of gas. We do not guarantee the necessary capacity required by the sewage lines, as they are inadequate. We will construct the ground floor, let out space for shops, and leave the upper floors of the highrise incomplete (look around Teen Talwar). We will build a basement ostensibly for parking but will let it out as storage space. Buy now and profit later. Bank financing is available at low interest rates."

On to a related subject which concerns the devastation of the environment - an occurrence of incredible vandalism born of sycophancy which itself is born of ignorance. On Sunday morning, April 18, Abdullah Haroon Road, from the junction of Hoshang Road to Metropole Hotel, was closed to vehicular traffic. Why? Because a tree had fallen blocking the road. On Monday, passers by found that 23 living breathing shade-giving pollution-lessening trees lining the road in front of the Marriot Hotel had been wantonly chopped down, leaving but their bare truncated trunks. Who was responsible for this brutality, for the massacre of trees which had taken generations to grow, many of which had been planted in the mid-1950s?

Saddar Town Nazim Farook Faria claimed that he was away; no one had sought his permission. His number two was off on Sunday and had not been consulted. No clue as to who had ordered, who had executed. Wisdom as usual prevailed and the administration (such as it is) ordered the suspension of 16 lower order employees.

Happening to meet Corps Commander Lt General Ahsan Saleem Hayat on Friday evening, I broached the subject. He frankly admitted part of the responsibility. He was driving along Abdullah Haroon Road one day when he noticed that a dead branch from one of the trees had fallen upon a motorcyclist. So, in the public interest he ordered his juniors to have the trees pruned, and ensure that the dead branches, repeat dead branches, were cut. What the Kakul-trained junior officers and the lower orders of General Tanvir Naqvi's "grass roots" administration have done is there for all to see.

We are still searching for paper to print our school textbooks. In this fast changing world, do we have time?

E-mail: arfc@cyber.net.pk