We don’t want to retire

Sir Winston Churchill had won the election second time after winning the second world war. He was firmly in the saddle. One fine morning he appeared before the queen in her palace and said he wants to call it a day as prime minister. Why, said the queen. You still have some time to go as PM?It is correct , your excellency but age is telling on me. Fresh ideas have stopped coming to me, replied Churchill the like of whom has not been seen by England after 1955. Another notable exception that comes to the mind is that of Nelson Mandela. He was head of South African government and a national hero who had successfully led the freedom movement that won independence from Britain. He was enjoying good health and could have remained as the head of South Africa for at least ten more years but he preferred to step down and pave the way for the fresh blood to take over the reins of power.
Look at our country’ s political landscape. What a contrast !No body wants to retire. Every one wants to die in chair. Ayub Khan, was, perhaps, a noble exception. After he suffered a stroke he realised that perhaps his time was up He was sensible enough to call it a day and spend the remaining days of his life in a tension-free atmosphere. Would Nawaz Sharif also read the writing on the wall and call it quits instead of slugging it out at the expense of his health till his last breath?Next few days should provide an answer to this question. The post which he is holding is too demanding and a man whose heart is not working hundred percent is not fit enough to carry on as PM. It is as simple as that. You will find umpteen octogenarians roaming in the corridors of power whereas they should be preparing themselves for meeting their Maker.
Look at our sportsmen. They also fancy remaining in the limelight mostly for the wrong reasons. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Donald Bradman, Sir Len Hutton , Sir Garfield Sobers, Viv Richards , McGraw and their likes bid adieu to cricket at their prime but Shahid Afridi doesn’t want to hang his gloves. This is the difference between us and them. We delay decisions till we are thrown out rather ignominously.