THIS refers to Salman Munir’s letter ‘Imran Khan on Islamic welfare state’ (July 4) in which he has questioned Imran Khan’s vision of an Islamic welfare state and has sought meaningful elucidation from the PTI.

However, he has himself failed to elaborate how he thinks the Taliban’s reign was ‘the closest model of an Islamic welfare state’.

Anyone, even remotely familiar with Islamic history will testify that the reforms undertaken by the pious caliphs were indeed groundbreaking and way ahead of their times, and that the governance of the pious caliphs stands as a reference point in Islam.

The writer also questions if such an Islamic welfare state exists anywhere in the world. Is the writer presuming Pakistan to be a ‘follower’ and not a leader? Is he not aware that Pakistan holds many ‘firsts’ like the first Islamic nuclear power, the first Muslim country to have a female prime minister, etc? Does he doubt Pakistan’s potential to become the world’s first Islamic welfare state?

Perhaps, Pakistan’s foremost weakness is the worryingly low confidence her own citizens have in her. If it boosts our bruised morale, then it should be noted that none of Europe’s welfare states were so from the beginning and the fact that many critical analysts of history like Philip K. Hiti give currency to the theory that the Renaissance was induced by the Muslim rule of Spain.

Here is how Imran’s eccentric vision finds ground in Bertrand Russell’s words, “Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.”

OWAIS NAJEEB LUNI Quetta