THERE is no doubt that politics in Pakistan is dominated by those who are financially advantaged, such as feudal lords, industrialists and the rich, leaving no space for the other segments of population. It is evident from history that Pakistan has never had the chance to be governed by someone from the middle or lower classes.

Unsurprisingly, almost all federal and provincial legislators have belonged to the same upper class that has managed and sustained an irritating stranglehold on power dynamics without having the required vision or commitment. All that is important to such people is how to grab power, retain power, and, when kicked out by a rival elite, how to return to power.

Even when they are in the opposition, they want their privileges not to be taken away from them. The recent budget by the government is a case in point, as it has taxed the already taxed, while the privileged elite have been left untouched.

As long as the reins of power remain under the control of the elite, no positive change will come to the country since this class ensures the continuation of the status quo. They have never faced the harsh difficulties that are experienced by the lower and middle classes every single day.

The country as well as its people need a leadership from the lower-middle class. Somebody having lived the life of the common people would be aware of the ground realities. This will surely shift the administrative focus of government machinery.

In global history, those who were able to bring meaningful change belonged mostly to the lower and middle classes. From Mahatma Gandhi to Nelson Mandela, and Ho Chi Minh to Margaret Thatcher, they all rose and shone from their humble backgrounds. Let us find our Mandelas and Thatchers and let them rise and shine.

G. Akbar Palijo
Larkana

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2024