The world has made remarkable progress in all walks of life, especially science, economy and technology, thanks to the great minds of the past. But most of this progress has come from countries and societies with a particular characteristic; leadership. There were many progressive civilisations in the past, but they fell by the wayside because of the lack of character on the part of their leaders.

Visionary leaders keep themselves abreast of the ground realities in order to serve the people under their rule. Such a vision is developed only if the leaders sacrifice everything for making their people proud. And the element of sacrifice takes birth when leaders are emotionally connected to their people.

The example of Nelson Mandela, who served 27 years in jail only to win rights for the black people, is one such case. Had Mandela prioritised his own gains, the blacks would not have won their much-deserved rights. It was the character of Mandela that gave him the strength to refuse to make any compromise when it came to the struggle for their rights.

Another case in point is that of Singapore, a country which achieved massive progress within no time. Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore’s other founders were smart and sincere enough in taking advantage of geography and history, and using it effectively. The leadership showed utmost honesty and wisdom to win huge prosperity for the people of Singapore.

In his book, Lion City: Singapore and the Invention of Modern Asia, journalist Jeevan Vasagar has told the story of modern Singapore, narrating how a small island at the tip of the Malayan peninsula managed to fashion itself into one of the most prosperous nations in the world, and what its remarkable journey can teach the rest of the world.

Singapore is well connected to the world. Its economic success is largely attributed to its geostrategic location. Moreover, the leadership preferred people-friendly policies to allow the economy to blossom.

Additionally, honesty continues to be one of the traits possessed by the leadership of the country which has now become an example of economic success for the entire world.

Political stability is a norm for Singapore which has allowed the country to cultivate the seed of social wellbeing for the people. It is the moral character of the leaders of Singapore that allowed the country to make its people progressive.

But all this was achieved only because the leaders of the country preferred national interests over their vested interests. It was the sacrifice on the part of the leaders of Singapore that resulted in the rise of the entire nation.

In contrast, the recent slide of Sri Lanka into the deep abyss of economic collapse clearly proves the point that if leaders put national interests on the backburner, the people have to face severe consequences.

The inept leadership landed the country into the whirlpool of economic mismanagement, leading to the worst economic meltdown in the history of the country. The dynastic politics in Sri Lanka reflects the weak character of the leadership, bringing an entire nation on the verge of collapse.

In our case, the geostrategic location is considered the country’s best strategic asset, but, unlike Singapore, we have failed to convert this asset into corresponding economic benefits.

In addition, our ‘political gurus’ always preferred to make policies that put more and more burden on the people. Whenever it comes to giving sacrifice for pulling the country out of economic crisis, the political parties ask the masses to come forward to overcome the economic challenges. Regardless of whatever the people say or ask, they impose the taxes anyway.

And, lastly, honest leadership has remained a pipedream for us, as politicians are not generally trusted by the public because the strength of character is missing among our political elite.

It is not the resources with which Pakistan is blessed, but the management of these resources by the leadership of a state that will take us forward in any meaningful way. Preferring the growth of a nation over the accumulation of personal gains needs moral courage and sacrifice from the political leadership.

Waqar Hassan
Lahore

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2022