THIS is with reference to the letter ‘There is just one major fault line’ (May 2). I tend to agree that there is only one fault line, but it is not the colonial legacy of political dominance, which the said letter talked about. As I see it, the root cause of our all fault lines is our moral bankruptcy that dampens our sense of responsibility, badly affecting the execution of our policies. A policy without proper and professional implementation cannot yield the desired results.

Unfortunately, we as a nation, utterly lack the national spirit, and, as a result, we habitually remain negligent of our duties. For instance, in spite of having sufficient stocks of wheat in the country, wheat worth billions of rupees was imported. It was a highly irresponsible act on the part of the authorities concerned.

Sadly, our overall performance in various social sectors has been dismal. Indeed, we have made a mess of every- thing. The miserable condition of our national entities, such as Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Steel Mills and Pakistan Railways, is only due to political apathy and neglect on the part of successive governments.

As for our politics, the less said, the better. Chaotic and violent as it has been, it continues to polarise society, vitiating the minds of the young by spreading hatred and prejudice. In the aftermath of the elections earlier this year, political turmoil rather than political stability has been seen in parliament as well as on the streets.

On the economic front, our ailing economy, desperately looking for a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package, is the outcome of decades of economic mismanagement.

A beautiful country blessed with various natural resources needed nothing but good governance, and it failed to get even that much. To get rid of multiple socioeconomic and political crises, the only way forward is to harness the potential of our resources, shun parochialism, sink political differences, forge national unity, and work sincerely and honestly with patriotism. Easier said than done, though.

Prof Sarwar Pathan
Sukkur

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2024