In this age of technology and information sharing, one wonders if those responsible for running a country ever consider formulating policies based on learning from success stories around the world.

We have just celebrated our 62nd independence day, but the feudal lords are trying to consolidate their powers in the centre and in provinces and they tend to care little for the betterment of the Pakistani people at large.

In a time like this where the military is engaged in battling the ruthless menace of Taliban, it is unfortunate that the politicians keep bringing their vindictive agendas and promote them in the name of democracy and it hardly bodes well for the nation.

On the contrary, when President Obama became president in January 2009, he never publically criticised Bush or his team, although he disagreed with many of his predecessor's policies. Can Pakistani politicians ever learn from the most successful democracy in the world?

The people of Pakistan are equally to blame in this scenario because their memories are quite short.

These corrupt politicians keep getting re-elected despite brewing political vindictiveness, defaming the previous governments and digging out politically-motivated cases against them but also repeating the same mistakes themselves.

General Musharraf might have suspended the constitution but the politicians fail to see that General Musharraf should be given the credit for streamlining our banking sector and introducing micro-credit lending in Pakistan.

It was not until General Musharraf came to power that the National Highway Authority was constituted and foreign firms working on infrastructure projects were mandated to train and hire the local work force.

It was not until General Musharraf that local bodies were given public access to Nazims and Naib Nazims for medial tasks such as getting their forms attested. Under the politically-appointed administrators it was always a nightmare to get it done.

The list of Musharraf's accomplishments can go on and on, but we the ungrateful nation will re-elect the same corrupt people that nearly bankrupted our nation. Instead the demands to try the only person responsible for Pakistan's prosperity for treason are unfair.

To date, the current political setup has failed to introduce the much-needed educational reforms in this country of 170 million.

It is alarming that the only other word mentioned the most in the Holy Quran after Allah, is Ilm and by God our politicians and Mullahs alike prey on the illiterates. The illiteracy has plagued our nation for long.

Not a single Muslim country has a top-class university. This is a matter of shame for a nation of believers that was once recognised as the beacon of knowledge and prosperity.

The people of Pakistan should join hands together and demand free education for all as they marched and demanded the restoration of sacked judges; demand that politics of fear and intimidation be scrapped; demand that the bill of basic rights in Pakistan be passed that guarantees freedom and justice for all, and demand that basic necessities of people are addressed.

If we all promoted merit and shunned political appointments and did not cater to personal vindications of our politicians then, perhaps, there might still be hope for our great nation.

NAUMAN SAEED
Via email