It is really hard not to be a sceptic in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. If you get stuck in a traffic jam for hours due to insane protocol for VIPs, the elite or even foreign dignitaries, you feel like a third-rate citizen with no human or citizen rights and no voice at all. Too many road checkpoints, armed deployed gunmen in some sort of uniform with a lacklustre and casual bystander role but hard and uncivilised conduct, are confronted by millions of common Pakistanis as a daily routine. But regrettably, the elite thriving on public money buzzes past, making people feel even smaller and more frustrated. But who cares! For the concerned bureaucracy, all that matters is a pat on the back with an obvious red carrot hanging in front of their eyes, while ordinary citizens continue to sizzle under the scorching sun. There are too many such insulting treatments meted out to ordinary citizens in Pakistan on the roads, streets and in the offices having names prefixed with ‘National’ or ‘Pakistan’, which makes one wonder as to what kind of people are ruling and administrating this country that is neither ‘Islamic nor Democratic’ in the true sense.

As per the accepted global norms, true representative political leadership is defined by selflessness, integrity and accountability. A genuine leader does not seek power for personal gain, but acts as a........

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