Back to basics.

Eight well-known intellectuals had just ordered tea.

First: Ask ten Pakistanis and you will get as many solid opinions on which kind of government Pakistan needs. Ask how that will happen and you will either face complete silence or a change of subject. Apparent angst will be there in both cases. Ask a bus driver about the pitfalls of taking loans from IMF and he will give a lecture on macroeconomics. Ask him about the basic traffic rules and he might not know if such a booklet ever existed. Talk to an educated person on the reasons of not establishing Economic Zones and you will appreciate the depth of his knowledge on CPEC. Ask him if he ever went to cast a vote in any of the past general elections and the answer will be 'none' as elections in Pakistan are 'just a formality'.

Second: That is true because the country has not seen any sincere and able leadership after the Quaid. For decades, politics in Pakistan has been equated with winning elections after having the relevant stakeholders on board. Talking about marshal law and military rules, tell me, who provides the generals the required political vacuum to fill-in? Politicians in India fight with each other but they would never wish to see a general taking over as everyone stays within the bounds of specified parameters. Never give the first inch, my friend in the army would always caution me. Now that the joke has gone far enough, it is almost impossible to start from scratch. Hence, I would like the army to take over and keep running the affairs of the State for an indefinite period of time. Period.

Third: That is the most absurd idea I have ever come across. Why don't you give democracy a chance to flourish and let the government complete its term? Hereditary or not hereditary, educated or illiterate, let them come to Parliament through fair and free elections. But then you will say that such an election was not possible even in the United States. Agreed, a hundred percent fair election is not possible but there has to be a limit to designed rigging. The bigger question is: who will ensure a free and fair election and why? The 'why' part is more important to understand.

Fourth: I think all of them know that political stability is the foremost requirement for economic constancy. However, why no one wants to put the house in order is an entirely different debate. Masses have been enmeshed in senseless discussions on increasing or decreasing utility bills or provision of medicines at...