Leadership criteria Production or destruction.

According to Karl Marx, history is economics in action-the contest among individuals, groups, classes and states for food, fuel, materials and resultant economic power. The modern day competition among world powers still remains all about domination of the global commons; i.e. high seas, airspace, outer space and, now, cyberspace. From a security perspective, the primary concern is safeguarding 'access' to these domains for commercial and military reasons. The Global Commons also refers to those areas or regions which are outside the exclusive jurisdiction of the nation states and requires common governance and management by the international community. The other examples of the Global Commons are the Earth's atmosphere, Antarctica, the ocean floor and the outer space. The domination of such spaces and lines of communications ensure control, monopoly and smooth flow of hydrocarbons, food and rare earth metals to the big powers and consequent status of Economic Giant. Hence, political forms, religious institutions, cultural creations, are all rooted in economic realities.

One big lesson we learn from the study of history from the economics point of view is that normally and generally, men are judged by their ability to produce except in war; when they are ranked according to their ability to destroy. The substitutes like oppression or ideological enthusiasm prove to be too unproductive, expensive and transient. For most part of its brief history, Pakistan has remained confronted with leadership, political, economic, security and religious and sectarian crises; reading it in reverse, it boils down to the crisis of leadership. After founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah, unfortunately the state has remained deprived of a sincere and true leader who could prevail upon all other stated crises and lead Pakistan to political and economic stability, due prosperity and security. In the given environment, the People of Pakistan are disillusioned and looking for a Messiah who can steer the country out of innumerable challenges. Can Pakistan continue to wait for being blessed with another Jinnah or someone like Mahathir bin Mohammad of Malaysia, or Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore?

A brief review of the past rulers and parties may be in order to refresh the short memories. Running a state on unstoppable foreign loans by lending state assets and sovereignty and making the lives of masses miserable has remained in vogue for rather too long. It has been a...

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