Things are not moving in the right direction in the domains of our public affairs. The government has confirmed that Pakistan will be put on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Circular debt in respect to the energy sector has soared to Rs922 billion. Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that parts of Balochistan are likely to face severe drought conditions during this summer. Due to less than expected rains and snowfall, the water has not been adequately stored in our dams and other reservoirs.

The unprovoked violation of the Line of Control by Indian security agencies has made another concern for our foreign policy officials and strategists. And the unceremonial exit of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister and later as chief of his own party marks the expected but undesirable standoff between superior judiciary and the government. It turned into a stunt that has cast unnecessary gloom on the overall murky scenario of the national political landscape.

Interestingly, the opposition parties have not formulated any radical solution to at least win mass appeal. They are found uttering hollow rhetoric without sense of purpose and direction, causing ordinary souls to get confounded in this pall of gloom. What is needed is a policy of hope reflected through the solid deeds of the leadership. With elections round the corner, ordinary people do not see a visible change in their destiny, and that of the nation except the change of a few faces.

One finds the present leadership in many frames of mind! It does not know how to mobilise people for reposing confidence in the future, collective action and struggle to eliminate the looming perils. And the confused and unclear minds obviously deliver words that are hollow, least coherent, most unimpressive and far away from the inner souls of the masses.

For example, the nation wants to know about the policy and plan so far formulated to combat possible economic downturns that may evolve after the FATF doctrine shall come into effect. Doused in naivety, the leadership is harping the theoretical merits of democracy, none of which is translated into action. People want to learn about the methods of dealing with economic quagmire. What they painfully observe is a reckless attempt of new appointments for faces that have been tested and found ineligible for respective assignments due to past performances. People want to see role models of political acumen, statesmanship and wisdom draped in the lifestyle of the common man on the street. In contrast, they have to bear with second-rate and snooty drones often tainted with background of corruption. For obvious preferences, such leadership chooses birds of the same feathers to run departments, organisations and units of national importance. In short, people of Pakistan are entangled in circumstances where hopelessness and despair are too overwhelming to be ignored.

It is common knowledge that complex questions have complex answers. But every complex combination can be disaggregated into a sequence of simple steps. Without causing earthshaking changes, many positive measures can be adopted by the present leadership. Effective and meaningful communication is the first factor. Words of the leaders are important and weighed accordingly. Caution must be applied in delivery of utterances, especially on important occasions. If the leaders have had no past experience of the same, then they must resort to self-education and training to fit into that role.

At the same time, people wish to see their leaders amongst themselves during trying times. When they are braving out threats and damages of the worst kinds, it is their natural demand to have the top leadership within themselves to console and enact hopes for the future. In other words, the leadership must evolve a sense of association with the masses.

The party that rules Sindh has leadership that is too distant to approach. It does not fare well with the descendents of the slain leader who embraced martyrdom in public despite knowing full well all the dangers that surrounded her. In the true sense of the word, she led from the front, spreading signs of hope amongst her audience. Disappointingly, lesser folks can be seen occupying high offices behind faceless walls of Presidency, Prime Minister’s Houses and Ministerial Lodges in disregard of that glowing example of bravery!

It goes without saying that leaders take tough decisions with courage in the hours of need and stand by them like a rock. They set examples by strictly observing the decisions themselves to let the masses emulate such bold attempts. The reverse is true for the Pakistani case. The leadership gloat about democracy but stops short of practicing it. One does not even find the crucial policy decisions taken through the platforms of central executive or working committees of parties or equivalent organs. In a quasi feudal style, sensitive matters such as key appointments, fiscal, financial and administrative decisions are taken which adversely affect the performance of the overall system.

In existing difficult economic circumstances faced by common people, it is an eye sore to find national leadership displaying the most ostentatious lifestyle. Motorcades, police escorts, palatial residences, lavish banquets, frequent trips abroad and hefty roles of personal wealth belie the claims to populist roots. When the first prime minister of this country was martyred, he had a few rupees left in his balance!

The country is led by a chief executive who proudly accepts that he follows the dictates of his de-facto party chief in all key matters. Similarly, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have chief ministers that possess extremely limited powers due to various political handicaps that they face. But a capable political leader is the one who is able to optimise his position and adds strength to his office through skillful negotiation with the invisible stakeholders.

Unless people do not get the message that those who sit in the ruling echelons also carry adequate power to resolve their day-to-day affairs, their faith in government and its capacity shall dwindle to the bottom. This outcome may not be desirable for any stakeholder in the power structure as it is the first step leading to anarchy!