A welfare state

Today, the biggest threat to Pakistan comes from terrorism – a by-product of our flawed security and foreign policies. After 1971, we should have pursued a foreign policy that was based on our own national interests with emphasis on cordial relations with all our neighbours. Instead of developing institutions to protect our economy and geographical entity through aggressive diplomacy, we became hostage to self-seeking domestic politics.

Our choice of diplomats to major capitals was not dictated by their professional prowess. Today, other than China, we do not enjoy cordial relations with any of our neighbours. It is time we set our own house in order, reset our priorities, focused on our own internal security and redrafted our foreign policy keeping our national interests as the sole objective. Our survival as an independent, sovereign state lies in pursuing the path of a democratic welfare state as envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam.
M T Ali
Lahore