No leaders here

This refers to the article ‘For a knowledge economy’ (Jul 8) by Dr Atta-ur-Rahman. This is not the first time that the writer has implored the government to attach topmost priority to developing a knowledge economy. But all these pleadings have fallen on deaf years of the less educated rulers.

Education does not seem to be at all on the agenda of the government. The higher education budget has been curtailed this year to the dismay of young aspiring minds. The standard of education as a whole has become appalling over the past 12 years. Our degrees are not even recognized in the foreign countries. There is not a single institution worth the name in this country that can compete with institutions in our neighborhood. Cheating in exams is rampant. It has now reached the contours of aviation as dubious licences were said to be issued to pilots. Unfortunately, the nation lacks sincere and visionary leadership. Each successive government has been worse than the previous one. Perhaps, historians and philosophers can apprise us why astute leadership has not evolved in Pakistan like the rest of the world. Maybe the leadership gene is missing.

Arif Majeed

Karachi