OUR economic or security problems are of our own making and not of others. It is we who decided to open our borders for men of various nationalities to come here and wage a war that was not ours to be fought in the first place. Those who wanted to establish strategic depth on our western borders are responsible not only for lack of vision but also strategy.

Instead of fortifying our own borders and making Pakistan economically and technological self-reliant, our government relied on a consumer-based economy, wasting billions on importing nonessential items.

If instead of generating cheap hydropower, we resorted to expensive thermal generation because of immediate kickbacks and attractive commissions. It is not America or the IMF which should be blamed, but our own government, both civil and military who have misgoverned this country.

We allowed men holding dual nationalities to dominate our corridors of power, our civil bureaucracy and even foreign service. These are not people who are forced to opt for foreign nationalities because of economic reasons. They have benefited most from this country, enjoyed immense power, perks and are beneficiaries of real estate allotments, yet they are involved in massive institutionalised corruption.

They now seek to be fugitives in their adopted countries to avoid accountability in Pakistan for exploiting this state and its people. Why blame the UK or Canada for offering them refuge, when these few powerful bureaucrats, traders and politicians are involved in remitting annually almost $15 billion every year from Pakistan.

Which country in the world would not welcome foreign investment and offer such people residential or immigration status.

M. TARIQ Lahore