THE OIC summit held in Turkey on Dec 13 was to discuss the American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Pakistan was represented by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who was accompanied by Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

The trio attended the meeting in Turkey and proceeded to London where resides Mr Nawaz Sharif, their party leader, who was disqualified as prime minister in July and is facing charges in courts. Ostensibly he appears to be the one controlling the government in Pakistan.

To every thinking Pakistani, governance appears dysfunctional if one is to believe the media. The political and economic situation is distressing though the ruling party’s spin doctors paint a rosy picture.

I am an ordinary senior citizen and pray that our leaders — elected as well as un-elected, disqualified and all other sorts — spend the country’s resources sagaciously like the Quaid and the founding fathers. Is this too much to ask in the twilight of one’s life?

Hasan Chand
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2017