THIS is apropos the letter Politicians’ retirement (Aug 5) by Salman Nabi in Islamabad. Mr Nabi has pointed out that far older politicians have performed miracles in putting their respective countries on the ladder to the zenith. He has very rightly illustrated with three examples, but I would dare to differ with him.

Dr Mahatir Mohammad, Mr Lee Kuan Yew and the Quaid-i-Azam were not politicians (Greek: poly: many; ticians: faces). They were a different breed. They can be called ‘Monoticians’, statesmen of the highest degree — straightforward, truthful, and greedless.

The politicians we have been ‘blessed’ with are a different breed in their own right, unable to see beyond their vested interests at the cost of the national interest. Power and absolute power is their primary motive. The nation has discarded many of them in the recent general elections. Those not discarded will meet their fate at the hand of accountability.

Prof N. H. Chaudhary
Lahore

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2018