There is something fundamentally flawed with the Third World politicians. Once they get power, they forget pressing demands of the electorate who bring them to power. Take the case of President Muhammad Mursi. His party came to power after years of repression and persecution meted out to it by successive military dictators. Egyptians didn’t bring Mursi to power to start dividing and polarizing the country on religious and sectarian lines but to address some of the pressing issues hitting everyone’s day-to-day life — widespread unemployment, fledging economy, freedom of expression. What have they got in return — a bruised president who blames everyone but himself for his persistent failures?
Arab Spring was not meant to bring theologists to power but to make the general public masters of their own destiny. Unwise imposition of religious agenda, attempts to reverse the cultural and social fabric of the society were bound to create ideological fissures; that’s exactly we are now witnessing on Cairo’s streets.
Similarly in Pakistan, the newly elected government headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is more occupied with non-issues while ignoring monumental challenges facing the country. Instead of providing relief to the general public, these leaders focus on politics of vendetta and settling old scores. They are in fact doing more harm to democracy in their countries rather than strengthening it. They inadvertently provide pretext to some powerful quarters to say — it’s over now. — Masood Khan, Jubail
Third World leaders
