Democracy works.

This refers to Dr. Farrukh Saleem’s article ‘Continuity’ (December 1, 2024). The author says that Pakistanis desperately need stability, predictability and above all continuity of policies for sustainable development. The author provides examples of four East Asian countries that have benefited from stable, if not anti-democratic, forms of governance. However, the four countries are not a representative sample and there are many developing countries that have not benefited economically from this type of governance. Meanwhile, almost all leading developed countries have regular elections and change of government every four or five years and are constantly developing. The ultimate recipe for national success: free and fair elections. Political parties should announce their policies before elections and there should be only four years between elections.

Abdul Majeed

Islamabad