WITH a new year in place, there is hardly anything about life in Pakistan. For all practical purposes, the country seems to be where it was many moons ago. The new year has not brought any hope of the system getting any better anytime soon.

The socio-economic trends are not going to change and the people will continue to wait for the courts to dispense speedy justice.

The party in power has already suffered at the hands ofthe electorateinits stronghold of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the recent local government elections, and the picture looks bleak in Punjab, too. The question being asked around is pretty simple: what next? Pakistan has definitely lagged behind most of its neighbours over the years. With rapid rise in population and radicalisation, where would it be in 10 years` time? To an outsider it seems that all options have been exhausted except free and fairelections without the intervention of this or that institution. Has anyone in a position to call the shots realised this? Malik AtzfMahmood Majoka Melbourne, Australia