We enter the year 2017 with new hopes, aspirations and resolve to make our country great again, and lighting up our lives in an environment of peace and development. Problems and challenges Pakistan faces have to be addressed through a process of continuous rethinking; with cooperation and involvement of all those concerned at local, regional and international level. Policy makers, administrators, development practitioners, social scientists, academia and civil society, need to make deliberate efforts to gear up the process of change in attitudes and behaviours to help reduce negativity and road blocks, internal and external, in the way to improving the socio-economic conditions of all sectors of society. Collective effort is necessary as current challenges are regional and global. Forums for thinking of cooperation for peace and development must be strengthened for a way forward. In this context, India has to specially reflect on its policies towards neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan, to let peace and security of the region take priority over all other issues. Without a change in Indian attitude, there can be no peace and no development and welfare of the people. The United States also has to act responsibly to ensure an end to all current conflicts for the sake of peace and international cooperation for development. What’s needed is the free and an equal world. In the diplomatic perspective, Pakistan may like to keep its options open. There are limitations to what Pakistan would like to do, reconciling all the complex outstanding issues because of the US relationship and the necessity of accommodating the demands of a mutually beneficial friendly relationship with all other countries. India is trying to hide its own terror network by hurling allegations at Pakistan for allegedly promoting terrorism. The United Nations had already rejected India’s politically motivated proposal to impose sanctions on Pakistan. Pakistan is a direct victim of Indian terror. But it is committed to continuing close cooperation with the international community in its collective efforts for the elimination of terrorism. Russia, China and Pakistan are determined in their collective deliberations to put an end to the menace of terrorism and extremism as the major road block in regional peace and development efforts. Outstanding political differences among nations need to be settled through dialogue and diplomacy. Pakistan welcomes the New UN Secretary General’s resolution to put peace first to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan through serious attention to Kashmir and India’s water-terrorism. Pakistan wishes people around the globe to be more tolerant, realistic and friendly, especially respecting their neighbours. Let the politics of hate be a closed chapter. Let the people enjoy their right to peace and security for opportunities of brighter future. Especially, for the next generations. There is a thin line of demarcation between a revolutionary and a dictator. The success of a system depends on effective legislation and code of ethics. Objectivity and rationality must be the guidelines to ensure that justice is done. Remember, it is the quality of leadership that makes a difference. Unfortunately, justice is mostly delayed or denied for the common citizen universally. The situation regarding human rights and justice delivered can improve considerably with a more affirmative role of the media. Media has the power to influence and help correct wrongs in society provided there is a will to do so sincerely. Responsible media is expected to focus on real issues to help in nation building, national integration and establishing the writ of the state, in addition to building national character and base for the evolution of leadership capable of leading from the front. Leaders have to be role models who demonstrate the courage to act in public interests. Perfect understanding of the relationship of authority, responsibility and accountability could make the rule of law possible. Once this happens, justice and fairness will become the order of the day. Likewise, corruption can be eradicated, and extremism could be minimised to make cooperation possible for peace and development. Once citizens and those managing the affairs of government at various levels are conscious of their individual roles, expectations and societal needs, things are likely to improve significantly. In this context, we need to ponder on our educational system. Maybe our educational institutions do not prioritise the production of well-informed, socially responsible and civic-minded individuals? Maybe self-interest has pushed people away from the culture that promotes collective goods? We need to separate wrong from right through a continuous process of political reforms and redesigning institutions in structural-functional context. Reforms agenda needs to fall in line with individual and groups’ insight, backed by writ of the state and the rule of law. The quality of leadership does make a difference, but in the history of Pakistan, blaming the system always has paved way for the opportunists to grab political power. It is said that a worst democratic system is better than a good dictator. In summary, the system is more important than the whims of the individual. The system must remain in line with changing needs. Necessary legislation is essential, but the overlapping of a plethora of laws and rules must also be reviewed when they cause contradictions, leading to injustice and confusion. By the same token, all inquiry commissions’ and committees’ reports must be opened to the public. It will strengthen our quest for democracy and improved public policy and decisions. At the cost of repetition, I would state that even a perfect system could be made dysfunctional by incapacity and corruption as well as distasteful behaviours of politicians. If opposition parties are sincere and provide positive input, things could improve. Greedy elements who keep threatening to snatch power cannot justify their manners and legitimacy with sit-ins and road blocks. The line of command and authority needs to be carefully examined to make the systems operate on the ground of objectively and rationality. The system of checks and balances is the necessity for the three branches of the state to work effectively and efficiently. Everybody concerned with law making and implementation process should be aware of ‘what’ produces efficacy at the end of the day. The three branches of the state, the Legislature, the Judiciary and the Executive, must not interfere in jurisdictions other than their owner. Let the three branches work independently but working in harmony and coordination which is much needed to stay out of confusion. Service to the people is the fundamental objective of public administration. To achieve this goal, vested interests must be kept out of the system. Corrupt elements don’t deserve to represent the people in the Parliament. Merit should be the sole criteria. Those who fail to satisfy needs of the people in their own political hide-and-seek games should stop deceiving the nation. The people must be given their due rights to feel respectful to law and responsible to their families and the state. Promoting family values and culture of tolerance will strengthen Pakistan. Long live Pakistan. The writer is the former director of the National Institution of Public Administration (NIPA), a Political analyst, a public policy expert and an author. His book Post 9/11 Pakistan was published in the United States. He can be reached at iftahmed786@hotmail.com