The rise of extremism and terrorism stems from the gross injustices within our society. The massive corruption in our society means that the terrorists are able to proliferate by greasing palms along the way to strike at will at targets as sensitive as the Sri Lankan cricket team or the Manawan Police Training Institute. Unemployment is also a factor that aids terrorists in recruitment of frustrated youth for their cause. So is the rise in cost of living and a general perception about ends justifying the means. The recent controversy involving key members of the party in power in distribution of fertilisers and subsequent allegations of abuse of powers to make commissions has brought the population to the brink of depression. The government is a mess and the recent address to joint session of the parliament of the President has further eroded the government's image. His choice of words like 'we' for himself betray a latent desire to assume powers of royalty, never mind how unbecoming it may be for a democratically elected leader. The curse of terrorism demands prudence and wisdom from our leadership they seem incapable of showing. The PPP, having lost its leader Benazir Bhutto, needs to rely on collective wisdom of its senior stalwarts instead of the courtiers that have landed it in the current mess. The problems of Pakistan are too acute to be handled by inexperienced men, be they the dynastic heirs of BB, the nominees of Sharif family or the rejected Chaudhrys of Gujrat. -GULL ZAMAN, Kohat, via e-mail, March 30.