Looking back at the evolution of nations, in the historical context, one common factor emerges constantly, both in the East and West, if you study, the rise and fall of nations. Iqbal, our greatest poet philosopher has put it beautifully. Main tuj ko bata hun, Taqdeer-e-Umam kiya hai Talwar-o- sana awal, ta-oos rubab akhar" (Let me reveal to you the secret of the destiny of nations rise and fall then commence with blazing their trail to glory with the power of their arms and might, which dwindles with indulgence in the luxurious music and such like ecstasies. Think of the struggle the Americans went through under George Washington before achieving independence on July 4 followed by the tabulations that Lincoln had to face during the civil war which ultimately paved the way for US to emerge as a great power. The history of the Islamic renaissance is no different. Pakistan's emergence under Quaid-i-Azam's inspiring leadership is the latest miracle of Unity, Faith and Discipline which changed the geography of this world. Having lost our bearings Pakistan has come to the present sorry state of affairs. Our sad saga started 62 years ago with the evacuee property allotment mafia spreading like cancer in all the vital organs of the country. In the past, the Quaid in his presidential address on August 11, 1947 had also mentioned about some of the most dangerous mafia. Alas, the Father of the Nation was not allowed by fate to frame the constitution of Pakistan on which a modern democratic state could be built. Thus the frail edifice of the newborn state was taken over soon after the Quaid's demise and Liaquat Ali Khan's assassination by the non-political forces comprising of the civil-military mafia led by Sikander Mirza, Ghulam Muhammad, Ch Muhammad Ali, and General Ayub etc. This led to the demise of Iqbal and Quaid-i-Azam's concept of Pakistan with the introduction of the martial law in Lahore in 1952. The rest is history. Except the short span of Bhutto in the 70s and Shaheed BB and Nawaz Sharif during the 90s the rest of the chequered history of Pakistan has been governed by the civil-military establishment with the active assistance of the landed aristocracy business tycoons and mafias of different kinds including drug mafia. It goes to the credit of Main Shahbaz Sharif that during his last and the present stint as CM he has waged a Jihad against ghost schools, land mafia and last but not the least booti mafia which had completely destroyed the education system in the province. The Jihad against illiteracy has received his topmost priority, but the challenge is so colossal that the treatment of this cancer requires a long-term therapy in addition to financial resources at least 10 times more than at present. Backed by the political will of the rulers, thanks to the economic vision of a banker financial advisor and the centre that the allocation of 2.8 percent of the GDP for education leaves much to be desired. Out of this literacy has received only a nominal allocation. Realising the intensity of the situation Mian Shahbaz Sharif has gone all out to boost the literacy sector in the province in a high level conference held on June 18. Incidentally on the same day the Avicenna Education Movement in collaboration with the Pakistan National Forum and the Punjab University held a jam-packed seminar at Lahore that was presided over by the former Chief Justice Mian Mehboob Ahmad and address by eminent scholars and journalists in which the national press put its full weight through the CPNE President Mr Arif Nizami who warned of the consequences if the new generation were not to play their part to meet the challenges facing the nation today. To achieve this goal the central and the provincial governments should lose no time in finalising an educational policy in accordance with a mutually agreed vision 2030 in respect of the National Education strategy. The writer is the president of the Pakistan National Forum