There is no dearth of educated men with integrity and skills in Pakistan. The problem lies with the mindset of our political leadership or their intentions, game plans and goals. The men in uniform seek solution to all problems from men within their own ranks, not realizing that we live in a world where challenges can be met only by the professionals that specialise in their concerned field. Our leaders fail to understand that they may be good in politics but lack the requisite skills to provide solutions to our economic ills. They have failed miserably to provide this country with an adequate infrastructure or technological self-sufficiency. Added bane is the rampant corruption in the corridors of power that has made a mess of this country. I fail to understand why every civil or military government since the 90s has always chosen to nominate some semi literate man, instead of a qualified PhD as head of the Academy of Letters. The only exception was Ahmed Faraz who was an acclaimed intellectual of international stature and fame in his own right. This has been the state of affairs for a long time in this country. Mian Nawaz Sharif nominated mostly uneducated men whose only claim to fame were their ability in the art of sycophancy. And they betrayed their benefactor as soon as he was out of power. In one case he appointed a non-matriculate as head of the Academy of Letters. General Musharraf's choices were just as bad. -NASIR KHAN KAKAKHEL, Peshawar, via e-mail, August 10.