As Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif declared on Monday that Punjab planned to reject foreign aid in future to protect nations sovereignty and dignity, his elder brother PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif counselled the federal government to take this example seriously. Mian Shahbaz is right that foreign aid has proved to be poison for national sovereignty. At the same time, he clarified that rejecting foreign aid did not mean that the country would suspend relations with the outside world; instead it would develop economic and commercial ties. His is a step in the right direction and would not only allow us to regain self-respect in the comity of nations, but will also prevent a dangerous situation like that of today from developing. However, if we want to achieve self-reliance we must recourse to the resources at our disposal without delay. If exploited in a judicious manner these resources can enable us to generate revenue much more than the foreign aid we are receiving today. The foot-dragging of successive governments over the construction of Kalabagh Dam despite being conscious of the fact that it holds the key to our economic success has already cost us dearly; the crippling loadshedding is only one of its consequences. It should be built immediately if self-reliance is the objective. At the same time, other natural resources like the Thar coal reserves that according to scientists are enough to provide us with energy for centuries to come also needs to be tapped quickly. There is also a lot weight in Mian Nawazs view that the federal government cut its expenditure by 50 percent. Protecting our sovereignty by getting rid of foreign largesse that successive governments have been pretty much addicted to is indeed a revolutionary change that we must undergo.