LAHORE The dream of progress and prosperity cannot come true unless capable socio-political leadership emerges in Pakistan as social development is a key to prosperity, according to the speakers at a forum held on Saturday at Aiwan-e-Waqt, Nawa-i-Waqt Building. At the forum entitled Weather Social Change is Necessary, well-known intellectual and daily Pakistan Editor Mujibur Rehman Shami commented on Economist Mehmood Mirzas book Social Change Through Social Politics. Shami said that the writer had been thinking over the issue for a many decades and by writing this book he not only highlighted the dangers and burning issues of the society in a good manner but also proposed some solutions. He said, Most of the people know how our rulers are running the state affairs and what kind of problems our society is facing. He claimed that Pakistan was the only country in the world which could not get due progress and prosperity with financial assistance from America. On the other side, he claimed, almost all the countries achieved more or less prosperity without relying on foreign aid. He was of the view that still Pakistan finds no way but to get American assistance just to run the government. Shami observed though Mehmood Mirza had showed indifference to the present leadership, yet he wanted to have such leadership that could change the countrys awful image. However, he said, the question was how this sympathetic and enthusiastic leadership, which can take over the present political system, could emerge. While giving solution to the problem, he said that local people should serve their respective communities by following the footsteps of workers of Khudai Khidmatgar, Khaksar Tehreek and Jamaat-i-Islami. Shami also said that in Turkey a revolution came into being when their leadership educated their people through local leadership. In fact, he noted, Turkish leadership was impressed by the philosophy of Fatahullah Golan. He said, Our people believe in shortcuts and never follow the trailblazers of Akhuwaat Movement, Imran Khan and Abdus Sattar Edhi. If Imran Khan adopts the constitution of Turkish leadership, the revolution could be emerged very soon. He believed that for prosperity and progress, it is not necessary to wait for new leadership but the people should knock the doors of current leadership to take steps for austerity, tax evasion and other burning problems and forced them to solve common mans problems through discussions. While addressing the forum, the writer said that social changes always exist, either in good or bad shape, adding that only sentiments of common people are the sources that pave the way for social development. He opined that the rulers had been suppressing common people since the inception of Pakistan but now the masses had recognised their rights and wanted to have social changes. But, he added, they did not know how and when this much-desired change could take place and who would lead them. In my opinion, all the third world countries need this social change but are unable to understand how this would occur. As every problem has a solution, media should come forward and lead the masses to bring this social change, he maintained. Our society would perish if we do not keep abreast with modern technology. He added that targets of progress and prosperity could be achieved through social development in addition to change in political leadership. He suggested that local leadership could emerge if local people start social work by cleaning their respective streets, buildings, schools and health outlets in their areas. Punjab Universitys Mass Communication Department Head Dr Mujahid Mansoori said that the writer had consulted him along with other scholars during his writing process of the book which highlighted the social problems with their solutions. He said that no past governments of the world set political development as their agenda except US President Trueman who used this terminology after World War II. He disclosed that even Westerners believed in the notion that social and economic development are the same things but new researches suggested that no country could get social development without education even having big GDP. He said economic progress could not be attained without social development. That was why, societies in Japan, France and Luxemburg are considered to be more developed than those of other rich countries of Europe and America. He said, Our society is lag behind from European countries as even educated people of our society never take care of cleanliness and a rich family usually throw out peels of fruits while traveling in a BMW. This behaviour shows that our society needs education as well as sincere leadership that could lead the masses to their destination of progress and prosperity.