Daily Times

Pakistan’s struggles against a tumultuous political climate have long lost the interest of the world around it for one simple reason: there’s no bouncing back. The situation has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride, with political instability and economic decline creating a double whammy for the nation. Journalists like us keep preaching to the choir about the need to restore stability warning how the consequences of prolonged chaos could be dire but unless those who are perched atop the pyramid actually bother about a fire raging in all corners, no tangible change can be expected.

The recent past has been marred by political instability in Pakistan, with frequent changes in leadership leading to a sense of uncertainty and chaos. Our country languished for an unbelievable time at the edge of the cliff; the topsy-tervy ride’s ups and downs left the people anxious; and uncertain about the future.

Despite past experiences of political turmoil and economic instability, it seems that lessons have not been learnt in Pakistan. A lack of political consensus and unity has impeded progress and hindered efforts to address the root causes of the nation’s challenges.

The only silver lining in the entire saga is the acknowledgement that since there’s no space left to fall even deeper.

Government after government came only to follow the same paths that they had viciously attacked during campaigns or their days spent on the opposition benches. Nothing was done to rectify the failures of the past leading to a vicious cycle of instability and decline. Things turned absolutely catastrophic in the last tenure of the elected government where a supposed messiah rode on the shoulders of millions with promises to fix everything overnight and began to see the wisdom in why his predecessors left the affairs as they were. Now that the tables have turned and an unprecedented election has culminated in a hung parliament; giving out a simultaneous message of distrust in the system and one last chance to their leaders, the need for a concerted effort to restore confidence could not be stressed enough.

Too much has already been written about the stark economic implications of political instability in Pakistan, especially as the nation faces a precarious situation on the financial front. The upcoming challenges with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which does not seem to be in an unforgiving mood, further underscores the urgency of restoring a semblance of normalcy in the environment. If all of the sessions would be spent poking holes, flashing banners and indulging in rounds of accusations and counter-accusations, what time could possibly be given to discussions on reforms?

Recent statistics on debt and financial obligations paint a grim picture of Pakistan’s economic predicament. In a way, every baby born in Pakistan has over Rs200,000 debt on her head. Only a truly decisive and effective leadership can address these challenges in a manner that balances the needs of the people with demands from our creditors. Like it or not, the economy will continue to call the shots in our politics for the short- and mid-term.

But no matter how excruciating the exercise may be, hope needs to trump experience. The only silver lining in the entire saga is the acknowledgement that since there’s no space left to fall even deeper into the pit, those at the helm of the affairs might get serious about their responsibilities. More on that later, folks. But in the meantime, an effective way to force our representatives to set their eye on the ball would be to continuously ask questions. Ask the right questions. Ask the questions that relate to your struggles to buy bread or keep the light on in your house. The rest of the party wranglings can wait for a sunny day.

The writer is OpEd Editor (Daily Times) and can be reached at durenayab786@gmail.com. She tweets @DureAkram