Pakistan entered 2024 on shaky ground, facing unprecedented political upheaval, which was the perfect backdrop to its textbook-style economic crunch. The country struggled with depleting foreign exchange reserves, a low tax-to-GDP ratio, a high debt burden and the constant blaring of alarm bells about an eminent default. Furthermore, an uptick in the Pakistan Taliban’s movement marked the end of a brief respite, with the neighbourhood (including the likes of Kabul) pointing fingers at the dangers posed by the new “sick man.” Fast forward 12 months, and the government deserves a pat on its back for managing to get its head down and do the unthankful job. Through a series of painful tax increments, energy price adjustments and subsidy cuts, branding it as the ultimate boogeyman, Islamabad laid the groundwork for a crucial $7 billion bailout from the IMF. Upending all doomsday predictions, various credit agencies have offered growth forecasts that inspire hope for the coming year, wherein a reduction in inflation and an improved business climate might mean the sweeteners finally trickle down to the common man. However, while spikes in the stock exchange, significant bolstering of foreign exchange reserves and tremendously strong remittances carry the hallmarks of sprouted recovery seeds, the unresolved political meltdown continues to top the list of glaring albeit unresolved challenges. Little has changed vis-a-vis the government’s relationship with the opposition. National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s recent bid to defuse tensions has yet to yield anything substantial. Even if stability may have returned to the balance sheet, no amount of hard work or resolve can propel the economy into turbo mode unless political leaders can collaborate constructively and craft a narrative focusing on the electorate instead of their petty squabbles. Corruption continues to thrive in Pakistan’s political elite, with recurring allegations of embezzlement and nepotism contrasting starkly with the ruling party’s pro-efficiency message. This lack of transparency and accountability has eroded public trust, fueling protests, which in turn, proved to be nothing short of the government’s nosedive down the rabbit hole. The tragic loss of over 100 deaths due to sectarian violence in Parachinar alone is a testament to the lack of inclusivity and tolerance, threatening to tear the nation further apart. Pakistan’s future is still stuck on the same rollercoaster and as before, those in positions of authority have two choices: they can either continue to treat politics as a business rather than as a public service, or they can work with each other in a way that prioritises the welfare of this 240-million-strong nation. *