Policies that promote progress and stability

When countries move away from the basic norms and fundamental principles of democratic governance, they may not realize the negative impact that this has on virtually most aspects of governance, affecting the lives of millions of people. It distorts politics when power is in the hands of other state institutions whose responsibilities differ from those of the political government that is accountable to the people. There are other negative side effects, and it weakens political institutions, as we have witnessed in our seventy-six years of history, and it produces leaders who are willing to compromise in order to gain power. But political leadership that is unable to fully exercise its power further weakens the state, increasing its vulnerability.

Pakistan’s leaders need to reassess its domestic and external policies also in the light of their own experiences and changing global dynamics. A country that is heavily dependent on the IMF and external sources for a prolonged period to keep its economy afloat is compromising its independence and is doomed to keep most of its citizens in a state of poverty. Seeking support from the IMF and international agencies in case of economic slowdown for a limited period of time for developing countries is acceptable, but prolonged dependence and lack of serious efforts on the part of the government to revive the economy and free itself from dependence on foreign aid should be a cause of serious concern for the leadership. On the contrary, managing the economy in such a way that the country gains economic autonomy should be a high priority for the government. Given the scale of the prevailing poverty that afflicts a large percentage of the population in the country, improving the economy should be the highest priority for the government. Of course, this requires the leadership’s ability and a determined commitment to achieve this goal.

It is equally important for political leaders to put aside party differences if they are truly serious about the future of the country and the welfare of its citizens. But there is no sign of that happening. The PTI, despite having significant mass support, has been overrun to the point where most of its leaders are in custody or facing charges. When politics are confrontational, democratic values ​​are disregarded, it is the people who ultimately suffer. And when politics are dragged into court cases, the judiciary, which would rather stay out of political infighting, is dragged in. Perhaps they did not realise that these policies and actions have a serious impact on virtually every aspect of state power and are damaging the country’s image. And the burden of this neglect falls on the people.

The external and internal security situation is another area of ​​serious concern. In the areas of KP close to the Afghan border, security has deteriorated to such an extent that military action has become inevitable. This has also been necessitated by the patronage that the TTP and other militant organisations have been receiving from the Afghan Taliban government. It remains a matter of serious concern that the supposedly friendly Taliban leadership in Afghanistan is indifferent and supports forces hostile to Pakistan. After the army successfully countered the TTP and restored a modicum of peace and stability in the tribal belt, the government’s priority should be to focus on the economic uplift of the area. The main reason for the entrenchment of militancy, apart from the side effects of the unsettled conditions in Afghanistan, is the prevailing poverty, poor employment opportunities and poor governance in the area.

It is a mystery and difficult to understand what encourages the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan to pursue a hostile policy towards Pakistan, especially when Pakistan has always stood by them and given them valuable support. This general feeling of insecurity is very damaging to Afghanistan, because it has practically imprisoned itself. Perhaps the Taliban leadership fears that allowing their people normal contact with the outside world will open their eyes and broaden their perspective. Then they will challenge the current leader and his primitive and inward-looking ideology.

Relations with India are frozen and it is unclear whether Narendra Modi would be any different in his third term and whether he would pursue the same hostile policy of isolating Pakistan. This is more reason for Pakistan to further strengthen ties with China and explore new avenues of cooperation with Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. The recent killing of seven Chinese nationals by militants in Pakistan was a major blow to the relations between the two countries. It is no wonder that China has downgraded its strategic relations with Pakistan and taken steps to strengthen the security of its citizens working in Pakistan.

Developing strong political and economic ties with the Central Asian countries is critical. There is considerable potential and scope for cooperation in the economic and political fields with these countries, for which Pakistan is well-positioned. However, it can avail of these opportunities, provided it is properly focused, internally stable and capable of producing high-quality products. This may sound like a daunting task, given the current state of political confrontation and the state of the economy. However, our leaders cannot continue to ignore this and be unaware of their responsibilities. Only those leaders who fully understand the centrality of national interests and work seriously to promote them succeed. This makes them more aware of their responsibilities and the importance of serving the interests of the people. Our leadership should act in this manner if it truly wants to serve the people.

As I and many others have said, our leaders should put aside partisan differences and bring the PTI and other dissident groups into the fold as an act of responsible leadership that has the interest of the people as its priority. In the face of serious political chaos and a shaky economy, building a framework for a cooperative approach to solving national problems should remain a priority.

Moreover, political consensus and a conscious effort to revive the economy are the best way to address the threats facing the country and promote values ​​and policies for progress in the 21st century.^saint age.