THE finance minister appears confident about the direction his ministry is taking and seems firmly committed to implementing the various reforms Islamabad has agreed to under its latest deal with the IMF. Considering that the country has lately been able to report a fair degree of macroeconomic stability after months of hectic firefighting, this should be seen as a positive affirmation that resolve at the very top level of economic policymaking remains strong. However, it is hoped that policymakers can remain focused on getting Pakistan out of its economic rut. They must not allow themselves to be distracted by temporary setbacks. It is in this context that some recent remarks from both the finance minister and the prime minister have caused concern. Both have recently expressed their worry that ‘political strife’ is endangering their plans, with the prime minister stating that “we will not tolerate it”.

It is understandable that they wish to protect their hard-won gains against any risks, but given the current political climate, their stance will be interpreted as providing another excuse for the state to continue its policy of repression. The government must, at some point, acknowledge its own responsibility for the continuing political instability in the country. It should be acknowledged that dealing with the country’s economic challenges has been unnecessarily more difficult due to the poor political decisions taken by ruling party leaders over the past few years. Therefore, while it is easy for the incumbents to criticise the opposition and shift all blame onto it, this strategy cannot yield the desired outcome. Indeed, it can further alienate and agitate large segments of the population, making it even more difficult to implement much-needed, politically difficult reforms. Therefore, if economic gains are to be protected, the government desperately needs a different approach. It can only get so far through the use of force: dialogue, negotiation and political engagement may yield much more enduring results.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2024