I dont blame those that read the title of this article and chucked it away… I dont blame them for how many more hopeful op-eds is a Pakistani supposed to read. It’s been over seven odd decades and the plight of Pakistanis across the board makes it seem as if those in power are unable to govern… as if Pakistan is an impossible country and as if we, the Pakistanis, are destined for a life of hardship. However, if you are one like me, hopeful for what the future holds, this is an article for you.
The new government has assumed power in an environment fraught with political turmoil, polarisation, and controversy over the election. The now PM Shehbaz Sharif is sworn in for a second time; this time heading a fragile six-party coalition government with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) as its main ally. While the PPP has opted to support the government, it has declined to join the cabinet.
This means that the government will now have to constantly engage in efforts to keep the PPP and others happy. This also means that their demands will need to be met to retain their support. The Shehbaz-led government will face the vulnerabilities of coalition politics and have to deal with unpredictable coalition partners, with little assurance of stability. All this could distract it from its real job i.e. governance.
While the risk of managing a coalition is great, the risk of leading successfully is even greater. With the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf resorting to provocative politics, presenting the ruling coalition with a continuing challenge, the task of effectively conducting parliamentary politics will be tenfold. The disruptive conduct of PTI-backed MNAs in the assembly’s initial sessions indicates the shape of things to come, especially as they promise to stage protests every session. The ongoing government-opposition tensions show no signs of easing, making it unlikely for them to reach a consensus on parliamentary functioning. This confrontation is likely to hinder legislative progress and may even bring proceedings to a standstill in the future.
The cherry on top for the PML-N-led government is the provincial scenario. The scenario is such that the PML-N only holds a majority in one province while the other three provinces are under the control of different parties, with a hostile government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This situation will impose constraints on the Sharif government. Effectively handling relations between the center and provinces will be difficult and demand a careful balance of pragmatism and assertiveness. Building a national consensus on federal policies will be both crucial and challenging in this context.
But none of these constraints should deter or prevent the government from charting a way to meet the many challenges the country faces. That, after all, is its responsibility.
Amidst the daunting economic challenge, the government should view the crisis as a chance for transformation. It faces a clear decision: either resort to familiar short-term fixes like increased borrowing and bailouts, which only postpone reform and deepen debt, leading to inevitable future crises, or seize the current situation as an opportunity to implement comprehensive structural changes. This entails breaking free from the cycle of unsustainable financial practices, high borrowing, inflation, and sluggish growth by initiating significant reforms.
While it’s crucial to urgently address the need for macroeconomic stability, it would be a mistake to overlook the decline in human development indicators in Pakistan. This isn’t just a crisis; it’s a silent but deep human capital crisis, as labeled by the World Bank. With over 20 million children out of school and literacy rates stagnating, our education system is crippling. Poverty is also on the rise, with an estimated 12.5 million more people falling into poverty in just one year.
These challenges are daunting, especially in a politically tense environment where implementing major policy actions is difficult. However, there could be no better time than now for the leadership to prove itself. It is now up to Shehbaz Sharif and his team to decide whether governing this beautiful country is difficult or impossible!
