As Pakistan is making earnest efforts for a take off, hostile forces both at home and abroad have suddenly become active to obstruct its steady march on the road to peace, progress and prosperity.
In a curious coincidence, the country’s western borders heated up at a time when Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was visiting New Delhi and the religious-politico entity Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) initiated a violent long march towards Islamabad to protest against an issue that is fast moving towards some sort of resolution in accordance with an agreement brokered by President Donald Trump and subscribed by almost all major players including Hamas.
Pakistan is at a cross-roads and facing a tricky situation as on the one hand it risks losing balance in its relations with major powers (as I explained in an article titled ‘Will Pakistan succeed in its strategic balancing act’, which appeared in this newspaper on October 13) and on the other hand self-centered internal elements and anti-Pakistan external forces are at play to destabilize the country and harm its economic interests.
It is a matter of pride for people of Pakistan that prudent policies of the incumbent civil and military leadership have produced desired results as with the exception of a few countries, which have their own designs and agendas against Pakistan, the image and stature of the country has increased tremendously in the eyes of almost the entire globe. For the first time in history, Pakistan and its leadership are showered with praise by a President of the United States and this is not without reasons. Pakistan’s defence capability, as demonstrated during the short but memorable war with India in May 2025, brought laurels from the entire world including President Donald Trump. As against this, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is getting frequent dressing down by the Opposition for his miscalculation of Pakistan and the humiliating defeat that India received at its hands due to fallacies of Modi. This is, in fact, indirect acknowledgement of the superb military strategy and diplomacy Pakistan pursued under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. It is also a reality that countries of the region and beyond are expressing keen interest in making investment in different sectors of Pakistan’s economy and increasing bilateral trade to the mutual advantage. A number of agreements have already been signed with several friendly countries including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Azerbaijan and Turkiye and more are in the pipeline. It is also a reality that multilateral institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank are more than willing to extend a helping hand in the country’s efforts to improve its economy and the lot of its people. There is also an impression that the worst phase of our economy is now over; inflation is receding; foreign exchange reserves and remittances by overseas Pakistanis are on the continuous rise despite political appeals for a boycott; energy crisis is becoming a thing of the past; an innovative plan has been devised to address the chronic problem of circular debt; tax collection has increased significantly brightening prospects for reducing crippling dependence on foreign loans and the Government is apparently resisting the tendency of burdening people with more taxes. The very fact that the country demonstrated its capacity and capability to address the challenge thrown by devastating floods and incessant rains is yet another manifestation of our national resilience.
Strategists and economists are convinced that Pakistan was on the right path and rising steadily and it has the potential to make rapid progress provided there is internal stability, security and continuity. In this background, there is dire need for promoting national unity but unfortunately we are still stuck up in the past when the country suffered hugely due to unprincipled politics, lust for power, strikes, wheel-jams and long marches. Verbally, all political and religious parties subscribe to the viewpoint that the country should have a Charter of Economy to ensure its uninterrupted march towards the destination of prosperity but practically the same old practice of leg-pulling is used to destabilize the Government and cause disruption in policies. This virtually amounts to strengthening the hands of the enemy, which, after suffering a military defeat, is conspiring to weaken Pakistan through state-sponsored terrorism. This is what we are witnessing in KP and Balochistan where, as per Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), at least 2,414 fatalities have been recorded in the first three quarters of this year and if the current trend continues, 2025 could be one of the deadliest years in Pakistan.
There is clear evidence that India and Afghanistan have joined hands in trying to weaken Pakistan as one is patronizing TTP terrorists (who have been provided safe haven in Afghanistan) and the other is funding, arming and training personnel of banned militant outfits in Balochistan, who have increased their terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage in the province. Reports in Indian and world media also speak of the possibility of another war this year between Pakistan and India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly assigned his army the task to inflict some territorial damage on Pakistan. In a twist of events, Afghan Taliban, which received active support from Pakistan throughout the years of their struggle, have openly aligned with India. It was shocking to observe that the joint statement issued after the visit of Muttaqi to India Jammu and Kashmir was referred to as a part of India, an example of extreme anti-Pakistan posturing by Kabul. It is unfortunate that while Pakistan pleaded the cause of Afghan people and provided refuge to millions for decades, Afghan Taliban showed insensitivity towards people of Pakistan and Kashmiris by legitimizing the illegal occupation of the territory by India.
It is also an open secret that the latest deadly clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces were triggered by the plain refusal of the Taliban to expel TTP elements responsible for carrying out terrorist attacks against civilians as well as personnel of law enforcing agencies. No doubt, Pakistan carried out air strikes inside Afghanistan but these were against terrorist hideouts and not Afghan people and the retaliatory attacks by Afghan Army proved beyond any doubt that Taliban were patronizing TTP militants in every manner.
No doubt, challenges are daunting but there is a matching resolve by people of Pakistan and the leadership of the country to counter these challenges effectively. This was first demonstrated by our valiant defence forces during war with India and again in clashes with Afghan Army and precision strikes against TTP elements in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has the potential to achieve all targets in the realms of defence, internal security and development but our political parties, religious parties and pressure groups will have to change their culture for the sake of the country. Ill-timed attempts to compound difficulties of the Government through tactics like long marches and non-cooperation with the security forces as we are witnessing in KP convey wrong signals to people of Pakistan.
