AT a time when some circles continue to portray a doomsday scenario because of economic challenges and political instability, Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir has relayed a morale boosting message to the countrymen as well as the outside world. Addressing members of the business community in Karachi, he expressed optimism about Pakistan’s economic recovery and future stability, saying that the clouds of despair that overshadowed the country a year ago have now dissipated. The Army Chief noted that the country’s economy was showing signs of improvement and predicted a brighter future for Pakistan’s economic landscape.
Those spreading despondency have their own agenda revolving around self or group interests or derailing Pakistan’s steady march on the road to progress and prosperity. The message that the COAS has delivered is not a hollow slogan but based on intimate knowledge of the ground realities as his institution is wholeheartedly backing all initiatives and programmes of the Government for economic recovery and accelerating the pace of growth and development. There can be no two opinions that the country was pushed to the verge of economic collapse due to collective policies of the past governments as most of them preferred adhocism over reforms and long-term policies. Taking advantage of the uncertain situation, some elements spread pessimism predicting an imminent default. The credit goes to the PDM’s coalition Government, interim setup and the incumbent Government for taking difficult but necessary measures to put the economy back on track and this process continues to-date. General Asim Munir has a reason for optimism as all economic indicators are improving and the situation will surely improve further next year when measures, policies and programmes that are in the pipeline start paying dividends. In fact, the country has the potential to come out of the vicious circle of economic and political instability if all stakeholders listen to the impassioned appeal of the Army Chief who emphasized the need for prioritizing the nation over personal or political interests, stating that nothing, not even politics, should come before the wellbeing of the country.
